PreDisease.com Blog

Pre-diabetes can be defined as the condition of having abnormally high blood glucose levels that are not high enough to warrant the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that 57 million people in the United States are pre-diabetic (NDIC, 2007). How can you tell if you are one of these people?

Some groups of people are at higher risk of developing diabetes. These groups include the elderly, African Americans, those of Asian descent, Native Americans and those of Latin descent. However, pre-diabetes and diabetes can occur in people of all ethnicities and ages. Other risk factors for pre-diabetes and diabetes include a sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, being overweight and a history of having had diabetes during pregnancy.

Two common tests that can help determine whether you have an abnormal metabolism are the Fasting Glucose Test and the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. Abnormal results on either of these tests signal that your body has an impaired ability to metabolize glucose.

A diagnosis of pre-diabetes does not necessarily mean that you are destined to become diabetic. Studies have shown that lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and weight loss, can prevent the development of diabetes. Knowing your risk factors for diabetes can help you to avoid developing the disease.

Source: National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/PUBS/statistics/#pre-diabetes

The symptoms of menopause can be overwhelming for some, including hot flashes, night sweats, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, sleep disturbances and mood swings. These symptoms herald major changes occurring in the body, mainly a decrease in the hormones that regulate menstruation. As if these symptoms weren’t enough to contend with, new research reveals that menopause can signal an end to healthy cholesterol levels for some women.

A study of 1,054 women revealed that, as women entered menopause, total cholesterol levels and levels of LDL cholesterol rose dramatically. This rise in cholesterol levels began one year prior to menopause and continued for one year after the study participants’ last menstrual periods. Risk factors and ethnicity of the participants had no bearing on this rise.

The take-home message of this study is that women going through menopause need to be mindful that the decrease in estrogen levels brought about by menopause can have a broader impact on their health than the annoying, and sometimes unbearable, symptoms mentioned above. Menopause should signal the need to examine personal risk factors for heart disease and stroke, as these risk factors can be somewhat modified through lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.

Source: J Am College Cardiol. 2009;54:2366-2373 and 2374-2375.

When you suffer from debilitating joint pain, you may be tempted to decrease your level of activity, hoping that becoming less active will ease the chronic pain associated with arthritis. This could not be further from the truth- exercise can actually improve joint pain, as well as promoting restful sleep, an enhanced mood, and a sense of overall well-being.

Studies have shown that regular exercise can stabilize arthritic joints and strengthen the muscles supporting the joint, leading to less pain. The key to exercising for those who suffer from arthritis is to limit those activities that put too much stress on the affected joints. There are several types of exercises that may be more suited to those who have arthritis. These may include:

• Range-of-motion exercises- Yoga and similar exercise programs, such as tai-chi, increase flexibility and range of motion in affected joints, as well as strengthening supporting muscles. Relaxation is an added bonus.
• Low-impact activities- Walking, swimming and low-impact aerobics are safe activities for most people who have arthritis. These activities strengthen muscles, improve conditioning and increase endurance.
• Working with weights- Strength training builds muscles and can be done with machines, free weights or your own body as resistance.

Anyone with arthritis who wishes to engage in an exercise program should first be cleared by their physician, to ensure that there are no contraindications to the proposed exercise regime.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Often, early prostate cancer causes no symptoms; in fact, many men do not discover they have prostate cancer until it has spread beyond the prostate. Symptoms that are noticed usually affect urination and sexual performance. These symptoms may prompt a visit to the doctor. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States in men (Terris, 2009).

A study conducted at Johns Hopkins, funded by the National Cancer Institute, shows a startling relationship between cholesterol levels and prostate cancer. The study included more than 5,000 men. The results? Men with lower levels of cholesterol are less likely to develop high-grade cancer of the prostate, the most severe form of the disease, which has a lower survival rate. Lowering cholesterol levels decreased the rate of contracting high-grade prostate cancer by more than 60%, according to the study.

We already know that lower cholesterol levels are beneficial for heart health, but this study clearly shows that keeping your cholesterol level low can have other benefits in the body, such as lowering your cancer risk. As studies such as this one prove, there is more to cholesterol than meets the eye.

