Diabetes II and high blood pressure are always described as "silent killers" and rightly so! In most cases, you don't notice that the illnesses are developing and without measuring your blood sugar and blood pressure at least once or twice a year, you won't get a diagnosis in time. Timely would mean not letting valuable time pass to restore recovery and normalization of both.
Who is considered at risk?
Anyone who has accumulated too much weight, especially in the abdominal area, is definitely in the risk group for type II diabetes. So when the waist is no longer visible, it’s time for a check-up. If there is also a lack of exercise, smoking and perhaps an accumulation of one or both diseases in the family, then the blood lipid values should also be determined. Women are also more affected after the menopause than before, because the hormones no longer protect the blood vessels and weight gain and increased stress levels due to sleep disorders often occur.
There are also slim, muscular, unathletic people who have invisible obesity in the abdominal area and develop a high risk of diabetes. They are called “TOFI”, an abbreviation for Thin Outside Fat Inside. These patients also report a diet rich in simple carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice, soft drinks, sweets, alcohol), fried foods and saturated fats. In order to regenerate the function of the liver and pancreas, you need to change your diet, increase your overall exercise and strengthen your muscles.
BRI calculator: quick and easy to your result
The Body Roundness Index (BRI) offers a more precise assessment of your body shape and possible health risks than the classic BMI. Use our free BRI calculator to quickly find out how your body shape relates to your waist circumference and height.
What can be done to get well again?
For changes to be sustainable and successful in the long term, it makes sense to take small steps. Optimizing a single meal and increasing the daily number of steps to 7,000 – 10,000 can be a successful start to a healthier life. Changing too much at once is usually not successful. Relying solely on medication is also not an option.
Depending on the findings, it may take around 2 years until the organs have been completely degreased and the new routine is not questioned again and again. Every step counts, even small changes are effective, stay patient and keep your eye on the goal – that’s important!
And what about the risk of heart attack and stroke?
If you have been diagnosed with a blood sugar metabolism disorder, the vascular system should be examined for initial changes. In addition to the blood lipid values (cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein (a) and apolipoprotein B), the blood pressure behavior at rest and under load, a sonographic assessment of the arteries in the neck and possibly groin area is useful. If the first changes are already visible here, special imaging of the coronary arteries may be considered, depending on the severity and other risk constellations.
If deposits are detected in the arteries, a so-called statin therapy is useful to at least keep the condition stable. There is no such thing as “pipe-free” as a medicine – so the aim is to defuse the situation as early as possible, improve health and prevent illness. And if a relevant vasoconstriction is found during the diagnosis, stents are used, for example, to restore free patency of the artery.
An ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs is important in order to be able to assess the liver and pancreas and also to take a look at the abdominal aorta. An enlargement of the abdominal aorta (abdominal aortic aneurysm) is often the result of high blood pressure over many years and can be treated well if detected in good time.
So make your way to your family doctor if you belong to the risk group. Or arrange a check-up. Stay healthy in any case!
Are you interested in a medical check-up?
The Prevention Center offers individual check-ups for private individuals and corporate clients.
