Posts

7 Actions Pre-Diabetics Can Take To Avoid Type 2 Diabetes

/in /by

Pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose are all warning signs that a change in lifestyle and nutrition needs to happen in a person’s life! If individuals continue with the same nutritional habits and lifestyle after any of the above risk factors have been identified, it is inevitable that these individuals will develop type 2 diabetes.  Diabetes leads to heart disease, blindness, peripheral neuropathy and many more life threatening illnesses. Read more about the effects of type 2 diabetes on the body here.

Signs and Symptoms of Pre-Diabetes

The table below shows the blood sugar measurements that need to be found on two separate occasions or occurrences to be diagnosed as pre-diabetic. The numbers below are from the American Diabetes Association.

Signs and Symptoms of Pre-Diabetes (data from American Diabetes Association)
A1C or HbA1CFasting Blood SugarSymptoms
Normalbelow 5.7%less than 100mg/dl
Pre-diabetesbetween 5.7% and 6.4%between 100 and 125mg/dlIncreased thirst and more frequent urination may or may not be present
Diabetesabove 6.4%more than 126mg/dlIncreased thirst and more frequent urination may or may not be present

What To Do If You Are Pre-Diabetic?

1. Overweight

If you are overweight, in particular if you carry some extra weight around your waist, you are at risk for diabetes and you want to know what your A1C is. The optimal fasting blood sugar should be in the lower 80’s. If your blood sugar were higher than 90 twice taken consecutively, I would not wait to take action. The earlier you do something, the easier it is. You will need to analyze the causes of your weight gain. Is it emotional eating, depression, medication side effects, lack of physical activity, or an elevated toxic burden?

2. Physical Inactivity

If you are inactive physically, realize that being inactive increases your chances of insulin resistance. Just try to use your car less and walk to places that you can walk to. If you have an office job, stand up for 5 minutes every hour or add a standing desk in your office. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Every small effort creates a more active life.

3. High Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure. A blood pressure of 140 /90 is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes. High blood pressure and diabetes respond to nutritional changes and exercise. See this high blood pressure case study for one of our residential program patients.

4. Low HDL and High Triglycerides

If your HDL cholesterol is low, less than 50, and your triglycerides are high, above 80, you have an increase risk of diabetes. Besides dietary modifications and lifestyle changes some supplements such as niacin and tocotrienols can be very helpful at decreasing your cholesterol.

5. Toxic Load

I you have been smoking and drinking excessively, taking pharmaceutical drugs, eating processed foods and conventional foods for over 40+ years chances are that your toxic burden is elevated. Cadmium, mostly found in cigarettes, has been found to be one of the causes of insulin resistance. You may want to consider finding a naturopathic or integrative doctor who can assess toxicity and heavy metal load and who can assist you with a detoxification regimen.

6. Sugar and Refined Foods

Sugar comes in various forms and is ubiquitous in processed food. White sugar, brown sugar, agave, high fructose corn syrup, white flour in pasta and bread, added sugar in processed foods, sodas, all these forms of sugar raise blood sugar levels quickly and are associated with diabetes. Sugar is addictive and leads to overconsumption. If you have a problem with sugar it is better to treat it like a drug, and eliminate it completely. Sugar from fruits is okay if your blood sugar is normal. Sugar from fruits is okay if your blood sugar is normal. Try a sweetener alternative like stevia.

7. Detoxification

Don’t wait to do a detox (read about detoxification medicine). Eliminate sugar, simple carbohydrates, jump on your bike and start preparing your food from fresh organic vegetables, nuts and seeds and drink pure non-chlorinated water.

8 Easy Lifestyle Changes for Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes

/in , /by

Diabetes is a Not a Chronic Illness. It Is a Curable Disease!!

Type 2 Diabetes is caused by insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas into the bloodstream in response to the ingestion of food. Insulin transports glucose in the blood to the cells of the body where glucose is used by the mitochondria for energy. Insulin and glucose penetrate the cell membrane through receptors that in abnormal circumstances become blunt over time causing the accumulation of insulin and glucose in the blood. The blunting of insulin receptors is due to inflammation of the cell membrane. This lack of response is called insulin resistance and the result is hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia. The constant high sugar level in the blood over time develops into diabetes, a so-called chronic illness.