Sources:

Martha K Terris (2009) http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/454114-overview

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169780.php

It has been estimated that approximately 45 million people in the United States are without health insurance coverage. Some estimates are higher, some are lower- the bottom line, however, is that an alarming number of people in the US cannot afford health care coverage. This not only impacts those who have already been diagnosed with a health condition, but also those who are not yet aware that they may be in the beginning stages of what may develop into a life-threatening condition, such as heart disease, diabetes, or one of the many chronic health problems that can have devastating consequences.

It has long been known that preventing disease is more cost efficient than treating disease that has already manifested itself: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” are not new or novel concepts. In an ideal world, under an ideal system, all citizens would have easy and affordable access to quality health care. The current economic crisis has further eroded the health care system’s ability to be proactive in preventing many inherently preventable diseases, forcing many to confront their health care issues only after they have become firmly entrenched and more difficult to treat.

Is it any wonder, then, that 38% of American adults turn to complementary medicine as a means of taking charge of their health? (NCCAM, 2007) People are more interested than ever in using natural and more cost effective methods to maintain their health and well-being. Science has gotten behind this movement, devoting more time to exploring complementary and alternative medications and practices. This increased interest has led to many studies confirming the validity of many of these therapies, which has further encouraged their use. It is likely that, as the economic situation continues, higher numbers of people will join this movement.

Source: http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/2007/camsurvey_fs1.htm

One might think that being diagnosed with a debilitating and painful condition would be a hard pill to swallow. But if you’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chances are your diagnosis came as a relief. That’s because finally, there was someone out there who believed your suffering was not “all in your head” and the pain you’ve been dealing with is real.

Naturally, your first priority is to find relief for the pain. But sooner or later you’ll have to learn how to manage dealing with the stress that’s part and parcel of the condition. You’re probably already familiar with some of these most common stressors:

1. Though more and more the medical community is recognizing fibromyalgia as a legitimate condition, there is still a lot of conflicting information out there. Chances are your friends, family, and coworkers will have a hard time understanding what you’re going through. After all, there doesn’t seem to be a readily identifiable cause you can put your finger on and say, “Okay, THIS one thing is making me hurt so all I have to do is find a way to fix it.”

2. The symptoms of fibromyalgia, especially the “fibromyalgia fog”, incredible fatigue, and constant pain make it difficult to do what others do so easily. The result can be a feeling of worthlessness and guilt which heaps even more stress on the situation.

3. Because your main focus is often on just getting through the day, you no longer have any interest in the things you once enjoyed. It’s not uncommon to feel isolated and alone with your condition and you may find yourself feeling depressed more often than not.

How to deal with the stress

The first step is education. Make it your business to learn everything you can about fibromyalgia so you’ll know what’s going on with your body and what you can expect. Educating your friends and family members is equally important. Once they understand more about what you’re dealing with they’ll be able to offer the help and support you need.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. They’ll be good days and bad days so set your expectations accordingly. Learn to recognize the factors that can trigger your symptoms and work around them.

How to deal with the pain

Fibromyalgia pain can be managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, Advil, and Aleve to some degree. Some prescription drugs are also available but can have dangerous side effects. But perhaps the easiest and most effective way to treat fibromyalgia symptoms is with a natural, plant-based supplement.

PreArthros™ and PreArthros+™ – powerful natural supplements to treat fibromyalgia

PreArthros™ and PreArthros+™ is a 100% safe and natural plant based COX-2 inhibitor. It selectively inhibits COX-2 while preserving the stomach-lining protective function of COX-1. PreArthos also has cardiac and gastrointestinal protective properties. The natural ingredients found in PreArthos have no reported negative effects on the kidneys. That’s why PreArthos and PreArthos+ are the perfect solutions for effective and safe relief of from the pain you’re experiencing right now.

The cost is completely affordable. At $9 per week, you’ll safe up to 70% of the cost of most prescription drugs.

If you’re currently suffering with fibromyalgia, chances are great you want to take the best possible measure to alleviate the pain and suffering. You can find extremely valuable information about PreArthos right here.

Many people confuse the types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, with osteoporosis. Although osteoporosis and osteoarthritis have very little in common – actually they are two very different medical conditions — because the name sounds so similar, it’s easy to get them mixed up.

