Silent Killers: Without Suffering a Single Symptom
Fighting an Invisible Foe
Just like every other doctor in the country, I'm seeing more and more cases of diabetes. It's a tough battle for a lot of my patients. Sometimes I get lucky and can help someone head it off before it even becomes a full-blown case. But when I can't, I take extra care to help the person reign it in ASAP, because if you don't catch it quick enough, diabetes can pave the way for other, more deadly diseases-ones that can sneak up on you without ever showing a sign.
One of those silent killers is a severe form of heart disease called coronary artery calcium (CAC). Many diabetics develop this acute condition without ever suffering a single symptom. What makes that so scary is that CAC can lead to fatal coronary artery disease, a major cause of death among diabetics. But now, scientists have come up with a new screening method -- and it's minimally invasive and fairly inexpensive but highly successful.
The new test involves a CAT scan that measures calcium, which can accumulate in diseased blood vessels. The screening method can help identify at-risk diabetics, and let them take steps to correct the problem before the condition progresses to a more critical stage. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor about this simple screening procedure.
And in the meantime, it's a good idea to work on keeping your blood sugar under tight control so that problems like CAC are less likely to happen in the first place. One of the ways I often recommend has been studied and proven to be very effective. I'll tell you more about it below...
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Lifting Weights Helps Control Your Blood Sugar
I'm not one for "I told you so"s, but every once in awhile it is nice to see something I've been recommending here in my small-town office for years appear in the big-name medical journals with good science backing it up. Along with cleaning up your diet, weight training is one of the first things I suggest to my patients with diabetes or those who are on the verge. A new study published in the journal Diabetes Care shows that strength training as little as three times a week can help you achieve good blood sugar control.
For 16 weeks, a group of 31 adults (half of the total participants), ages 58-74, took part in a weight training program. They used resistance training machines under supervision, and did three sets of eight repetitions on five different machines during every workout session. All of them also continued with their regular medical care, but they didn't make any changes to their daily diets.
By the end of the training period, blood sugar was down overall, and 22 of the participants were able to get by with reduced diabetes medication. Anything that can help you cut back on or eliminate your need for drugs is a good option in my book.
Another condition I've been seeing more of lately is intermittent claudication, which can make something as simple as walking to the kitchen a real pain -- literally. This ailment comes on when there's poor circulation in your legs that causes pain during walking. But keep reading and I'll tell you about some recent research that offers a new way to minimize that pain.
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Gingko Biloba Treats Intermittent Claudication
So far, there is no "best" treatment for intermittent claudication. But a simple herbal extract has shown some remarkable success in reducing the painful symptoms.
A study published in the American Journal of Medicine reviewed the results of eight clinical trials, all testing the effect of gingko biloba on intermittent claudication. The researchers found a hefty difference in how far patients could walk without pain after taking the beneficial herb -- about 150 feet further than without it. It may not sound like much, but when you're in serious pain, 150 feet can feel like miles.
The dosages used in the studies -- which proved both safe and effective -- ranged from 120 mg to 160 mg per day, over a period of 24 weeks. I've been recommending three reliable brands to my patients: Nature's Resource, Nature's Way, and Nutrilite.
A word of caution: Some people should not take gingko biloba. If you're taking blood thinners, ginkgo's not a good fit for you. It has blood-thinning effects of its own and this is definitely a situation where you can have too much of a good thing.
Until next time,
Dr. Alan Inglis
House Calls
