Effective Strategies for Diabetes Prevention and Treatment
by Darra McMullen,
Women’s Health Network
Writer/Researcher
The topic of diabetes is a large,
multifaceted health issue with physical, emotional, and financial ramifications
for the U.S. and the world. For the
purposes of this article, we’ll take a peek at some of the many ways we as
individuals can help prevent the disease from starting or can help treat
diabetes if it is already present.
Shortly,
we’ll look at a number of ways we can help ourselves to escape diabetes’ grip,
but first, let’s examine some of the latest scientific studies that give us new
clues about reducing diabetes risk and/or more successfully treating the
disease if it is currently affecting ourselves or our loved ones.
Recent Scientific
Studies:
• The first and perhaps most interesting study
hails from the Netherlands, where researchers found that people with diabetes
who were exposed to a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit for six hours per
day had a 43% increase in insulin sensitivity after 10 days. Earlier studies showed similar benefits from
spending just two hours per day in a 67 degree environment. Authors of the Netherlands study explained
that cold increases the body’s ability to convert sugar into energy, thereby
decreasing diabetes risk.
Although
these few studies are providing preliminary evidence, the basic concept of
“cold therapy” to treat diabetics or pre-diabetes is an exciting (and
relatively easy) possible aid in the fight against diabetes. Further study should tell us more in time.
• Another exciting study published in Diabetologia documents the very helpful
effects of consuming whey protein before a sugary meal. Study participants experienced, on average, a
28% reduction in blood glucose after the meal if whey protein was taken prior
to the meal’s consumption. Additionally,
insulin levels nearly doubled in whey drinkers within the first half-hour after
eating and remained high for some time.
Study researchers observed that the effect of whey on glucose control
and insulin secretion was better than what would be expected from using several
common diabetes drugs.
Always
check with your personal physician before starting a whey protein supplement
program to be sure you have no contraindications in your health history.
• An additional interesting dietary finding
related to diabetes is the consumption of brown rice. Eating brown rice twice a week can lower type
2 diabetes risk by 11%. The fiber and
magnesium in brown rice are thought to be aids to blood sugar
stabilization. These findings were the
result of a study of 197,228 people conducted by Harvard School of Public
Health in Boston, Massachusetts.
• A United Kingdom study of nearly 2,000
healthy women was documented in the Journal
of Nutrition; the article detailed how substances found in chocolate, tea,
and berries may provide lowered risk for diabetes. The research focused on the benefits of
eating particular sub-groups of flavonoids.
The research focused on flavones, which are found in herbs and
vegetables such as parsley, thyme, and celery and on anthocyanins, found in
berries, red grapes, wine, and other red or blue colored fruits and
vegetables. Researchers found that
consuming high levels of flavones and anthocyanins was associated with lower
insulin resistance, better blood sugar regulation, and lowered levels of
inflammation.
• Another study from the Harvard School of
Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts describes the encouraging health results
of research on consuming walnuts. Women
study participants who ate at least eight ounces of walnuts a month were 24%
less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who ate none. Researchers believe the polyunsaturated fats,
dietary fiber, antioxidants, and other beneficial substances contained in the
walnuts are the likely “active ingredients” that provide protection against
type 2 diabetes development.
Diabetes General
Information and Prevention:
Fortunately, there are numerous
aids to help people avoid diabetes altogether or diminish its negative effects
on the body for persons already afflicted.
Let’s begin with a brief definition of what diabetes is as a disease
state.
Diabetes is
a disease wherein the body either does not produce or cannot properly utilize
insulin, the pancreatic hormone that controls the amount of glucose (sugar) in
the blood and the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the cells. Because the
body’s cells require glucose to function properly, and because the brain’s only
energy source is glucose, keeping blood sugar levels optimal (and the body’s
cells’ intake of sugar optimal) is absolutely essential to good physical and
mental health.
The
American Diabetes Association, traditional Western medicine, and naturopathic
medicine alike agree on certain proactive steps we can all take to lower our
risk of developing diabetes. The steps are also very effective in managing the
disease for present diabetes patients.
Firstly, anyone can be more mindful of what he/she eats. Healthful dietary choices are explained
below, as are other widely accepted steps to avoiding/treating diabetes.
(1.) Reduce
the consumption of simple carbohydrates/sugars.
Limit sodas, desserts, candy, white bread, white rice, or any source of
simple carbohydrates to an occasional treat.
The less often one stresses his/her insulin producing pancreatic cells,
the longer they’ll last. Also, the less
often the body’s cells are exposed to big doses of insulin or glucose, the more
likely the cells are to handle both substances properly. The body’s cells can actually become “insulin
resistant” over time.
(2.) Focus
on increasing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy or meat
choices in the diet. They are nutritious
generally and help to stabilize blood sugar.
Focus on eating fish more often; it’s a good source of protein and
healthy fats.
(3.) Get
more active. Anyone who can stand the
idea of an organized exercise program should, by all means, pursue one. It’s the best health choice. If formal “exercise” either isn’t appealing
or life circumstances prevent one from pursuing a formal plan at this point in
time, then do anything possible to be more physically active. Walk, dance, wash the car by hand, rake
leaves, chase your kids, or do anything that gets you up and around and moving
your muscles. Physical activity improves
metabolism and sugar uptake into cells, both of which improve blood sugar
levels and lower body fat ratios, two important keys to preventing or treating
diabetes.
