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Managing Your Menopause Type^® Educational Class
Session Three - Your Risks of Disease
INSULIN RESISTANCE & DIABETES
The Relationship Between Hypoglycemia, Insulin Resistance & Diabetes
Dysglycemia ("a dysfunction of glucose in the blood") often develops along a clear pathway. It may start as reactive hypoglycemia, progress through insulin resistance, then hyperglycemia and eventually lead to complete diabetes. Understanding this progression will allow us to recognize it in it's early stages, and make choices that can stop the development of diabetes.
THE FOUR STAGES OF DYSGLYCEMIA
The four stages of dysglycemia, outlined below, can be considered as follows:
1.	Reactive Hypoglycemia
2.	Insulin Resistance with Hyperinsulinemia
3.	Hyperglycemia
4.	Diabetes
Reactive Hypoglycemia
At first, there may be signs of reactive hypoglycemia. This is low blood sugar due to an over reactive attempt of the body to control increasing blood sugar levels. Reactive hypoglycemia may be due to too many refined carbohydrates in the diet. In addition, low hormone levels may be a contributing factor.
Reactive hypoglycemia may be seen on a Glucose/Insulin Tolerance Test as an excessive spike of insulin after taking a glucose drink. This excessive spike of insulin (from an over reactive pancreas) causes blood sugar to have an excessive drop- thus causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Reactive hypoglycemia is believed to be one of the first signs of abnormal blood glucose & blood insulin function. Since excessive intake of refined carbohydrates, and the elevations of blood sugar that accompany these foods, have been associated with reactive hypoglycemia, any decrease in refined carbohydrates can help control reactive hypoglycemia.
Choosing foods with a low glycemic index can decrease these elevations of blood sugar and the associated reactive hypoglycemia. Women of menopause age do much better on diets that have complex, unrefined carbohydrates instead of refined carbohydrates.
Insulin Resistance with Hyperinsulinemia (“Syndrome-X”)
If elevated blood sugars are not controlled, due to an inability to eliminate refined carbohydrates from the diet, then the body will respond by raising blood insulin levels in an attempt to lower the high blood sugar levels.
High insulin levels can lead to insulin resistance as the cells of the body may become resistant to the insulin that the body makes. Fasting insulin levels above 26 uIU/ml suggest that some degree of hyperinsulinemia is present. Ideally, a fasting glucose level will be done as well.
Though the body has increased insulin levels in order to manage the higher blood sugar levels, it comes at a cost. Hyperinsulinemia carries an increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, stroke and some forms of cancer, including breast and uterine cancer as discussed on slide 6.
When the increased insulin levels fail to control blood glucose levels, it can eventually lead to increased blood sugar levels - hyperglycemia.
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia - elevated blood glucose levels - result when the insulin can no longer compensate for the high glucose levels. The high blood glucose may be due to the inability of the cells in the body to properly utilize insulin.
Though blood glucose levels can rise after a meal, they should not be high in the morning (on a fasting blood test), or should not exceed a certain level even after a meal.
When blood glucose levels are consistently a high on fasting, or excessively high after eating then hyperglycemia may be diagnosed. Fasting glucose levels above 105 mg/dl suggest some degree of hyperglycemia.
Ideally, a fasting insulin level will be done as well. Extremely elevated insulin levels can occur as the body attempts to over-ride the insulin resistance. As insulin fails to control blood glucose levels, there is an affect on tissues throughout the body.
As glucose levels continue to stay high, it cause damage to tissues and organs throughout the body including the pancreas itself. This can eventually lead to damaged beta cells (the cells that make insulin) resulting in diabetes
Diabetes
As insulin resistance continues uncorrected, and the beta cells of the pancreas continue pumping out increased amount of insulin, they eventually burn out and no longer produce any insulin, resulting in full blown diabetes. Diabetes carries increased risk for a number of other diseases.
Heart Disease: Individuals with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop heart disease.
Kidney Failure: Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic irreversible kidney disease
Blindness: Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in 20 - 74 years old individuals.
Amputation: Diabetes is the leading cause of foot and leg amputations that are not due to injury.
The extensive Professional Management of Menopause Type^® Seminar is available to healthcare professionals as a component of the Management of Menopause Types® Program. Women are advised to Find a Physician & Choose a Pharmacist that are have been trained in Management of Menopause Type^® Program
What's Next?
Next, we will look at tests which can be used to assess reactive hypoglycemia, insulin resistance (with hyperinsulinemia), hyperglycemia & diabetes.
		Table of Contents
The Managing Your Menopause Type® Educational Class is provided to the public without charge. This information is provide for education purposes only, and is not intended to prescribe treatment. Consult a physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.
This public education class does not provide physicians, pharmacists or other healthcare professional with the extensive training and ongoing education provided within the Management of Menopause Type^® Program.
The extensive Professional Management of Menopause Type^® Seminar is available to healthcare professionals as a component of the Management of Menopause Types® Program.
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