MTHFR, Diabetes, and Heart Disease

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MTHFR, Diabetes, and Heart Disease

diabetes, heart disease, genetic mutations, chronic health issues, genetic testing, MTHFR, MTHFR mutations, SNP, insulin, diabetic diet, heart disease prevention, natural health

Dr. Doni, author of The Stress Remedy, explains the connections between MTHFR mutations, diabetes, and heart disease, and offers tips for optimizing your health.

Part 8 of Dr. Doni’s Series on How Genetic Mutations Affect Your Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death (above cancer), and diabetes is known to increase risk of heart disease. That amounts to over 600,000 deaths per year from heart disease1 and over $100 billion spent each year to address diabetes and heart disease, both of which are preventable conditions. That means that by understanding your genes and by making diet and lifestyle changes, you can prevent heart disease and diabetes.

Uncovering the Real Cause of Diabetes and Heart Disease

diabetes, heart disease, genetic mutations, chronic health issues, genetic testing, MTHFR, MTHFR mutations, SNP, insulin, diabetic diet, heart disease prevention, natural healthIt was previously thought that cholesterol in our diet was the main cause of heart disease and, in fact, that has been (and is still) the basis of most of the work of the medical establishment and of government guidelines on prevention of heart disease. However, research now shows something very different and is beginning to change the way we think of heart disease risk.

We now know that sugar rather than cholesterol and fat, is more of a concern when it comes to heart disease and diabetes risk.

This means that cereals (and other high carb, high sugar foods) are more likely to cause heart disease than eggs, nuts, and bacon. A study from 2014 clearly showed that most adults in the U.S. are consuming an increasing number of calories from sugar2. That same study also found that eating more sugar is associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease.

So the real culprit is sugar, not cholesterol. And that is why, when patients ask me how to decrease their risk of heart disease and diabetes, I automatically start talking about how to drop their intake of carbohydrates and sugar, and to make sure they are eating healthy proteins and fats every few hours. Read more about how and why to decrease your sugar intake here.

But it doesn’t stop there. Imbalanced blood sugar levels, even before it’s diagnosed as diabetes, have been associated with many health issues including inflammation, weight gain, headaches, sleep issues, mood changes, PCOS, recurrent infections, and liver disease. So while you’re decreasing your risk of heart disease and diabetes, you’ll also be addressing many other possible health issues. And THAT is exactly why I named imbalanced blood sugar as one of the three problem networks in my book, The Stress Remedy. Because imbalanced blood sugar is the start of many major health issues and balancing it is the start of much optimization of wellness.

How is All This Related to MTHFR Mutations?

What the research is also showing is that when homocysteine levels are elevated, which occurs when a person has an untreated MTHFR mutation, they are more likely to have issues with insulin and pancreatic function which can lead to diabetes3. Put the two risks together—for instance, someone with an MTHFR mutation who is eating a diet high in sugar—and the risk increases even more.

Furthermore, patients with an MTHFR mutation who have been diagnosed with diabetes have an increased risk of experiencing the negative effects of diabetes, including neuropathy, kidney disease, and heart disease. Plus the drugs used to treat diabetes, such as Metformin, are likely to deplete the nutrients (B6, B12, folate and CoQ10) that are known to manage MTHFR, homocysteine and heart disease risk.

MTHFR mutations on their own, even without diabetes, also increase the likelihood that heart disease and high blood pressure will develop4.

How Do You Know If This Is Happening For You?

  1. Blood work. Ask your doctor for blood work to check for homocysteine, HgbA1c, B12, methylmalonic acid, and RBC folate. Keep in mind that insurance might not cover the cost of these tests so you may have to pay out of pocket for the information. Also know that blood levels of nutrients, such as B12, don’t necessarily tell you how well your body is using those nutrients, and so other tests may be necessary in order to get all of the information that we need.
  1. Genetic testing for MTHFR mutations and other mutations. It is now possible to get a report of your genetic mutations without spending thousands of dollars. Currently, the most comprehensive method is to order a saliva test kit from 23andme, and then once your results are ready, you can download your genetic data and use specialized software to interpret your genes.A practitioner with specialized training will be able to help you to understand the most important steps for you to take. You can read more about how to get this done in this article. I created a genetic consultation package if you’d like to have me help walk you through the process; you can read more about that here. I completed most of my training with Dr. Ben Lynch.
  1. Know your family history. If you have a family history of heart disease and/or diabetes, it is worth figuring that these may be the result of underlying genetic tendencies—not to assume that it is a lost cause, but to help empower you to make choices each day that can prevent your health from moving in that direction.

So, What Choices Should You Be Making?

  1. Be on the lookout for sugar. Read labels, and if they list sugar as an ingredient, choose something else.
  1. Eat half of what you put on your plate and save the rest for later. I mean it! It’s the “eat-half” challenge. When you sit down to eat, choose to break that old “eat everything on your plate” pattern by finding out if you can eat just half and save the rest for later.
  1. Exercise. Even 10-15 minutes each day helps your blood sugar and heart. Be sure to include strength building. Buy a Bosu and some weights; put on a 20 minute yoga or barre video; drop to a plank position once an hour—whatever it takes to get the message to your body that you want it to build muscles instead of storing fat or making cholesterol.
  1. Choose colorful fruits and vegetables. This is where you are going to find bio-flavonoids (antioxidants) and healthy folate! Think green leaves and avocado, blue and red berries, and orange carrots and squash.
  1. Break the “rules” and eat your fats! Avocado, olives, nuts, oils. Come on, you can do it and enjoy it too. I mean, you’re not going to have only them, but you can definitely have them with your protein and (gluten-free, high-fiber) carbs.
  1. Take a high quality multivitamin*. Not a low quality multi, not a tablet, and certainly not the least expensive one. You won’t get what you really need by cutting corners. Spend $35 (or less) and get yourself a high quality multivitamin that actually contains the nutrients your body can use—like methylfolate, methyl B12, B6, choline, CoQ10, and minerals, like selenium, manganese, and chromium. Find an example (and my favorite) here. All of these nutrients can be difficult to get in even the healthiest of diets, and they all help with both MTHFR mutations and heart disease risk.

Feeling Empowered?

I hope you are! As a human, staying as healthy as you can for as long as you can means that you’ll have more time with your family and friends, and more time to contribute what you do best to our world.

To read more articles in this blog series about genetics and your health, find them here.

If you’d like help with understanding your genetics and what you can do to prevent health issues or improve your health, you can check out my MTHFR and Genetic Consultation Package in which you and I will meet and plan out the important steps for you to take.

To stay in touch and hear from me when I post my next blog article, please subscribe to my newsletter here. When you do, you’ll also receive a free copy of my ebook, A Guide to Adrenal Recovery.

–Dr Doni
29th April 2015

*Please keep in mind that any and all supplements—nutrients, herbs, enzymes, or other—should be used with caution. My recommendation is that you seek the care of a naturopathic doctor (with a doctorate degree from a federally-accredited program) and that you have a primary care physician or practitioner whom you can contact to help you with individual dosing and protocols. If you ever experience negative symptoms after taking a product, stop taking it immediately and contact your doctor right away.

Links to References Included in this Article

 

 

 

Photo credit: “Veggies” by albastrica mititica is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Changed from original: Added text overlays.

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Master Your Stress, Reset Your Health by Dr. Doni Wilson

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