Here is a summary of each condition as well as some similarities and differences among the three.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones lose density and so are more likely to fracture. This is a major health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans, 68% of whom are women. In osteoporosis bone tissue is lost which can result in a loss of height, change in posture, bone fractures, and severe back pain. It can become severe enough so that a person’s ability to walk is impaired. In some cases it can also lead to prolong or even permanent disability.

Risk factors for developing osteoporosis:

• Family history
• Thinness or small frame
• Prolonged use of certain medications, such as those used in treating lupus, thyroid deficiencies, seizures, or asthma,
• Inactivity
• Being postmenopausal and particularly having had early menopause
• Excessive alcohol use
• Smoking

Osteoporosis is often referred to as a silent disease because it can remain undetected for many years without symptoms until there is a bone fracture. In order to diagnose osteoporosis, the patient needs to have a bone mineral density test, a totally safe and painless way to detect low bone density.

There is no cure for the disease but a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, a healthy lifestyle, and regular weight bearing exercises can prevent or lessen the effects.

Arthritis

When we speak of arthritis, we are speaking in general terms for conditions that affect the joints and surrounding tissues. Joints are places in the body were bones come together, such as the knees, wrists, fingers, toes, and hips. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful, degenerative joint disease that often involves the hips, knees, neck, lower back, or small joints of the hands. Osteoarthritis usually develops in joints that are injured by repeated overuse, playing a sport, or carrying around excess body weight. Over time, this injury or repeated intact wears away the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bone and joint. When this happens, the bones wear together, causing a grating sensation. Join flexibility diminishes, the bone spurs develop, and the joint swells.

Usually the first symptom of OA is pain that worsens following exercise or immobility. Treatment usually includes analgesics, topical creams, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, appropriate exercises or physical therapy, joint splinting, or joint replacement surgery for seriously damage larger joints such as the knee or hip may be necessary.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease. RA usually affects various joints in the fingers, thumbs, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, feet, and ankles. An autoimmune disease is one in which the body releases enzymes that attack its own healthy tissues. In RA, these enzymes destroy the lining of the joints. This leads to pain, swelling, stiffness, malformation, and reduced movement and function. People with RA also may have symptoms such as fatigue, fever, weight loss, eye inflammation, anemia, bumps under the skin, or pleurisy.

Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are completely different conditions — they develop differently, have different symptoms, are diagnosed differently and are treated differently as well. Research has shown that people with OA or less likely than average to develop osteoporosis. However, people with RA may be more likely to develop osteoporosis. This is especially true when you consider that some medications used to treat RA can actually contribute to osteoporosis.

Commonalities between osteoporosis and arthritis

These two conditions do share some of the same coping strategies. With both conditions, exercise programs go a long way to ease the symptoms. These exercises should emphasize stretching, strengthening, posture, and range of motion. For example, low impact aerobics, low stress yoga, and swimming are appropriate for both conditions.

Managing the pain

In most cases people arthritis will have to use some type of pain management at some time. This isn’t necessarily true for people suffering from osteoporosis. Usually people with osteoporosis only need pain relief when they are recovering from a fractured.

But if you are currently suffering from arthritis pain, why continue when there is a new 100% natural alternative available to you right now? PreArthros™ and PreArthros+ ™ are natural botanical formulations that work together to reduce inflammatory joint pain caused by arthritis. These natural substances contain plant-based components that not only relieve arthritis pain, they also serve to protect the cardiovascular system, they are easy on the stomach, and will not harm the kidneys.

Hundreds of doctors have used PreArthros™ and PreArthros +™ to treat thousands of patients for over two years. The results have been remarkable — these two supplements have been shown to lower pain and inflammation on an average of 80%.

PreArthros™ is completely affordable at only $9 per week. You can find out more about PreArthros™ and PreArthros +™ right here. There IS help for your arthritis joint pain. Take control of your life today and don’t spend another minute worrying about how you’re going to manage her pain.

If you’re living with constant pain and fatigue that seem to have no apparent cause, it’s possible you may have Fibromyalgia (FM) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) — or both. People are often surprised to learn these two disorders are alike in many ways. Actually, often times a person will have both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.

According to experts it’s entirely possible Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are actually the same disorder. The difference is in how it is expressed.

