A Natural Approach to Managing Diabetes

  • It is currently estimated that between 40 and 50 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition also referred to as Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X.

    Metabolic Syndrome is Actually a Group of Conditions Including:

    1  Insulin Resistance (the body’s inability to correctly utilize insulin which causes variations in blood sugar levels)

    2 High Levels of Blood Fats (high LDL “bad cholesterol”, high triglycerides and low HDL “good cholesterol”)

    3 High Blood Pressure

    4 Obesity (especially truncal/abdominal obesity)

    The concern with metabolic syndrome is not only that it predisposes people to diabetes, but it is also a major risk factor for heart disease. There are certain lab tests that can be run to help determine the presence of metabolic syndrome and aid in reducing the risk of developing Diabetes altogether.

    The Common Symptoms of Diabetes Include:
    1 Excessive thirst
    2 Excessive hunger
    3 Frequent urination
    4 Unexplained weight changes
    5 Poor wound healing

    All types of Diabetes are cause for concern. Diabetes, especially in its late stages, often results in irreparable damage to the blood vessels, nerves, eyes (retina), kidneys and developing fetuses. This is why it is so important to keep Diabetes, that is, the blood sugar, under control.

    Conventional Treatment:
    Conventional treatment for Diabetes (especially Type 2 Diabetes) typically includes prescription medications to improve insulin sensitivity. In some cases of Type 2 Diabetes, certain medications may be necessary for a short period of time to help get blood sugar levels under control. However, these diabetic medications should be avoided where possible to reduce the risks to long-term health and avoid the potential harmful side effects, like increasing the risk of coronary heart disease and kidney and liver problems.

    The Good News…
    Diabetes can often be entirely managed by lifestyle changes and without the need for any kind of Diabetic medications.     Additionally, patients with Metabolic Syndrome (those prone to develop Type 2 Diabetes) would more likely never develop Type 2 Diabetes simply by making changes to their diets, activity levels and stress management.

    Education is the key to controlling and often completely avoiding Diabetes.
    Diabetes prevention ideally starts early in life, especially for those people genetically predisposed. For those people taking prescription medications for their Diabetes, it is often possible to reduce and even eliminate the need for these medications through proper nutrition, exercise and other natural alternatives.

    If you want to find out more about the natural approach to managing Diabetes, contact me, Dr. Matt Mitchell.

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