If you or a family member or friend have difficulty controlling blood sugars and aren't thrilled about the prospect of a lifetime on glucose reduction meds here is an article from natural news with some great recommendations.
(NaturalNews) Nearly one-third of all Americans today are either
diabetic or pre-diabetic, which basically means their bodies have lost
the ability to properly process sugar. As a result, excess sugar
molecules, typically from junk foods, accumulate in the blood and vital
organs leading to chronic illness and eventually premature death. But if
you are one of the millions of people that struggles with blood sugar
issues, or even full-blown diabetes, you do not have to go the
pharmaceutical drug route to find relief or a cure.
Like most
other types of chronic illness, diabetes and pre-diabetes are more often
than not the direct result of poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, and
nutrient deficiency. Almost all chronic disease, in fact, is the
long-term consequence of one or more of these dietary and lifestyle
failures, which means correcting them also has the potential to fully
cure disease, in many cases. Here are some helpful tips for overcoming
your blood sugar woes, which in turn may help eradicate disease and
restore your health:
1) Cut out the sugar, grains, and omega-6 fatty acids.
The standard American diet, commonly referred to as "SAD," is
jam-packed with simple carbohydrates like refined sugar, processed
flour, and vegetables oil, all of which spike insulin levels and cause
inflammation. Carbohydrates in general are toxic to the body,
particularly when not enough energy is being expended, as whatever
carbohydrates are not used are
sugar.
"Any form of carbohydrate is eventually broken down by the body into glucose, a simple form of sugar," explains the
Wellness Mama blog. "While the body can use glucose for fuel, levels that exceed what is needed are toxic to the
body
... when the body senses glucose in the bloodstream, the pancreas
releases a hormone called insulin to signal the body to store the
glucose as glycogen."
Once the body's glycogen receptors become
"full," however, glucose continues to cycle through the body's
bloodstream, triggering the production of even more insulin. Not only
does all this excess insulin damage the glycogen receptors, but it also
ends up overburdening the pancreas, which of course produces insulin,
and storing the excess glucose as fat inside the body. Carbohydrates, in
other words, are primarily responsible for making people fat, and not
actually fat itself.
So rather than continue gorging on corn
chips, cookies, snack crackers, breads, and other heavy-carbohydrate
foods, switch to low-carbohydrate, nutrient-dense foods like grass-fed
meat and butter, pastured eggs, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds,
and raw, full-fat dairy products. As long as you are not allergic to any
of these foods, you should be able to get your
blood sugar and insulin levels under control, and avoid creating a toxic environment within your body where disease is able to thrive.
2) Reduce stress levels and recharge your adrenal glands.
For many people, excess stress leads to the production of too many
stress hormones, which can severely damage the endocrine system. And
when the endocrine system is out of whack, and hormones are not being
produced and regulated as they should, the body loses its ability to
properly metabolize nutrients, including sugar. The end result, of
course, is a propensity for high
blood sugar and eventually diabetes.
"When stress occurs, whatever the source, the hypothalamus signals the adrenals to release cortisol (and adrenaline)," adds
Wellness Mama.
"Excess cortisol can contribute to hormone imbalance in the body since
the body uses hormones like progesterone to manufacture cortisol. Excess
cortisol ... can also interfere with the body's ability to regulate
blood sugar, reduce fat burning ability, raise insulin, suppress thyroid
function and cause gain in belly fat."
To avoid over-stressing
your body, be sure to get plenty of rest every night, preferably going
to bed before 10:30pm in order to allow your adrenal glands a chance to
"recharge." You can also de-stress nutritionally by mixing one inch of
fresh, minced ginger together with a one-half teaspoon of ground black
seeds, also known as black cumin (
Nigella sativa), and eating it. This natural remedy is just one example of a practical way you can promote relaxation.
3) Exercise regularly, repair your gut, and eat plenty of "good" fats.
One of the most effective ways to remedy insulin resistance is simply
to engage in more physical activity. Exercise, it turns out, has been
To go along with this, make sure to avoid foods that may be
damaging your intestinal lining and causing
eventually broken down and turned into
"cortisol belly." Such
foods include wheat- and gluten-based products, grains in general,
excess sugar, genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), and lack of
beneficial bacteria. Correcting gut problems may require supplementation
with probiotic bacteria, zinc L-carnosine, and the amino acid
L-glutamine, as well as consumption of healthy saturated fats and
omega-3 fatty acids.
shown in numerous studies to have a powerful blood sugar-correcting
effect, especially smaller amounts of high-intensity exercise. Pushing
your muscles on a regular basis will also help increase their ability to
utilize insulin, which can effectively correct insulin problems over
time.
Learn more:
http://www.naturalnews.com/040240_blood_sugar_regulation_diet_and_exercise.html#ixzz2Su6r20sf
For your better health,
Dr. Heller
