Alzheimer’s Disease is a debilitating condition that occurs when the neurons in the brain become unable to respond to insulin, the hormone used to control blood sugar. These neurons are important for basic functions like memory and learning. This condition has recently been called Type 3 diabetes.
Know your Blood Levels
One blood level marker used to measure blood sugar is called hemoglobin A1C. It is extremely useful in identifying what the average blood sugar level has been over the past three months.
An Important Study
In a study published in the Journal of Neurology, hemoglobin A1C has been documented by researchers that high levels are associated with changes in brain size. They found a powerful relationship between hemoglobin A1C and brain degeneration using MRIs. The higher the hemoglobin A1C level (5.9 to 9.0) the greater the loss of brain tissue over time.
How to improve hemoglobin A1C levels
1. Carbohydrate Control
Keeping carbohydrate levels low can help keep blood sugar levels low. Eat healthy proteins and fats and continue to eat vegetables and some whole grains and fruit but avoid soda, cakes, candies, and other high and refined carbohydrates. Keep your blood sugar from dropping too low by eating every 3-4 hours in a 12 hour or less time period.
2. Lose Excess Weight
Adipose tissue is the fat that we carry on our bodies. The most detrimental to our health is the adipose tissue that is wrapped around our organs. This kind of fat is very inflammatory. If you are overweight, losing 5-10% of your body weight can improve diabetes control and may lower your hemoglobin A1C level.
3. Physical exercise
Physical activity is like medicine. It can move glucose (sugar) from the blood into the muscles which can decrease insulin resistance. Increasing insulin sensitivity can decrease hemoglobin A1C.
4. Supplements
Berberine is one of the best herbs to use to help the body become more sensitive to insulin. We carry Berberine 500 from Thorne Research and GlycoBerberine MX from Apex Energetics. Both are great products at getting blood sugar levels under control with appropriate dietary changes.
You can find them at our clinic or here. Come in to get
muscle tested for the right supplement for you.
Know your risk of a shrinking brain by keeping track of your hemoglobin A1C levels (keep them under 5.4) and stay in control by maintaining your weight with a low carbohydrate diet and physical exercise.
Have a healthy brain,
Dr. Stacey
