Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects how the body takes in and uses glucose or sugar. Both genetic and environmental factors can play a part in the development of diabetes. And because diabetes affects many systems in the body it can increase the risk for other serious diseases as well. Here’s what you need to know about those risks…

If you snore so loudly you wake up your sleep partner, and even yourself, sleep apnea could be to blame. But sleep apnea is a much bigger worry than just snoring. While that may not surprise you, a sneaky culprit behind sleep apnea just might, as well as the fact that it could leave you vulnerable to high blood pressure and the dangers that come with it.

Do you have any of the following symptoms? Obesity, belly weight, high cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar? If the answer is yes to any of these, you have metabolic syndrome. When your metabolism is altered, it dramatically increases your risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

You have high blood pressure. You do all the right things and your doctor has you on handfuls of medications. Yet, when the nurse checks your blood pressure, the numbers remain stubbornly above the 140/90 threshold. If this sounds familiar, you’re suffering from what’s known as resistant hypertension. And research suggests you are far from alone…

When it comes to keeping all your bodily systems healthy, the fact that refined grains are “out” and whole grains are “in” is no longer new news. But it turns out, there are very specific benefits for older adults on five major risk factors for heart disease, including waist size…

Fewer than 40 percent of people with high blood pressure meet the recommended exercise guidelines to bring their readings down. If you’re one of them, you might be thrilled about a simple breathing technique that, in just five minutes a day, lowered blood pressure far more than the exercise and some medications doctors recommend.

Potatoes have gotten a bad rap for years, especially that baked potato slathered in butter and sour cream. And don’t get me started on those French fries covered in salt and ketchup. Hypertension waiting to happen, right, or is it? Well, it’s time to think again about the humble potato and what it may do for your blood pressure.

You might want to ask your dotor about your prescriptions. If they’re treating your cholesterol, you could end up with double the dementia risk. If it’s your blood pressure, they may have you on the medication found to thicken blood vessels and makes things worse. Maybe it’s time to walk away with a brand new and surprising prescription.

The number one modifiable risk factor for heart disease and premature death is high blood pressure. That means if you can control it, you can greatly lower that risk. Maybe you’ve cut back on salt, started exercising and eating right. But what about your zinc levels?

What’s defined as high blood pressure varies depending upon who you listen to… the American Heart Association or the International Society of Hypertension. In my own practice, I typically favor the more lenient definition. But regardless of which scale you follow, getting correct readings is what really matters…

Traditionally, women start out with much lower blood pressure than men. But when we get into our 40s, things start to change. That’s why women are being urged to diligently check it. Turns out even a mild elevation in BP for middle-aged women can double the risk for heart attack.

Your gut or GI tract is home to a huge and diverse community of microorganism that makes up your gut microbiome. And more and more evidence is proving that much of your health — even your blood pressure levels — starts right here…