What Is Considered A Healthy Insulin Level For The Brain
The functional range I strive for with my patients is a fasting insulin of around a 5. Ive been through many functional medicine seminars and through training on working with patients who have dementia.
Among functional medicine doctors, the healthy number is an insulin of 5. Like I said, not enough insulin is bad. Too much insulin is bad. You need just the right amount to promote proper brain health and function.
In conclusion, high triglycerides themselves dont cause brain fog, fatigue, or low energy levels. Its the associated aspects of what goes along with high triglycerides and what caused them in the first place.
The cool part is that with proper guidance, most of my patients dramatically improve their lab results and overall health in a relatively short period of time.
Yours In Health,
What patients think:
When Should You Go To The Hospital For Dehydration
Becoming severely dehydrated can cause fatigue and other symptoms that can keep you from getting the help you need. Be sure to let a friend or family member know how youre feeling so they can assist you if you need it.
You should go to the hospital for dehydration if you experience the following:
- you cant drink any fluids or frequently vomit fluids
- you cant stop vomiting
- you feel too tired to drink anything
- your pulse feels weak
Too Much Alcohol Intake
Alcohol consumption can increase triglycerides when consumed beyond the recommended limits and alcohol abuse can have a disastrous effect on your lipid levels.
In a person with excessive alcohol intake, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol get elevated and HDL levels tend to fall. This can be very dangerous exposing you to a potential risk of cardiovascular disease.
Alcohol is rapidly absorbed and taken to the liver for metabolism. The liver cannot metabolize it fast enough and it gets overburdened. The fatty acids, therefore, accumulate in the blood raising the triglyceride levels.
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Articles On High Triglycerides
When your triglyceride levels are too high, you may not have symptoms. It’s a “silent” problem with big implications, such as a four-fold increase in the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke.
A simple blood test is all it takes to check your triglyceride levels. If they’re too high, you can get them back under control, often by changing your daily habits.
If you already know that your triglyceride levels are too high, the actions you take now might even save your life.
Secondary Causes Of Dyslipidemia
Treatment of diabetic dyslipidemia should always involve lifestyle changes and statins to reduce LDL cholesterol. To decrease the risk of pancreatitis, fibrates can be used to decrease TGs when levels are > 500 mg/dL . Metformin lowers TGs, which may be a reason to choose it over other oral antihyperglycemic drugs when treating diabetes. Some thiazolidinediones increase both HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Some TZDs also decrease TGs. These antihyperglycemic drugs should not be chosen over lipid-lowering drugs to treat lipid abnormalities in patients with diabetes but may be useful adjuncts. Patients with very high TG levels and less than optimally controlled diabetes may have a better response to insulin than to oral antihyperglycemic drugs.
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How To Lower Your Triglycerides
Another reason to control your weight is for your health. Triglycerides are a type of fat that can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Studies have shown that lowering triglycerides can reduce your risk of developing heart disease or stroke. A recent study found that cutting back on saturated fat, by eating more whole grain bread and pasta, can lower triglyceride levels. Other factors such as obesity, being overweight, and smoking can also contribute to high triglyceride levels. Exercise can help lower your triglycerides, as well. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity each day. You can also lower your triglyceride levels by eating fewer foods that are high in saturated fat.
Should You Sleep In A Cold Room When Sick
Many people like sleeping in a cool room, but dont make it so cold that you wake up shivering in the middle of the night. When youre feeling sick, you might want to consider raising the temperature a little, rather than letting the thermostat drop. Just dont forget to change it back when youre feeling better.
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Maybe Shes Born With It
High cholesterol due to genetics is called familial hypercholesterolemia . People with FH are born with high cholesterol because their bodies cant process LDL correctly.
FH is one of the most common inherited diseases, affecting 1 in 220 adults. People with FH have a 13 times greater risk of heart disease. Untreated FH can result in chronically high cholesterol levels and heart disease.
What Are The Warning Signs Of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol typically doesnt have any symptoms until it is an emergency event. The only way to know if you have a high level of ldl cholesterol is through a blood test. Leaving cholesterol untreated can lead to the buildup of plaque over time, damaging the heart and putting you at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Keep an eye out for heart attack or early stroke symptoms like:
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Elevated Ldl Cholesterol In Children
Childhood risk factors besides family history and diabetes include cigarette smoking, hypertension, low HDL cholesterol , obesity, and physical inactivity.
For children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends dietary treatment for children with LDL cholesterol > 110 mg/dL .