(4.) Get
adequate sleep. Recent scientific studies
demonstrate clearly that even young, healthy, fit adults with no pre-existing
risk factors can be made to temporarily exhibit diabetic or pre-diabetic blood
sugar levels by artificially depriving them of sleep (such as forced awakenings
after three to four hours of sleep) for just a few days. Similarly, weight gain occurs in test
subjects deprived of sleep, even if calorie intake is carefully
controlled. Inadequate sleep is a major
factor in blood sugar derangement, and sleep deprivation predisposes even
healthy test subjects to weight gain, due to unfortunate chemical changes in
the body that occur with inadequate rest.
Imagine the damage done by sleep deprivation in a middle-aged or older
person with one or more risk factors, such as obesity or high cholesterol.
Doctors and
the American Diabetes Association recommend getting seven to eight hours of
sleep daily. Sleeping less than five
hours daily is associated with a substantial increase in diabetes risk, as well
as an increased risk of several other serious problems.
(5.) Be
mindful of your personal risk factors.
If you smoke, stop. If diabetes,
or its frequent companion ailments, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
obesity, and heart trouble are prevalent in your family history, then get blood
work often to check on your health situation.
See your doctor regularly for a check-up and ask lots of questions about
what you can do to improve your odds of remaining healthy. Doctors sometimes
don’t give out all the information needed unless prompted by a proactive
patient. (If your doctor refuses to
answer questions, is vague or evasive in answering, or acts impatient or angry
about questions, then it’s time to find another doctor who is more compliant and
agreeable.)
If you are
a member of an ethnic minority, especially African-American or Hispanic, you
should be especially vigilant about monitoring your diabetes risk factors. Sadly, diabetes is even more prevalent in
these ethnic groups and less likely to be diagnosed promptly or treated effectively
than in the general population. Again,
catching health problems at the pre-diabetes stage and taking proactive
lifestyle steps to halt and reverse the progression of the disease at this
point is the best choice.
(6.)
Maintain or obtain a “can do” attitude, and take small, manageable steps to
better health. Realizing that managing personal lifestyle choices (and
therefore, your diabetes risk) is truly in your hands can go a long way to
helping you take charge of your health.
Most of the major threats to our health, such as heart disease,
diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s, can be delayed, alleviated, or sometimes
avoided altogether by our positive, proactive health choices.
Additional Thoughts
on Diabetes Prevention and Treatment:
•
Stress reduction is very critical to avoiding, or successfully treating,
diabetes. The human body produces a much
higher rate of cortisol than normal when under chronic stress. Cortisol raises blood sugar levels;
therefore, chronic unrelenting stress and its accompanying high cortisol levels
will result in elevated blood sugar rates compared to those of a person in a
normal, relaxed state of being.
Seek any
way practical to your individual lifestyle to reduce stress; whether you choose
long walks outdoors, yoga, chatting with a friend, watching a favorite T.V.
show, going on vacation, or whatever you find relaxing, be sure to make time
for down time. Your pancreas, heart,
adrenal glands, and body in general will thank you.
• Any time you’re choosing to eat something
sugary, exercise conscious portion control and pair the sugary food with
something that has protein, fat, or fiber.
Any of these three nutrient types will slow the body’s reaction to the
presence of simple sugars and reduce glucose spikes (and dips).
• Think about adding cinnamon to your diet
occasionally to lower blood sugar naturally.
Cinnamon adds a pleasant little kick to many foods, and it has been
scientifically shown to lower blood sugar.
If you wish
to include cinnamon in your regimen regularly, look for cinnamon capsule
supplements at health food stores.
Large, regular doses of “table” cinnamon used for seasoning can cause a
toxic overload of certain cinnamon compounds in the body. Capsule supplements that are designed for
regular consumption are generally free of (or low in) these compounds and are
therefore safer than taking a lot of “table” cinnamon.
• Many people, especially diabetics, benefit
from taking supplemental alpha-lipoic acid, chromium picolinate, and/or
magnesium to help lower and stabilize blood sugar and to help strengthen their
bodies against some of the ravages of diabetes.
As always,
before taking any dietary supplement(s), check with your doctor to avoid any
“contra-indications” between your prescription drugs and dietary
supplements. Also, a chat with your
physician may help reveal any likely sensitivities, allergies, or other
specific reasons pertaining to your individual health that would point toward
taking or not taking a particular supplement.
Finally,
keep an open mind about the many ways to prevent and/or treat diabetes; more
possibilities in the form of research, lifestyle changes, natural supplements,
and prescription drugs keep coming to the forefront of our awareness all the
time. There are many ways to tackle this
problem. Let’s keep our offensive line
in tip-top shape!
Author’s Note: This article’s publication (originally
scheduled for early November) was unavoidably delayed due to two deaths and a
serious illness in the family of this writer.
The foot health story, planned for late November, will appear after the
beginning of 2018. The December 2017
story will be published on or near December 11, 2017. Many thanks to regular readers of this blog
for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.