Insulin and Glucose Uptake

Insulin inside the cells trigger the uptake of glucose from the blood serum, providing energy for the cells and lowering blood sugar. With cell inflammation insulin receptors on the surface of cells do not respond to insulin in blood serum and are unable to take up the insulin which in turn does not allow for the natural trigger for the cell to take up glucose from the blood resulting in high glucose and insulin levels in the blood.

Type 2 diabetes does not have to be a chronic illness. It is considered a chronic illness because conventional treatments have failed to reverse it. The problem is that conventional treatments address hyperglycemia which is a symptom and do not do anything to treat the cause: the high insulin levels in the blood and the blunting of the insulin receptors.

If you have type 2 diabetes and take Metformin, your health outlook for the future is poor. Here are some of the things that will happen to you:

  • You will become rapidly deficient in B vitamins, in particular vitamin B12.
  • You will end up with peripheral neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and blindness.
  • More and more medication will be prescribed to you and eventually you will end up taking insulin in an attempt to force glucose into the cell, but you already have too much insulin and that is what causes the problem!!

So what is the solution to the problem? Treat cellular inflammation that blunts not only insulin receptors but also thyroid and other hormone receptors on the surface of the cell membrane.

How Do You Eliminate Cell Inflammation?

Reduce SECRETION OF INSULIN and TOXICITY. The cells get inflamed with exogenous toxins and continuous over exposure to insulin. Over exposure to insulin in itself creates resistance.

8 EASY LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES

  1. Eat less food, less often and eat real organic foods.
  2. Stop eating the foods that increase insulin such as white pasta and bread, beef and chicken.
  3. Stop eating grains and soy and dairy products that contain high levels of glyphosate, the deadly chemical from Roundup that is contained in our entire food supply unless it is 100% organic.
  4. Detox from heavy metals! Studies show that cadmium damages insulin receptors, and arsenic causes insulin resistance.
  5. Detox from pathogenic bacteria and viruses that create inflammation in all the cells of the body.
  6. Get all the trace minerals and vitamins that are so essential for our metabolic process and proper detoxification.
  7. Reset your system with intermittent fasting to overcome plateaus in your weight loss.
  8. Fast for a longer period of time 10 to 21 days to detoxify at the cellular level entirely and start a new life with proper foods and loving lifestyle habits! (see video at end of article resources)

Start being proactive for your health and heal yourself from diabetes. Do not rely on drugs that get you sicker and sicker. For your education below are some information that will help you to reduce insulin secretion and decrease blood sugar levels

  • Insulin index of food, which is different from the glycemic index that you may know.
  • Recipes to detoxify your body with low insulinemic foods that will keep your blood sugar down and restore receptor sensitivity.

Reversing diabetes does not take very long with a whole food diet rich in vegetables in particular green leafy ones, low in carbohydrate (grains and starchy foods in particular white processed) and high in good fats (flax oil, coconut oil, seeds and nuts). You may be told that a diet rich in proteins with a lot of meat and fish such as the paleo diet is adequate to keep the blood sugar in the lows. However the glycemic index of food is not what matters. What matters is the action of foods on insulin and it turns out that beef and fish have and equal power to white bread and white rice to raise insulin levels.

The raw food diet is so good for diabetes! It uses fresh organic nutrient and enzyme rich vegetables, seeds and nuts and excludes animal products. Try some of the recipes below and watch your blood sugar go down!

Resources:

Insulin Index of Food

Article from American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Insulin Index of Foods

Recipes:

Raw Sweet Potato Mushroom Burgers

Posted: April 11, 2015

Diabetes Friendly, Blood Sugar Regulating Ingredients: 1 Large Clove of Garlic 1 Small Sweet Potato, Cut Into Chunks 8 oz Mushrooms, Finely Chopped ½ Cup Red Onion, Chopped ½ Cup Pumpkin Seeds Ground Into Flour Some Nutritional Yeast or Miso 1 Tbs Dried Sage 1 Tbs Rosemary (Fresh, Chopped Fine) Black Pepper For Serving Topings: […]

Omega-3 Vinaigrette

Posted: May 27, 2014

Apple Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients: 4 Tablespoons Flaxseed Oil 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar 1 Clove of Garlic (pressed) Fresh herbs of your choice finely chopped (cilantro, basil, tarragon, parsley, etc.) Preparation Combine all the ingredients together and either mix all manually, or place all the ingredients in a small food processor or a handheld blender […]

