In a landmark new report, scientists tragically concluded that diabetes and fasting blood sugar levels >100mg/dl (prediabetes) increase the risk of death from all causes.  To complete the evaluation the researchers reviewed 97 former published studies covering 820,900 individuals and 12.3 million person-years of follow up.  (a mammoth study which adds to the validity of its findings).  Those with diabetes were 80% more likely to die from any cause.  Specifically, having diabetes or high blood sugar increased the risk of death from heart attacks, strokes, cancer, infections, injury, liver disease, kidney disease, suicide and diseases of the nervous system.  (New England Journal of Medicine, March 2011)

According to the latest stats from the Center for Disease Control, type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are affecting an unprecedented number of Americans. Currently 11.3 percent of the population has full blown diabetes (only 2/3’s of them are aware) and 35 percent of the population age 20 and older has prediabetes (only 7% of them are aware!).  Through healthy eating, physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight, type 2 diabetes is almost totally preventable and most cases of pre-diabetes are reversible.

What you can do:
Have your healthcare provider check your fasting blood sugar level to screen for diabetes and prediabetes, especially if you are overweight, inactive, elderly or have a positive family history.

Click here to see the “cardinal eating rules” for preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes. [ARTICLE]

Click here to learn more about insulin resistance and the role it plays in type 2 diabetes. [ARTICLE]