blood sugar

We’re usually told to gauge our heart attack risk by the size of our waistlines. The more belly fat, the higher the risk. Well, you may be “up to your neck” in heart problems. And both men and women need to take heed.

Your neck size may be a predictor of heart disease risk, according to two new studies on the subject. The researchers found that the bigger a person’s neck size, the greater their risk of having high levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol and blood fat, insulin resistance, and high blood sugar. Maybe the most interesting and telling aspect of their findings is that it held true even excluding belly fat.

The Glycemic index was developed as a means of ranking carbohydrates (or carb-containing foods) based on their effect on blood sugar level. Foods with a high glycemic index value tend to raise blood sugar levels faster and higher compared to foods with a lower glycemic index. Rapid increases in blood glucose are potent signals to the beta-cells of the pancreas to increase insulin secretion. Over the next few hours, the high insulin levels induced by consumption of high-glycemic index foods may cause a sharp decrease in blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia).

In contrast, the consumption of low-glycemic index foods results in lower, but more sustained, increases in blood glucose and lower insulin demands on pancreatic beta-cells. However, this does not necessarily mean that a low-index food is healthier than a high-index food.