The common denominator for both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are pain and fatigue. With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, extreme tiredness is the main symptom. CFS often manifests itself after a bout with flulike symptoms. However, people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome don’t experience the same tender points people suffering with Fibromyalgia do.

So how do you know which (FM or CFS) you may have?

In order to be diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome the following symptoms must be apparent:

1. Bone-crushing fatigue (a minimum of six months) that diagnostic tests cannot explain.

2. The presence of at least four of the following symptoms:
• Forgetfulness and lack of focus
• Joint pain not accompanied by swelling or redness
• Aches and pains in the muscles
• Not feeling refreshed even after a good nights sleep (constant tiredness)
• Headaches that are not typical for you — they may be stronger than usual, of a new type or occur more frequently than usual.
• Sore throat
• Lymph nodes that are tender to the touch in the neck or under the arm
• Feeling “not yourself” or uncomfortable for more than 24 hours after engaged in normal activities

The symptoms of Fibromyalgia are very similar but can also be characterized by these other symptoms, too:

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Painful menstrual periods
• Morning stiffness
• Numbness and tingling in the arms and legs
• Sensitivity to temperatures and light
• Restless leg syndrome

Though Fibromyalgia is sometimes referred to as an arthritis related condition, it’s not a true form of arthritis because it doesn’t actually damage or inflame the joints and muscles. But in any event, Fibromyalgia is extremely painful and causes incredible fatigue — to the point that a person cannot get through the day as they once did.

So what can you do to feel better?

If you are diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you’ll be pleased to know there is a way to ease the terrible joint pain so you can start feeling better.

A 100% Safe and Natural Alternative To Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia is usually treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), and naproxen (Aleve®), COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex®. While effective, these drugs all have large and potentially dangerous cardiovascular side-effects.

Why continue to suffer from fibromyalgia pain or risk the potentially dangerous side effects of prescription drugs when there is a new 100% natural alternative available to you right now?

PreArthros™ and PreArthros+ ™ are natural botanical formulations that work together to reduce inflammatory joint pain caused by arthritis. These natural substances contain plant-based components that not only relieve arthritis pain, they also serve to protect the cardiovascular system, they are easy on the stomach, and will not harm the kidneys.

Hundreds of doctors have used PreArthros™ and PreArthros +™ to treat thousands of patients for over two years. The results have been remarkable — these two supplements have been shown to lower pain and inflammation on an average of 80%.

PreArthros™ is completely affordable at only $9 per week. You can find out more about PreArthros™ and PreArthros +™ right here. There IS help for your fibromyalgia pain. Take control of your life staring today and don’t spend another minute worrying about how you’re going to manage your pain.

It’s been said that diabetes is one of the most serious diseases a person can have. When you consider the fact that this potentially life-threatening disease can wreak havoc on practically all body systems – it’s easy to understand why.

In addition to contributing to heart disease and stroke, diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure. More than 24 million people in the United States have diabetes and more than 180,000 people are living with kidney failure as a result.

Diabetic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease that develops from diabetes takes many years to develop. During the first years, people will have a blood protein called albumin present in their urine. The kidneys are still able to function normally during this time. But as the disease progresses, more and more albumin leaks into the urine. At this time that the kidney’s filtering function begins to fail. As a result, the body holds on to various toxins and waste. As more damage occurs, blood pressure often increases.

For the most part, chronic kidney disease rarely occurs within the first 10 years of diabetes. It’s not uncommon for 15 to 25 years passed before kidney failure occurs. For people who have lived with diabetes 25 years or more without any symptoms of kidney failure, the likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease decreases.

Kidney disease and blood pressure

In people with diabetes high blood pressure is a major factor in the development of kidney problems. A family history of high blood pressure or hypertension,as well as high blood pressure in the diabetic, increases the chance of the onset of kidney disease.

Not only can high blood pressure cause kidney disease, but kidney disease can also cause high blood pressure. It’s a dangerous circle involving rising blood pressure coupled with factors that cause the blood pressure to rise. That’s why people with diabetes must take care to manage even mild hypertension.

Preventing kidney disease in people with diabetes

In addition to medication to control blood pressure and moderate protein diets, intensive management of blood glucose has shown to be especially helpful to diabetics who are in the early stages of chronic kidney disease.