The Ultimate Green Juice

Posted: December 22, 2013

The following green juice recipe is Dr. Max Gerson’s recipe. It is extremely rich in iron and other minerals and very high in chlorophyll. If there is one new habit you should include in your daily routine then that is to drink one green juice a day. Green Juice Recipe Ingredients: Escarole 1-2 leaves Lettuce […]

Raw Sweet Potato Mushroom Burgers

/in /by

Diabetes Friendly, Blood Sugar Regulating

Ingredients:

  • 1 Large Clove of Garlic
  • 1 Small Sweet Potato, Cut Into Chunks
  • 8 oz Mushrooms, Finely Chopped
  • ½ Cup Red Onion, Chopped
  • ½ Cup Pumpkin Seeds Ground Into Flour
  • Some Nutritional Yeast or Miso
  • 1 Tbs Dried Sage
  • 1 Tbs Rosemary (Fresh, Chopped Fine)
  • Black Pepper

For Serving Topings:

Option 1:

  • 1 Avocado, Sliced
  • Sprouts
  • 1 Tomato, Sliced

Option 2:

  • 1 Avocado, Sliced
  • Cucumber, Sliced
  • 1 Tomato, Sliced

METHOD

  1. With food processor running, drop in clove of garlic and let run until the clove is finely chopped.
  2. Add the sweet potato to the food processor. Process until finely chopped. Remove mixture to bowl.
  3. Chop (individually in food processor) the mushrooms, and onions. Place in bowl with sweet potato garlic mixture.
  4. Add remaining ingredients to the sweet potato mixture in the bowl and stir until well blended.
  5. Drop mounds of the mixture onto non-stick dehydrator sheet. Spread to 3″ circles.
  6. Dehydrate at 145°F for 1 hour, turn down heat and continue to dehydrate for another 3-4 hours, transfer to mesh screens part way through. Do not dehydrate too dry. You want to make sure these are still moist!
  7. Serve with avocado, sliced tomato and sprouts. Stack like a burger and place on a bed of lettuce or cabbage.

 

Ian cafe

Omega-3 Vinaigrette

/in , /by

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tablespoons Flaxseed Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Clove of Garlic (pressed)
  • Fresh herbs of your choice finely chopped (cilantro, basil, tarragon, parsley, etc.)

Preparation
Combine all the ingredients together and either mix all manually, or place all the ingredients in a small food processor or a handheld blender and blend together.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tablespoons Flaxseed Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 Clove of Garlic (pressed)
  • Fresh herbs of your choice finely chopped (cilantro, basil, tarragon, parsley, etc.)

Preparation
Combine all the ingredients together and either mix all manually, or place all the ingredients in a small food processor or a handheld blender and blend together.

Natural Treatment of Type II Diabetes

/in /by

Diabetes is defined as a chronic disease when there are high levels of sugar in the blood. The three major types of Diabetes are Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes makes up most of the cases and it is diagnosed with a fasting blood sugar level higher than 126 mg/dl measured twice. Levels between 100 and 126 mg/dl are referred to as impaired fasting glucose or pre-diabetes. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is used to measure the average blood glucose concentration over prolonged periods of time. This test gives an average of what your blood sugar levels have been over the past weeks to months. A normal HbA1c is less than 5.7%, Pre-Diabetes is 5.7% – 6.4% and 6.5% or higher is considered Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes, also called Non-Insulin Dependant Diabetes, often occurs in adulthood, but children, teens and young adults are now being diagnosed due to climbing obesity rates.

The root cause of Diabetes is a diet high in carbohydrates combined with the nutrient deficiencies that usually occur with this type of diet. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar, and the more you eat, the higher you blood sugar goes. In response to climbing blood sugar, your body produces insulin from the pancreas, which then puts the blood sugar into your cells. We utilize sugar for energy and need it in our cells, but after many years of consuming a high carbohydrate diet, your cells become overwhelmed and blood sugar cannot get in anymore. This is called insulin resistance.

Diabetes affects more than 25 million Americans and over 80 million Americans have pre-diabetes (early type 2 diabetes).

One out of four people in the United States over the age of 65 years have Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes develops slowly and some people will have no symptoms, but it can cause blurry vision, excess thirst and hunger, dry mouth, nausea, fatigue, frequent urination, and slow healing of wounds.

