This one is an easy one: I recently read a study by Leigh Perreault at the University of Colorado, her research indicates a significant long term reduction in diabetes risk when those with prediabetes were able to return to normal blood glucose control 70 to 100 ml/dL. The study included data from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which found participants who lost even a modest amount of weight…. through diet changes and increased activity & exercise you can reverse diabetes.
Sugar and Aging: How to Fight Glycation, when you have excess sugar molecules in your system they bombard body cells like a meteor shower- glomming onto fats and proteins in a process known as glycation. This forms advanced glycation end products (commonly shortened to AGEs), which causes proteins fibers to become stiff and malformed. The proteins in the skin most prone to glyaction are the same ones that make a youthful complexion so plump and springy – collagen and elastin.
When these proteins hook up with renegade sugars, they become weak, discolored & less supple as this shows up in the skins surface as wrinkles, sagginess and a loss of radiance. Not only, is sugar a culprit, but also, grilling, frying, toasting and roasting food all produce high levels of AGEs. So things like crusted bread, broiled chicken, grilled salmon and coffee (the beans are roasted) are all loaded with AGEs. Even Granola — a health food staple — is an AGE double whammy (loaded with sugar and it’s roasted.)
While working on this website…. which required alot of inactivity and sitdown time. Recently, I looked into a mirror and thought DUDE you’re not a walking example of what your preaching. Being the Month of May now is the time to drop a few pants sizes. Although obesity is known to be a disorder of energy balance affecting over half of United States adult population — do we realize the impact of belly fat.
Any type of physical activity will help lower blood sugar levels and exercise also helps boost energy, burn calories, relieves stress and will strengthen the heart. Almost 26 million people have diabetes (8.3% of the United States population) and a small study of people with Type 2 diabetes suggest regular moderate intensity workouts led to significant decreases in the amount of fat in the abdomen, liver and around the heart, all associated with increase risk of heart disease.
If the present trend continues, the Center of Disease Control and Prevention predicts in 40 years as many as one in three adults could have diabetes. The American Heart Association states that 65 percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or stroke. While additionally, adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have cardiovascular episodes that non – diabetics.
The two diseases are so inter-related that the National Cholesterol Education Program puts diabetes on their list equivalent to heart disease. Meaning if someone has diabetes then it automatically looks at them as if they already having heart disease. While both the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association consider diabetes to be one of the seven major controllable risk factors for heart disease.
With other redeemable risk factors for cardiovascular disease often found in Type 2 diabetics include: high blood pressure (hypertension), unhealthy cholesterol levels, obesity, lacking physical activity, poorly controlled blood sugar and smoking. Therefore adopting a healthy life plays a critical role in delaying the onset of diabetes.
The Four Pillars 0f Health: sugar, insulin, cholesterol and weight control, when one is out of wack it can lead to diabetes. Therefore being over weight and portion size can make you be of risk for diabetes, while being under weight with diabetes increases your risk for Type I Diabetes which is caused by autoimmune destruction of the cells that line the pancreas increasing your need for insulin injection. When we consume inappropriate carbohydrates the pancreas becomes blown — out from being constantly over worked with excessive spikes.
In his book: Overcoming Run Away Blood Sugar, Dennis Pollack states, “reaching heaven early as a result of bad choices isn’t the best way to get there.” Understanding the way your body works is half the battle and your average American knows little about insulin. Except that it is what a diabetic has to take to control blood sugar spikes, insulin is vitally important our health in many ways.
Your body needs energy as it comes from the carbohydrates that we consume while processing the glucose necessary for energy, however, your body doesn’t need much. For some people it’s hard to imagine the difference between complex or refine, and sometimes the difference put’s a tremendous burden upon your pancreas. This vital organ was created to serve you 70 to 90 years without a hitch, while becoming less efficient it slows down your metabolism as we age.
Insulin helps bring sugar from the blood into cells, but also acts as a growth hormone making it difficult for the type II diabetic to lose weight. As increase rates of obesity shows up in North America and since insulin promotes fat disposition. One should also when on insulin control their diet with the supervision of an Endocrinologist with sophiscated blood testing (blood glucose, C – peptide and insulin antibodies.)
However, it’s the composition of fats, carbohydrates and protein in our dietary regimens that remains an area of great controversy. One theory is higher protein diets enhance weight loss due to increased satiety and a decreased subsequent energy (calorie) intake. One possible reason for the reported success of high protein diets may relate to their greater “thermic effect,” and after 45 years of age… those refined carbohydrates aren’t your friend? www.familycircle.com/eat-to-beat-diabetes
Thermic effect of food is the increased in energy expenditure above the baseline following consumption. It further can be defined as the energy required for digestion, absorption and disposal of ingested nutrients. This thermic effect seems to be influenced by the composition of food consumed. With the thermic effect of carbohydrates (refined) and fat up for debate. Some studies suggest that fat has a lower thermic effect when compared to refined carbohydrates.
While other studies have found no difference between the two main concerns about protein. With the body having no storage capacity, thereby, the body must metabolically process protein immediately or it can up your acidity levels in your body. What protein does have going for it is a higher satiating influence making a person eat less. Another area worth mention is the obese have a blunted “thermic effect” in general which makes them more prone to diabetes.
It also important to follow a low glycaemic load (Low GL) way of eating and to avoid sugar (refined carbohydrates.) This is the basic strategy for keeping blood sugar levels stable, while preventing or managing insulin resistance while reducing your reliance on insulin and diabetes medicine. Also very important is to include specific foods, due to their particular properties; fish, nuts and red grapes all fall into this category.
With some of the key health issues of diabetes being eye problems by which Dr. Jeffery Anshel has written, “Smart Medicine for Your Eyes.” Also with kidney problems being a long term problem, Dr. Rich Snyder wrote the book, “What You Must Know About Kidney Disease.” While a diabetic should also know the benefit of Milk Thistle, Grape Seed Extract, Curcuman, Olive Leaf Extract and Fish Oil. As well as Alpha Lipoic Acid and Chromium for keeping blood sugar under 5.5 A1C levels.
Also knowing your ABCs: A1C, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol especially if you have family history of diabetes. Think of A1C as a picture what your blood sugar averaged over the course of two or three months. So by keeping it under control it helps to avoid damage to your heart, kidney, brain and vessels throughout your body.
Diabetic Neuropathy: presently there is no cure for neuropathy but by maintaining blood sugar (A1c levels.) This will do more than anything else to help prevent diabetic neuropathy. While some of the medicine you take can cause vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin B12 and magnesium. It’s important to have blood test to determined what your deficiencies might be, especially CoQ10, vitamin D & E and melatonin if having trouble sleeping.
Also determining these deficiencies some doctors might want to start a supplementary program that can help build up your immune system and fight of the infections and other diseases. With Some of the supplements they might want to consider Curamin, Chromium Picolinate, Omega 3, Alpha Lipioc Acid, Gluccomannan Fiber, probotics, with also mushroom complex and Oil of Oregano for yeast and fungal infections in diabetics. Being that parasites feed off the heighten levels of sugar found within diabetics and with their DNA being toxic to humans. This could set up a diabetic for a vicious circle of health concerns. PaleoDiet!!!
Also a unique variation of the Paleo Diet is Dr. Richard K. Bernstein 6-12-12 Rule. Which is understandably the best system to help control blood glucose ~ which many diabetics advocate. His book which explains diabetes, his diet and exercise approach to treatment. Being – a – large book: just reading the intro and chapter towards the end is beneficial or the best breakdown into user friendly chunks is Jenny Ruhl’s website.