Controlling blood sugar is a very important part of staying healthy and alive. Unfortunately, an increasing percentage of the American population cannot maintain this balance. When insulin and blood sugar regulation capabilities get seriously out of whack, the condition is referred to as diabetes.
Diabetes is now the leading cause of:
- Blindness in people age 20 to 74
- Kidney failure
- Amputation of the lower limb
- 50 percent to 60 percent of the impotence problems in males over the age of 50
- Severe nerve damage in 60 percent to 70 percent of all diabetics
- Stroke in the United States
- Increased risk of heart disease by 2 to 4 times over normal
Diabetes is a growing epidemic in this country, with no end in sight. Adult-onset diabetes has increased between 600 percent and 1,000 percent in the last 60 years. It is currently increasing at a rate of 6 percent a year, and that rate is expected to accelerate. The whole idea in treating diabetes is to bring fluctuating blood sugar levels back to normal as quickly as possible. This must be done immediately after eating and then gradually continue for several hours, as food is being digested. In non-diabetic individuals, this process occurs very smoothly because the body constantly adjusts its secretion of insulin depending on the levels of blood sugar.
The body uses a feedback system to monitor and adjust insulin levels. This is where part of the dilemma comes in with the use of supplemental insulin–and other hormones, for that matter. Supplemental hormones flood the body and essentially shut off the feedback system. In an effort to compensate for this problem there have been two basic forms of drugs used to treat type II diabetes.
So what type of foods are the best natural medicine in controlling blood sugar levels?
- Healthy fats such as salmon, olive oil or nuts
- Sprouted grains such as sprouted alfalfa, barley or quinoa
- High fiber such as flaxseeds or chia seeds
- Vegetables, the greener the better
These foods are quite low on the glycemic index and potentiate the release of insulin slowly into the blood; therefore decreasing the spikes of glucose and insulin.
Highly processed foods that quickly release sugar into the blood stream are linked with greater risk of Type 2 Diabetes. The release of sugar into the bloodstream has to be a slow process.
Bad food habits cause Type 2 Diabetes. In Type 2 Diabetes, the pancreas gland is not able to produce enough insulin, which helps in absorbing energy into the blood stream. If there is not enough production of insulin in the body, the food we eat will not get converted into energy or get absorbed by the blood stream and remains as sugar in the blood.
When eating a diet high in fiber, healthy fats and vegetables you lose weight without any unwanted side effects. You will not feel deprived because they make you feel full and energized at the same time.
If you need further assistance in maintaining your health goals or evaluating whether your at risk for diabetes or heart disease, Dr. Nirvana can help you get on the healthy track. Through nutritional evaluations and simple blood analysis, your health (or lack of it) will be revealed.