Researchers have found a 50% decrease in both the development and progression of early diabetic kidney disease in people who followed an intensive regimen of monitoring and controlling glucose. Other studies showed that any program which sustains a lower glucose level will be helpful to diabetic patients in the early stages of chronic kidney disease.

Preventing the onset of diabetes

As the number of people with diabetes continues to spiral upwards, so does the number of people with resulting kidney failure continue to grow. Some experts predict that diabetes will soon be the cause of up to half the cases of kidney failure. In light of the increasing numbers of serious illness and deaths related to diabetes and resulting kidney failure, it’s absolutely crucial to delay or prevent the onset of diabetes — even in people who exhibit common risk factors for the disease.

PreCrea™ is a completely natural supplement specially formulated for people who currently have pre-diabetes or higher than normal glucose levels. Designed by PreEmptive Meds, a predisease therapeutic company, its formulation is based on the philosophy that fighting disease in its early stages (or prediease stage) is critical to prevent the development of full-blown disease. PreCrea™ gets to the root of the problem before diabetes has a chance to develop fully.

Clinical studies show that using PreCrea™ to treat pre-diabetes actually lowers blood glucose levels 20-30 points. As an added bonus, a weight loss of 15-20 pounds is entirely possible – which also contributes to getting the predisease state under control.

Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease can be life threatening conditions. Don’t gamble with your health – or your life. If you are pre-diabetic right now, or you are at risk for developing prediabetes, you can find knowledgeable information about PreCrea™ here.

If you’re one of the estimated 41 million people who have pre-diabetes, you’re at risk for not only developing type 2 diabetes within 10 years, but you’re also at risk for the onset of heart disease and stroke.

And if you have frank diabetes, you are at least twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke as someone who does not have diabetes. Not only that, you may also develop heart disease or have a stroke at an earlier age.

The statistics get even grimmer.

If you are middle-aged and have type 2 diabetes, some studies suggest your chance of having a heart attack are just as high as someone without diabetes who has already had one heart attack.

People with diabetes who have already had one heart attack are at an even greater risk of having a second one. The grim reality is heart attacks in people with diabetes are more likely to result in death.

Why does diabetes increase this risk is so dramatically?

Over time increase blood glucose levels lead to fatty deposits inside blood vessel walls. These deposits effect blood flow and there is an increased chance of clogging and hardening of the blood vessels.

As disturbing as all of this is, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Ways to prevent or delay diabetes, heart disease, and stroke

Diabetes and the increased risk of heart disease and stroke is not inevitable. By taking the following steps you can keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.

1. Follow a “heart healthy” diet. For every 1000 calories consumed include at least 14 g of fiber every day. Good sources of fiber include oatmeal dried beans and peas vegetables, fruits, and whole grain breads and cereals.

2. Reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Saturated fat is known to raise cholesterol levels and is found in meats, butter, shortening, fatty dairy products, and tropical oils.

3. Limit the amount of cholesterol in your diet. Foods such as dairy products, eggs, and meat have cholesterol in them. You should have less than 300 mg of cholesterol a day.

4. Limit trans fats (a type of fat that increases cholesterol) found in cake mixes, cookies, fried foods, snack foods, salad dressings, crackers, and other foods prepared with partially hydrogenated oil.

5. Ramp up your physical activity. You should strive for at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, or at least most days. There are simple things you can do that will increase your activity such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

6. Strive for a healthy body weight. If you are overweight increase your physical activity and plan your meals around low-fat and low-calorie foods.

7. If you smoke, quit.

Intervention

Even if you do not have diabetes, but have been diagnosed as having pre-diabetes, the reality is you’re headed for trouble – if you don’t do something about it. You can dramatically reduce the onset of chronic disease through lifestyle changes, sound nutrition, as well as natural dietary supplements.

PreCrea™ is a proprietary twice-daily therapeutic botanical formulation developed with eight synergistic botanicals acting collectively to reduce blood sugar levels. This powerful combined effect also causes a weight loss of 20 to 25 pounds in 6-8 months with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise.

PreCrea™ is a 100% safe and natural herbal supplement specifically designed for people with pre-diabetes. If you have pre-diabetes and are serious about delaying or preventing the onset of diabetes, you owe it to yourself to find out more about this. Simply visit this website and have a look around. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.