Knowing Your Risk Could Save Your Life

Type II diabetes (non-insulin dependant) is one of the fastest rising medical conditions in our country. Over 20 million Americans currently have diabetes - that’s 7% of the population!

Another 41 million people aged 40 - 74 have a condition known as pre-diabetes. This is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a precursor to diabetes in almost every instance, so be sure to discuss this with your primary care provider. If you are hypoglycemic, you should also discuss this with them as it, too, can be a warning sign.

This has become an extremely dangerous situation. Diabetes greatly increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. In severe cases, amputation, blindness and seizures can also result.

You have the power to change this. The first step is determining your risk factors. You must then make lifestyle changes that will eminate or reduce that risk. There are several well-known risk factors:

• Over age 45

• Overweight

• Family history

• Development of diabetes during pregnancy (also known as gestational diabetes)

• Impaired glucose tolerance

• Lack of physical activity

• Ethnicity - native American, African American or Hispanic

You may not be aware of some of the less publicized risks, however:

Consumption of trans-fats (partially hydrogenated oils). Over 10 years of research and the University of Maryland and other institutions have shown a direct correlation between trans fats and numerous medical conditions. One of these is diabetes. Trans fats were shown in  both humans and animals to inhibit the body’s response to insulin. Trans-fats can be found in many of the foods found on store shelves. Some of the most common are snack chips, many packaged baked goods and most vegetable shortenings.  

Artificial sweeteners. Aspartame (widely known as NutraSweet) can be deadly for diabetics. One of the primary ingredients in Aspartame is , which is almost immediately changed into methyl alcohol in the body. Numerous doctors have reported that they were unable to control their patients’ blood sugar levels after they had consumed the sweetener. In addition, Aspartame is a neurotoxin that alters the dopamine levels in your brain.  It is best completely avoided by all, but especially by those who have or are at risk of developing diabetes.

If your body’s ph is low. This means that your body is in an acid state. An acidic environment in your body will cause calcium to be pulled from your bones. The calcium is then sent to the pancreas which causes a less insulin to be produced. Having a low ph also makes you more susceptible to other illnesses such as the flu. An alkaline body is a healthy body.

Fortunately, many of these risks factors can be avoided, eliminated or changed. In our next article we will take you through several simple steps that you can take for a healthier, happier and longer life.

PREVENTION REALLY IS THE BEST MEDICINE

Now that you are aware of the factors that could put you at risk, we are going to take you through some simple steps for reducing that risk:

Begin some form of physical activity. Are you comfortable with your current level of activity? Do you engage in moving your body almost every day?

It doesn’t matter if you are walking, dancing or doing yoga. What is important is that you begin to move each day. Find an activity you enjoy and do it. If you have a physical condition which prevents you from exercising consider getting a chi machine. Using one of these units for 15 minutes will give you the benefits of having taken a walk.

Become a label reader. Do you read the labels of the foods you buy? How often? Next time you go to the store try reading the labels of some of your favorite foods. You may be surprised by what they contain.

Watch for potentially harmful ingredients such as partially hydrogenated oils or trans-fat and aspartame or NutraSweet. Avoid them. Also avoid foods that contain refined sugars and carbohydrates. These will often be labeled as high fructose corn syrup, refined cane sugar or bleached flour.

Instead, look for whole grains and natural ingredients. Even many favorite snack foods now have healthy alternatives. Check out your local health food store or the organic/natural foods section of your local grocer.

Keep your body alkaline. Do you know what your body’s ph is? You can find out easily by purchasing saliva test paper in your local drug store. When in optimal health, the ph of both our blood and saliva is 7.4.

In addition to reducing your risk for diabetes, keeping your body alkaline will also help to keep you from getting a cold or flu. You can increase your ph by eating plenty of greens or supplementing with a good, all natural greens supplement such as Vita-Mineral Green.

Lose weight. Do you know what your BMI (Body Mass Index) is? (if you don’t, HERE is a link to help you find out   ) Do you feel comfortable with you body?

The 2005 National Diabetes Fact Sheet states that you can greatly reduce your risk by losing 5-7% of your body weight. Of course, if you follow the above suggestions, weight loss will come naturally. A healthy, natural diet and some form of regular exercise will do wonders for getting you to a healthy weight and keeping you there.