Complications of Type 2 Diabetes

Since your blood continues to get thicker as the sugar in your blood increases, Diabetes can lead to serious problem such as:

  • Vision impairment and light sensitivity
  • Impaired wound healing. Feet and skin can develop sores and infection
  • High blood pressure and cholesterol become more difficult to control, which can lead to heart attack, stroke and other problems
  • Nerves damage, causing pain, tingling, and loss of feeling
  • Kidney damage

Causes of Diabetes

  • Overweight, Obesity
    • Increased body fat makes it more difficult for your body to use insulin the correct way and because of this most people are overweight when diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Four out of five people with Type 2 Diabetes are overweight or obese. Excess fat, especially around the abdomen, changes the way your body responds to insulin. You cells can no longer use insulin as efficiently to take sugar out of the blood.
  • Processed Foods and Beverages
    • Eating lots of calorie-dense, refined and processed food and beverages, such as sodas and fried food, and too little raw fruits, vegetables and whole grains, dramatically increases your risk for Type 2 Diabetes.
  • Sedentary Lifestyle
    • Watching too much TV has also proven to raise your risk. Based on an analysis of health and nutrition data, people between the ages of 20 and 54 years of age who watched TV more than two hours a day were more likely than their peers to be obese and have diabetes.
    • Physical inactivity is another risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes. Exercise and strength training will increase lean muscle mass and help protect the body against insulin resistance.

Research

  • According to an article titled, “Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Lifestyle, Diet and Medicinal Plants (2011)”, among the non-communicable diseases diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate. If not controlled, complications like coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, retinopathy (eye disease), nephropathy (kidney disease), and neuropathy will arise.
  • Prevention is better than a cure. Diet is extremely important in the maintenance and prevention of diabetes and has been supported in several studies.
  • “To prevent and manage diabetes, we should attain a calorie restricted, well planned low-fat and/ or low carbohydrate diet and increase physical activity. Besides changing the diet habits and lifestyle the patient should also take oral herbal preparations as these have fewer side effects.” (Pak. J. Biol. Sci., 14 (1): 13-24, 2011)

Treatment of Diabetes Type 2

Diabetes is commonly treated with medications but diabetes medications have serious side effects.

Medications and Side Effects

Metformin: A common medication used in the treatment of Diabetes. This drug lowers blood sugar by suppressing an enzyme involved in glucose production in the liver, the process of gluconeogenesis. It may cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, gas, bloating, diarrhea and a more serious side effect called lactic acidosis. The symptoms of lactic acidosis are weakness, trouble breathing, abnormal heartbeats, unusual muscle pain and light-headedness.
Glyburide: This drug lowers blood sugar by causing the pancreas to produce insulin. It will only help lower blood sugar in people who’s bodies produce insulin naturally. Some side effects include nausea, heartburn, rashes, low blood sugar, blurred vision and weight gain. More severe side effects include hepatitis, jaundice, and low blood sodium levels.

Prevention and Natural Treatments

The most important thing you can do to avoid Type 2 Diabetes is to keep an ideal body weight. This can be accomplished by eating whole foods that are high in fiber such as, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains, and avoiding foods that contain bad fats (trans fatty acids), white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and refined carbohydrates.

Eating well and keeping your weight low and stable is very important. There are also some natural supplements that will help you to treat and prevent the complications of Type 2 Diabetes. The Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center works specifically with diet and lifestyle changes and will give you the tools you need to bring your blood sugar down and keep it down. What you will learn will be invaluable to your health and to the health of the people around you. I worked as an intern at the Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center and witnessed some remarkable transformations. Please take a look at their Type II Diabetes natural treatment and recovery program.

This article was contributed to our blog by Dr. Jennifer Heiger during her Naturopathic Doctor’s Internship at Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center. Dr. Jennifer Heiger was awarded her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA.  She earned her undergraduate degree on the Eastern Shore of Maryland from Salisbury University. She currently resides in Seattle, WA where she shares a clinic with Dr. Gordon P. Baker, MD.  who is a board certified allergist and immunologist.  In addition to her medical practice, she works as a consultant for Key Compounding Pharmacy in Kent, WA.  Her clinical interests include treating addiction, depression, anxiety, fatigue, digestive complaints, and hormone imbalance.  Dr. Heiger believes medicine to be her art, and her passion is to build awareness that health is within everyone’s reach.  She believes the body is powerful, and we all possess the innate ability to heal.

REFERENCES:

  • www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  • www.diabetes.org
  • Glyberide (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000833/)
  • Hague, N., et al “Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Lifestyle, Diet and Medicinal Plants”. Pak. J. Biol. Sci., 14 (1): 13-24. 2011.