Drug therapy is recommended for children > 8 years and with either of the following:
-
Poor response to dietary therapy, LDL cholesterol ⥠190 mg/dL , and no family history of premature cardiovascular disease
-
LDL cholesterol ⥠160 mg/dL and a family history of premature cardiovascular disease or ⥠2 risk factors for premature cardiovascular disease
Drugs used in children include many of the statins. Children with familial hypercholesterolemia may require a second drug to achieve LDL cholesterol reduction of at least 50%.
Smart Changes To Lower Triglycerides
- Eat a healthy diet. Put the brakes on soda, bread, potatoes, pasta, alcohol, and juice. The densest energy foods that we tend to eat are simple carbohydrates, explains Dr. Plutzky.
- Increase your physical activity. Being inactive can up your risk of high triglycerides Even little things like walking or going up the stairs can be very effective, says Dr. Plutzky.
- Quit smoking. Smoking can raise your triglyceridesalong with the risk of a host of other serious health problems. If youre a smoker, the time to quit is now. For free resources on how to quit smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
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Addressing Issues With High Cholesterol
A person cannot directly alter their genetic makeup however, they can reduce the risk factors that are associated with heredity by altering their lifestyle. This means engaging in a healthy lifestyle that is not associated with any type of drug misuse or abuse. Individuals using or abusing drugs or alcohol should become involved in substance use disorder treatment programs to address these issues.
Other common sense interventions to engage in include:
- Eating a balanced diet
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Learn More About Chest Pain
If you have questions about chest pain or any other health concerns for you or your family, contact the expert team at Calvary Medical Clinic. Were happy to help you understand whats causing your chest pain, how to reduce your pain, and how to protect your heart. for an appointment, or request a consultation using the convenient online booking tool.
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Good Cholesterol Bad Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in all of your bodys cells. Your body uses cholesterol for various important jobs, such as manufacturing hormones and vitamin D and help you digest foods.
Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. You also get cholesterol from animal foods such as eggs, meat, and dairy products.
There are several kinds of cholesterol. The bad types include low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein , which carries triglycerides. These are referred to as bad because they lead to the buildup of plaque in your arteries.
Another type of cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein is considered good because it helps remove cholesterol from your body.
Triglycerides And Blood Sugar
Having high triglycerides could be a sign that youâre becoming insulin-resistant, which means your body isnât using insulin properly.
When insulin doesnât do its job, glucose can’t get into your cells. That raises your blood sugar levels, which can lead to pre-diabetes and, eventually, type 2 diabetes.
Having diabetes makes you much more likely to have a heart attack and other heart problems, in addition to the risk from your high triglycerides.
Untreated diabetes is a major health threat. To manage it well, you may need to track everything you eat, test your blood sugar, exercise, lose extra weight, take medication as directed, and keep up with your medical appointments.
Many people don’t know that they have diabetes. Your doctor should check on whether you do, and if so, help you get both your diabetes and your triglycerides under control.
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Causes Of Fatty Liver Disease
Eating excess calories causes fat to build up in the liver. When the liver does not process and break down fats as it normally should, too much fat will accumulate. People tend to develop fatty liver if they have certain other conditions, such as obesity, diabetes or high triglycerides.Alcohol abuse, rapid weight loss and malnutrition may also lead to fatty liver. However, some people develop fatty liver even if they have none of these conditions.
Hypothyroidism And High T3
According to the lab values provided above, particularly the elevated T3, the subject would likely be incorrectly diagnosed as hyper-thyroid by their doctor.
While her T3 levels are above the recommended reference range, its important to ALWAYS observe symptoms along with temperature and pulse when assessing thyroid function.
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Her basal morning body temperature is consistently low and never reaches close to normal throughout the day.
If she were truly hyper-thyroid, her body temperature would be above normal, not suppressed.
She would also exhibit hyper-thyroid symptoms instead of the common hypothyroid symptoms of which she complains, such as always feeling cold.
When we see high T3 levels and low body temperature, we know that thyroid hormone is being blocked and not being used properly.
In some cases, we find this being caused by either low cholesterol or low vitamin A, yet both have been ruled out in this case.
Her reverse-T3 is higher than we like to see, which can be another factor.
Ideally we like to see reverse-T3 at the low end of the reference range.
It often increases in response to stress in an attempt to reserve energy by inhibiting metabolism and the use of T3.
The suspected elevated cortisol mentioned above is likely at play here.
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What Causes High Triglycerides
Eating a diet with lots of simple carbohydrates, saturated fats, and trans fats is the leading cause of high triglycerides and high LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats are mostly found in food products of animal origin, such as full-fat dairy and red meat. Trans fats are found in animal products, fried foods, and processed foods like potato chips, cakes, cookies, pies, and frozen pizza.