Be happy. One of the most important steps is to not live in fear. Not only does stress alter the way your body uses insulin, it also hinders your ability to live a full and happy life. By becoming informed and developing a healthy lifestyle you can let go of the fear. Just remember, the Diabetes Prevention Study found that diet and exercise alone reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 40% - 60%. So take charge of your health and live a healthy, happy and long life!

MAINTAINING HEALTH

If you have already been diagnosed with Type II diabetes you can still have a healthy and vital life. There are many alternative therapies that have been shown to be of great benefit. There are also simple changes you can make to your lifestyle which can greatly enhance your well-being. These can be grouped into three categories:

LIFESTYLE

Beginning a regular exercise routine is one of the most important steps you can take. Physical activity improves the body’s response to insulin. It will also help you to lose weight, which is vital to controlling or eliminating diabetes. Take a moment to stop and think about your current level of activity. Are you moving your body each day?

Your options are limitless. Try doing a variety of activities so that you keep your interest. Add in the use of a Chi Machine. Not only does using one of these units act as a form of passive aerobic exercise, but it will help your metabolism.

I do want to say, that for some people, exercising is just too much work. Their bodies have reached a stage where there just isn't enough juice to get the motor running. I will talk more about this in the future.

For those of you who can relate, you need to prime the pump. That means taking some cutting edge supplements and reversing the downward spiral of fatigue and illness into an upward spiral of a healthy, happy, long life.

DIET

By being selective about which foods you put into your body, you can make great strides in your health. A diet emphasizing fresh vegetables, legumes and whole grains has been shown to influence the release of glucose into the bloodstream.

Fiber is particularly important. Research has shown that a high fiber diet lowers the body’s need for insulin. It also helps cells to release their energy more slowly so that you don’t experience dramatic highs and lows.

The other thing that can help is to eat small amounts of protein throughout the day. This will help to keep your blood sugar levels even through the day. Nuts are especially good for this. Almonds and walnuts contain high levels of zinc – a major nutrient for the production of insulin.

During the next week try keeping a food diary. Note how each food makes you feel. Use what you learn from this experience to guide you in making healthy diet choices.

My good friend Steve Cherniske used to go around the country teaching nutrition to nurses. The first thing he would do in the course is ask them to write down their 5 most favorite foods. Go ahead and do that now.

What he then told them was that more than likely, they were allergic to those 5 foods. Meaning, the body develops a resistance to something that it sees day after day, so vary the foods you eat. More about this in a future article.

SUPPLEMENTS

A great deal of research has been done on the effects of herbs and supplements in diabetes. Several have been found to have a profound effect on insulin production and utilization. It is also important to optimize digestion so that your body absorbs the nutrients from your food.

Chromium is an important trace mineral that plays a major role in sugar metabolism. Research has shown that this mineral potentiates insulin, assisting it to deliver glucose to the cells. The suggested dose is 200-400 mcg of chromium picolinate per day.

Gymnema is an Ayurvedic herb which has shown great promise in the treatment of type II diabetes by helping your body to absorb insulin. It also has the interesting ability to decrease your taste buds perception of sweet tastes. This can be of great benefit if you have an insatiable sweet tooth. The typical dosage is 400-600mg of the herb per day. You can read more about Gymnema HERE.

Fenugreek has been used for centuries in the Middle East as a cooking spice. Studies are now showing that this herb can lower blood sugar and cholesterol in people with diabetes. You can either add the seeds to your recipes or, if you don’t like the flavor, take the herb in capsule form. A dose of 5-30 g is recommended.

Taking a good enzyme supplement can also be of great benefit. If your diet has been less than optimal, chances are you may not be absorbing many of the nutrients from your foods. Enzymes help your body to break down and utilize the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in your diet. We are particularly fond of Digesticol, a great enzyme supplement that also contains flavonoids, antioxidants and herbs.

We are always looking for cutting edge supplements for optimizing your health. You can find more of these products

HERE.

Remember, you have the power to make healthy choices. We are here to support you in that decision and to provide you with the information and tools that you need.