Natural Diabetes Management and Prevention

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the body, due to lack of insulin or insulin resistance, is unable to regulate the level of glucose (a sugar) in the blood.

Glucose is the main sugar that comes from the digestion of foods we eat and liquids we drink. Breads, cereals, dairy foods (such as milk), fruits, and some vegetables contain carbohydrate in the forms of starches and sugars. When eaten, these are broken down in our digestive tract and absorbed into the blood stream as glucose. Glucose is the simplest form of sugar and is vital for providing energy for cells to function and grow. Glucose travels via the bloodstream to all of the organs and muscles in the body, where it is used as a fuel so that the organs can continue to function properly. A normal/safe level for glucose in the blood is less than 100 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter)

Blood glucose levels are regulated by insulin, a hormone made in the islet cells in the pancreas, an organ found near the stomach. Insulin enables the body's cells to absorb and use glucose. Without adequate insulin, glucose from the blood is not able to enter the body's cells, and it therefore cannot be used as fuel to support their continued function.

Normally, if an excess of glucose occurs in the blood, then the excess is processed by the liver where it is converted into a form where it can be stored for future use.

Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to regulate the level of glucose in the blood, resulting in excess glucose being present.

If there's too much glucose for the liver to process the body then tries to get rid of the excess through frequent and seemingly incessant urination. "Having to go ALL the time" is one of the first symptoms of diabetes.

Excess blood glucose will begin to harm organs and tissues due to its high concentration in the bloodstream. Uncontrolled diabetes causes severe complications including vision loss, nerve and kidney damage; and greatly increased risk of infection, stroke and heart attack.

Diabetes can strike anyone at any time, regardless of age, race, or gender. But the risks are heightened for those who are:

• overweight or obese,


• lead a sedentary, non-active lifestyle,


• who have a family history of diabetes,


• who are over age 45,


• who are African American, Hispanic, or Native American; or


• women who have previously had gestational diabetes.

I've listed links highlighting other risk factors for diabetes here.

When the body doesn't produce insulin, or doesn't produce enough insulin to regulate blood glucose levels due to pancreatic damage, it's called type 1 diabetes. Its cause is unknown, though immune system malfunction is suspected. Roughly ten percent of diabetics in the United States have type 1 diabetes. Also known as juvenile onset diabetes it usually is diagnosed during childhood or early adolescence. It can also occur in adults if the pancreas has been destroyed or removed. Diabetics who are Type 1 need daily insulin, usually in the form of injections, to stay alive.

About 90 percent of diabetics have what's called type 2 diabetes. In this case, the pancreas may still produce insulin but the body's cells resist the insulin in these diabetics. Insulin resistance is caused by a complex mix of factors that include genetics and lifestyle (little or no physical activity, poor diet, stress, obesity are key hallmarks); and builds over months and years. Type 2 diabetes is usually discovered in adults over the age of 45 (hence its other moniker, adult-onset diabetes) and they may already suffer from some form of complication. However children and adolescents are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a frighteningly rapid pace, and some of those diagnosed will need to use insulin daily. Weight loss, exercise, change of diet, stress reduction, oral medications and insulin shots are used to control this form of the disease.

Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT), also known as Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and prediabetes, occurs when the blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes, and not yet high enough to cause the more serious symptoms and complications of diabetes. Yet prediabetes carries significant and serious health risks. Approximately one-third of people with prediabetes go on to develop full-blown diabetes, unless diet and lifestyle changes are made and maintained.

Gestational diabetes is a relatively common complication of pregnancy, though it occurs in less than five percent of all pregnancies. Its effects are similar to type 2 diabetes. The condition generally goes away after the baby is born.

It is quite common for someone to have diabetes without even being aware that they have it. The presence of diabetes can be indicated by a range of symptoms (such as increased thirst, blurred vision, extreme tiredness or lethargy, or excessive urination) but these symptoms may not appear or be noticeable until extremely high levels of glucose are in the blood, such as above 200 mg/dl. The only way to truly know you have diabetes or prediabetes is by being tested.

If you have any of the risk factors for diabetes, or have found out that you are prediabetic, now is the time to take action. Even if you are prediabetic, there are things you can do to slow or even stop the onset of diabetes. The key to managing diabetes is to manage your blood glucose levels. You can do that naturally by increasing your physical activity, eating healthfully, and losing weight.

Exercise is one of the most natural medicines for diabetes there is.

There, I said it.

The "E" word... .

Before you freak out and tell me you don't have time, or you don't like getting sweaty, just consider this: If you were told you were going to lose your sight, use of your kidneys, and both your legs unless you took a walk for 30 minutes five times a week, would you take that walk?
Hmmm....
Was that a "yes"? I thought so.
Am I overdramatizing? No. Diabetes can result in loss of sight, kidney failure, and limb amputations due to complications. I watched it happen to one of my dear uncles. My paternal grandmother lost both her legs to diabetes. Other uncles and aunts suffered dialysis in the latter stages of their lives.

Exercise helps the body burn off glucose, lowers your blood pressure, relieves stress; and yes, you may lose a few pounds. Continuous physical activity that can be done everyday is far better than occasional overstrenous exercise like running, jogging or weights. Activities such as walking, swimming, light aerobics or even dancing are great.

Can't find thirty minutes? No problem. Try breaking your exercise up into three sessions of ten minutes each, every day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther from the doors of the store or school and walk the increased distance, or take a "walk break" instead of a smoke or snack break. Do SOMETHING to increase your activity. (And if you do smoke, please try to quit.)

Do check with your doctor first to verify that you are healthy enough to start exercise.

To further reduce your risk of diabetes, increase the amounts of vegetables and fruits you eat every day. Eating cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, radishes and leafy greens (kale, turnip, collard, bok choy, to name a few) are all helpful for prediabetics, as they are nutrient-dense and may also help fight heart disease and cancer. Try to drink six glasses of water every day to keep your body hydrated with all your increased activity. Minimize or eliminate fried foods, fast and overprocessed foods and sugary drinks and sodas in your diet. High fiber diets seem to decrease your diabetes risk. Emphasize whole grains and lean meats, fish and chicken with your vegetables. Or if you wish, go vegetarian.

Did you know that 9 out of 10 people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can be considered overweight? It's true, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Ideally, to fight prediabetes and type 2 diabetes you want to target losing five to ten percent of your total body weight. But losing weight can seem daunting and frustrating, especially if you've tried before and never reached your ideal weight. Don't stress. Just take things slowly. Take small steps. Even losing just 10 - 15 pounds can make a significant difference in your diabetes risk and risk of diabetes-related complications.

It may be helpful to break your target down into more manageable goals. "Lose five pounds per month" or "lose one pound per week" sounds a lot more reasonable and attainable than "lose 60 pounds before Thanksgiving". That 30 minutes of regular exercise we talked about can do wonders to speed weight loss.