Certain medical conditions can increase triglycerides and cholesterol levels, such as chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, diabetes, hypothyroidism , kidney disease, liver disease, polycystic ovary syndrome , and Cushings syndrome. Certain medications can affect cholesterol levels as well.
Other factors contributing to high triglycerides include a lack of physical activity, smoking, and genetics . Losing weight and leading a healthy lifestyle are natural ways to lower levels of triglycerides in the blood.
Is Shortness Of Breath Related To Dehydration
Severe dehydration can eventually lead to respiratory distress, but its not technically the cause of shortness of breath. Lets break down what we mean by this. The two main mechanisms that would lead to breathing difficulties when dehydrated would be:
If the dehydration is bad enough to lead to fluid volume loss in the body, this can cause hypotension. If you are hypotensive , the hypotension can cause shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and other symptoms.
Another condition that dehydration can produce is called lactic acidosis. Excess lactic acid building up in the lungs can cause shortness of breath and other symptoms like rapid breathing or muscle cramps.
So its not the dehydration itself that leads to difficulty breathing, but if the dehydration is bad enough to cause another condition it can sometimes lead to shortness of breath. For the most part, your body can adjust to mild dehydration. You may have some smaller changes in lung function, but it wont usually cause severe shortness of breath.
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The Heart Of The Matter
Cholesterol affects every single cell, organ, and biological process that makes you you. Everyone has it, and everyone needs it but the goal is to have more of the good kind and less of the less-good kind.
High cholesterol usually shows up without warning there arent really any physical symptoms to rely on. If left untreated, high LDL cholesterol can lead to heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.
Get a regular physical and blood test! Its the only reliable detection method.
High cholesterol is treatable. Its usually managed with medication and lifestyle changes. Theres a lot you can do to help prevent high cholesterol:
- Stick to a healthy diet.
- Get regular exercise.
Kidney Damage And Disease
Kidney damage and disease are some of the most frequent complications of type 2 diabetes, and kidney damage often begins in patients with prediabetes. In the early stages, the small blood vessels of the kidneys are damaged, and this means the kidneys cannot clean the blood as effectively as they should. Patients may start to retain both fluid and salt instead of excreting it, and this can cause swelling in the ankles and protein in the urine. Patients might also gain weight or develop high blood pressure .
One of the first indications of potential kidney disease caused by prediabetes or diabetes is an increased level of albumin in the urine. Patients at risk for kidney issues are advised to have their albumin levels checked annually, and doctors also use creatinine and blood urea nitrogen tests to monitor kidney function. As kidney disease progresses, patients may notice weakness, leg cramps, nausea, vomiting, and morning sickness. Some patients may develop anemia, and they may need lower doses of insulin and other medications used to treat diabetes.
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What Exactly Are Triglycerides
Triglycerides are lipids or fats. They are, in part, what helps you sustain energy throughout the day. Your body makes triglycerides from unused calories, stores them, and releases them from fat cells into the blood when they are needed. They may also freely circulate in the bloodstream when introduced.
| Triglycerides Level Chart |
|---|
| > 1000 mg/dL |
How Do You Feel If Your Cholesterol Is High
Early on, you feel normal when you have high cholesterol. It doesnt give you symptoms. However, after a while, plaque buildup can slow down or stop blood flow to your heart or brain. The symptoms of coronary artery disease can include chest pain with exertion, jaw pain and shortness of breath.
When a plaque of cholesterol ruptures and a clot covers it, it closes off an entire artery. This is a heart attack, and the symptoms include severe chest pain, flushing, nausea and difficulty breathing. This is a medical emergency.
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When To See Your Doctor
If your shortness of breath is accompanied by fever, chest pain, tightness in the throat, and wheezing, then you could be experiencing angina or a heart attack. These combinations of symptoms require immediate attention.
In general, if you are experiencing shortness of breath for no obvious reason like exercise, or it is on-going and frequent, speak with your doctor right away. Uncovering and treating the underlying cause will be the only way to correct the shortness of breath.
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Heart Problems That Cause Shortness Of Breath
Shortness of breath isnt always a cause for concern, but there are times that breathlessness signals heart trouble. When your heart is pumping away normally, its barely noticeable. However, the heart has ways of letting you know when something isnt quite right.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and it affects over half of all American adults. You can prevent complications by recognizing warning signs and knowing the risk factors.
The team at CA Heart and Vein Specialists specializes in diagnosing and managing a broad range of heart conditions. If you’re having symptoms, the longer you wait to get them checked out, the greater the risk of something going wrong.
A thorough evaluation is necessary to get to the root of your symptoms and make an accurate diagnosis. In this post, we cover three common heart problems that can cause shortness of breath.
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