VibrantWay - Holistic Nutrition Center
DIABETES—MAYBE YOU CAN PREVENT IT!
A Holistic, Natural Approach Can Save You—and Your Quality of Life!
First, how about if we get the definitions out of the way? When we say “diabetes,” we’re referring to one of three distinct diseases:
- You’ve probably heard Type 1 diabetes called “juvenile-onset” diabetes. We see this diabetes happen when the pancreas can’t produce insulin any longer, usually in children or teens, and it usually stays with them for life. These kids can’t treat their diabetes just by changing their diet or lifestyle; they need to take insulin (by injection, pump or pills); that makes it possible for them to store and use glucose. Researchers find links between Type 1 and autoimmunity, a condition that makes it impossible for the body to recognize its own cells and causes a long list of diseases, from lupus to arthritis and diabetes. With Type 1, the body attacks the cells named “beta cells” in its own pancreas. We think it’s likely that genetics and environmental factors are involved, too.
- Type 2 diabetes, or adult-onset, is the one your doctor is always telling you to “watch out for” if you don’t start eating a healthier diet. It’s the most common diabetes, affecting all ages—in fact, millions of people have it and don’t even know it! Type 2 begins with insulin resistance, usually because of high-sugar diets, trans fats and no exercise; your blood is pumped so full of insulin that your cells don’t even recognize it anymore, and eventually the pancreas stops making insulin altogether. A lot of conditions put you at risk for Type 2: obesity, older age, a family history of diabetes or your own history of gestational diabetes, damaged glucose metabolism, and a life with little exercise—but looks can be deceiving! There are a lot of thin people with Type 2 diabetes. The good news is, if Type 2 is spotted early, diet and lifestyle changes can rein it in.
- Gestational diabetes, like Type 2, evolves from insulin resistance but it happens in the last stages of pregnancy. Basically, the placenta produces hormones that can interfere with the mother’s ability to make and use her own insulin. It’s important to control it, to avoid exposing the baby to a glucose overload that could make it too fat, or jinx its health with conditions like the baby’s own Type 2 later in life. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after the baby’s born, but then the mother is at risk for developing Type 2.
Detecting diabetes early
Don’t worry about trying to tell one version of diabetes from another—they all share the same symptoms:
- Extreme thirst or hunger
- Exhaustion or fatigue
- Need to urinate often
- Unexpected weight loss or gain
- Blurry vision
- Cuts or sores that won’t heal.
One of these symptoms on its own probably wouldn’t indicate diabetes—after all, we can name a dozen things that cause us to gain weight! But if you notice a combination of several symptoms, get an evaluation. Truly, you don’t want to mess around with possible diabetes; the long-term effects can shorten your life, or at least cut into its quality in pretty significant ways. If you pay attention to it now, every aspect of your life will be better, and you can grow old in great health!
Type 2 diabetes and a “new” disorder—metabolic syndrome
Are we in denial about all the ways we hurt our metabolisms? Take sugar, for instance. It’s not just overweight women who don’t exercise who can have “prediabetes” or metabolic syndrome and, if not diagnosed, go on to develop Type 2 diabetes. Thin people, too, can develop the same conditions. We just don’t realize how much sugar, in all its forms, we’re feeding ourselves, and few people (including doctors) understand that diabetes is a disease of the metabolism, and that it’s caused by more than just eating too much candy.
“Metabolic syndrome” actually covers a number of disorders that lead to diabetes and other diseases, and it leads to full-blown diabetes. In order to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you need to have at least three of these disorders: high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and an above-average waist size.
But before you start thinking that we’re all headed for a diabetes diagnosis, there’s exciting news: new research shows that, if we take specific nutrients, we can prevent and even reverse insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders that so often lead to diabetes! That means, too, that by getting those nutrients, we won’t have to take medications and suffer their miserable side effects!
