Blood Sugar Quartet: Key Points
- 1 out of 3 people in America have an issue with blood sugar regulation
- 15-20% don’t “look” diabetic (i.e. normal weight)
- Most blood sugar imbalances are preceded by insulin resistance and high insulin levels
- Up to 10 years before we see high blood glucose levels
- PATTERNS in these 4 blood tests matter more than the individual numbers
- Your doctor or healthcare provider can order these, but they may not order fasting insulin (since there is no “algorithm” or “pill” to treat this, insurance may/may not cover)
- Everyone can start to mitigate these effects by daily sugar under 25 grams (especially those found “naturally” in beverages)
Thyroid Testing: Key Points
- Most common test to evaluate thyroid function is the TSH (a hormone that isn’t made by the thyroid gland)
- There are many nuances when it comes to lab results when you add in markers of thyroid function beyond the TSH (free T3, free T4, reverse T3, antibodies)
- Thyroid antibodies are immunoglobulins that “live” for up to 6 months, and higher levels of these lead to destruction of the thyroid gland
- We can measure these up to 10 years before we see changes in other thyroid markers
- PATTERNS in these blood tests matter more than the individual numbers
- Everyone can start to optimize thyroid function by maintaining or improving gut function