Blood sugar regulation is key to living a healthier life. If you’ve been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome, you are at a 5-fold increased risk of developing diabetes. And, if you've been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), don't take it lightly. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to many complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. It's the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Over 11% of the U.S. population has diabetes with up to 1/5^th of those undiagnosed.

What is Diabetes?

Basically, diabetes mellitus is a disease of blood sugar dysregulation. Most of the food we eat is turned into a sugar called glucose. This is what human bodies use to power our cells. When blood glucose goes up, the pancreas makes a hormone called insulin, to help move the glucose into our cells for an ongoing source of energy. When you have diabetes, the body either doesn't make enough insulin (Type-1 DM) or can't use its own insulin efficiently (Type-2 DM). This causes glucose to build up in the blood, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

Blood sugar varies throughout the day depending on what you eat. If it is too high or elevated for too long, it can cause permanent damage. Over time, high glucose can lead to nerve damage in your hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy) or eye sight changes and vision problems (diabetic retinopathy). It can also cause life-threatening conditions such as diabetic ketoacidosis. Symptoms of high blood sugar include feeling very thirsty, peeing a lot, feeling weak or tired, losing weight, and/or having blurred vision.

Types of Diabetes

There are two main types of diabetes. Type-1 DM is a chronic health condition where the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. This causes a loss of the insulin, affecting the way glucose is metabolized. Because of this, glucose levels run high in the blood causing system-wide damage. While holistic health approaches can support the body, there is no cure; life-long management REQUIRES insulin.

Type-2 DM develops from lifestyle choices. A highly preventable disease, it was once most common in middle-aged and older people. Today, it strikes an alarming number of young adults and children. It's often directly related to poor eating and exercise. In this type of diabetes, your body produces insulin but does not recognize and use it properly. If health is not restored through diet, lifestyle changes, and other holistic approaches, Type-2 DM can progress. This leads to required insulin injections.

It’s important to note the risk factors for developing diabetes. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing DM 5-fold when compared to the general population. You may have this syndrome if you have:

• Excess weight around your middle
• High triglycerides
• Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
• Elevated fasting blood sugar
• High blood pressure

Pre-diabetes is your warning sign, a condition where your blood glucose level is chronically above normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as Type-2 DM. 38% of Americans have prediabetes. If this is you, then this is your chance to stop the onset of diabetes in its tracks.

What Can You Do

A few simple guidelines can help you manage diabetes, and even prevent Type-2 DM. Lifestyle changes can have a huge positive impact on improving overall health. Reducing the risk of chronic disease should be important to everyone, young and old.

• Eat fresh whole foods. Increase dietary fiber and try to get at least 3-5 servings of dark fruits and veggies in your daily diet. Avoid processed foods and added sugars as much as possible.
• Drink plenty of water. It’s good practice to get at least 80-100oz of fluid daily.
• Move more every day. Try to exercise 30 minutes a day at least 5 days per week.
• Supplement with a good multivitamin, multimineral, and fish oil (EPA/DHA).
• Regularly visit your doctor and take any medications/supplements as recommended.
• Keep your skin healthy via hydration and a whole foods diet. This is especially important for your feet.
• Use natural remedies such as herbal supplements, vitamins, tinctures, teas, and dietary adjustments under the supervision of a holistic practitioner.
• Consult with a registered dietician to learn how to plan and prepare healthy meals.

If you are looking for a natural health practitioner, Dr. Blandford is a naturopathic doctor. She offers a 15 minute Discovery Visit to learn more about your holistic health options.

Sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control. “National Diabetes Statistics Report.” https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html.
2. Cleveland Clinic. “Metabolic Syndrome.” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10783-metabolic-syndrome. Reviewed 09/13/2023.
3. Murray, M.T., "Diabetes Mellitus" in Pizzorno, Joseph E. (2013). Textbook of Natural Medicine. St. Louis, MO Elsevier. p. 898; 1340; (chapter 161), 1320-1348.
4. National Institutes of Health. (2016). “Diabetes Overview”. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview.
5. Swarup, Supreeya, et al. (2024). “Metabolic Syndrome.” National Library of Medicine: StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459248/
6. Weston A Price Foundation. (2004). “Treating Diabetes: Practical Advice for Combatting a Modern Epidemic.” https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/modern-diseases/treating-diabetes-practical-advice-for-combatting-a-modern-epidemic/