This affirms, too, our conviction that the path to diabetes management involves more than insulin levels. Insulin interacts with estrogen, testosterone, DHEA and thyroid hormones, so when a poor diet sends your insulin levels off-kilter, other hormones are affected, too, making our perimenopause symptoms even worse. And over time, out-of-control insulin can send all of the body’s systems—cardio, digestive, immune, neuroendocrine—out of balance.
It all comes down to sound nutrition! If you change your diet so that you’re getting the best nutrients and high-quality supplements, you can change the way your hormones behave and boost your entire well-being!
Control your diabetes naturally
Diet: I know it’s tempting, after a long day, to reach for a bag of potato chips and a glass of wine! But think before you reach, because you can prevent and even control Type 2 diabetes! Eating balanced meals—including the lean proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, and all the non-starchy fruits and vegetables you like—will keep your insulin levels in check. Then you won’t be nearly as prone to store so much of your energy in the form of fat, and your other hormones will stay balanced, too.
Glycemic Index: This is a great time to talk about the glycemic index (GI) of foods. The GI measures how quickly glucose from a food enters your bloodstream after you eat it. The idea is to eat more foods with a low GI, or low-glycemic foods—such as whole grains—because they’re absorbed into the bloodstream slowly and won’t cause your insulin levels to spike. Sugar and white flour, on the other hand, have a high GI because they rush headlong into the bloodstream, overload your insulin receptors and create ideal conditions for insulin resistance.
Move it!: Regular exercise can help control diabetes. Not only does it keep your weight down, it also lowers blood sugar, helps you use insulin more efficiently, keeps cholesterol levels balanced, and improves your circulation. Aerobic exercise specifically targets heart health, but yoga, free weights, Pilates or swimming also helps to build muscles (which use the most glucose) and fights insulin resistance, too. Clinically speaking, we look for a “normal” fasting blood glucose level under 100 mg/dL. If it creeps above that number, you’re considered insulin resistant and prediabetic. At that point, these measures we’re talking about—getting exercise and eating healthy—aren’t just a good idea, they’re critical!
Emotions: Don’t forget the emotional factor. At Vibrant Way, we realize there’s more to balancing hormones than just exercising and eating right. Reaching for sugar could be a sign that you’re lacking sweetness in your life! Think about all the people and activities that make you happy, and reflect on how they “nourish” you as much as food! Then give yourself some time to enjoy them. Feeling better always means looking at the whole picture—your happiness and peace of mind as much as nutrition, exercise, and hormonal balance.
Preventing diabetes holistically
At Vibrant Way, we believe you are the most important caretaker of your body! That’s a big responsibility, but making better choices doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start by just writing down where you are in life—physically and emotionally—and define some goals. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Take any unhealthy foods in your cupboards to a local homeless shelter or food pantry, and stock up on healthier meals and snacks. Food is the cheapest medicine you can buy, so invest in the good stuff—whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and veggies.
- If you’re in a casual restaurant, choose grilled chicken and salad over a burger and fries. It will be delicious and fill you up!
- Drink water instead of soda. Flavor it with a wedge of lemon, lime, or a few fresh berries.
- Check food labels for trans fats and high-fructose corn syrup.
- Exercise often. Do something active a few days a week, and try to work up to 60 minutes a day. If you can’t do anything else, walk more than you do now. If you enjoy watching TV, stand up during commercials and lift some light weights, do a few leg-lefts and other easy exercises, or just walk in place.
- Boost your nutrition with high-quality vitamins and minerals, such as those in our Women’s Empowerment Formula. Our cells constantly use micronutrients to produce energy and keep us vibrant, and a high-grade multivitamin/mineral complex with omega-3 fatty acids will help fill any nutritional gaps and help regulate your hormones.
- Detox your space. Use glass instead of stainless steel for eating, drinking and food storage. Avoid the microwave, use all-natural cleaning products and cosmetics, and try our 2-week Detox Diet to detox your system.
- Make time to relax and get away from the pressures of life, even if all you can manage is a one-day yoga retreat or an evening walk along a lake.
- Look at things with a sunnier attitude. Embrace the chance to take better care of yourself, and feel empowered as you make it happen!