TO YOUR HEALTH
Reversing Type 2 Diabetes, An Illness of Lifestyle
7KHSULPDU\ FDXVHVRI7\SH'LDEHWHV DUHGLUHFWO\ UHODWHG WRXQ - healthy food choices and habits. These include: • Poor diet • Excess weight • Lack of physical activities 'HSUHVVLRQDQGRUKLJKVWUHVVOHYHOV • Chemical toxicity 9LUDORUEDFWHULDOLQIHFWLRQV • Certain medications Furthermore, while there is no evidence of a genetic predisposition WR'0RWKHUFRQGLWLRQVFDQEHVHFRQGDU\FDXVHVRIGLDEHWHV)RULQ - stance, hormonal imbalances such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ova- U\V\QGURPHDQG&XVKLQJ¶VGLVHDVHH[DFHUEDWHV\PSWRPVDVVRFLDWHG with diabetes, thereby contributing to its development. There are several symptoms that can alert to the presence of insulin resistance or diabetes, including: • Unexplained fatigue • Unexplained weight gain • Frequent urination, especially at night time • Constant hunger and thirst • Numbness, neuropathy in extremities 9DJLQDOLQIHFWLRQV • Poor vision +HDUWDQGFLUFXODWLRQSUREOHPV +LJKEORRGSUHVVXUH /DWHRUORQJHUWHUPFRQVHTXHQFHVRI7\SH'LDEHWHVFDQLQFOXGH +\SRJO\FHPLD HSLVRGHV RI VZHDWLQJ GL]]LQHVV GLVRULHQWDWLRQ excessive hunger, nausea • Atherosclerosis - excess glucose in the blood causes small arteries WRFORVHXSVKXWWLQJR̆EORRGVXSSO\DQGQHUYHVXSSO\ 'LDEHWHVQHXURSDWK\WLQJOLQJDQGQXPEQHVVRIH[WUHPLWLHV .LGQH\GDPDJH GLDEHWLFQHSKURSDWK\ 'LDEHWLFUHWLQRSDWK\YLVLRQORVV • Trophic ulcers, gangrene of extremities 6WURNHVLVFKHPLFKHDUWGLVHDVH Breaking the Cycle: Diabetes Prevention and Treatment The prevention and reversal of diabetes mellitus is possible with the proper quality and quantity of foods and physical exercise to encour- DJH LQFUHDVHGPHWDEROLVP WR UHGXFH WKH VL]HRI WKH VWRPDFKDQG WR promote a healthier lifestyle that supports lifelong wellness. &HUWDLQ IRRGV QHJDWLYHO\ D̆HFW \RXU EORRG VXJDU OHYHOV FDXVH LQ - ÀDPPDWLRQ DQG WULJJHU LPPXQH UHVSRQVHV $V D JHQHUDO QXWULWLRQDO JXLGHOLQHDYRLG*02VIRRGVSURFHVVHGIRRGKRPRJHQL]HGRLOVDQG DUWL¿FLDO VZHHWHQHUV7R UHYHUVH GLDEHWHV QDWXUDOO\ DQG IRU WKH ORQJ WHUPWKH¿UVWVWHS LVWRUHPRYHRU OLPLWWKHVHIROORZLQJIRRGVIURP your diet: 5H¿QHGVXJDUVVRGDVIUXLWMXLFHVDQGRWKHUVZHHWEHY - HUDJHV These forms of sugar enter the bloodstream rapidly and can cause extreme elevations in blood glucose. Your best option is to switch to stevia, a natural sweetener and healthier sugar substitute WKDWZRQ¶WKDYH DVPXFK RI DQ LPSDFW$OVR WU\ WR GHULYH VZHHWQHVV from fruits and vegetables directly. continued on page 34
BY HELENA AMOS, M.AC., L.AC., EURO. PHYSICIAN ,W¶V LPSRUWDQW WRFRQVLGHURXUKHDOWKFRQFHUQVZKHQZHPDNHRXU IRRGFKRLFHVDQGWKDW¶VHVSHFLDOO\WUXHGXULQJWKHKROLGD\VHDVRQ7KLV LVWRXJKWRGRJLYHQDOOWKHDPD]LQJIRRGWKLVWLPHRI\HDUDQGDOOWKH RSSRUWXQLWLHVIRUFHOHEUDWLQJZLWKHDWLQJ%XWKHDOWK\FKRLFHVFDQEH very tasty, too, and we can modify our eating behaviors accordingly while still enjoying ourselves during the holidays, and all year long. One health condition particularly susceptible to the pitfalls of un- KHDOWK\HDWLQJ²DQGDQXQKHDOWK\OLIHVW\OHLQJHQHUDO²LV7\SH'L - DEHWHVDOVRNQRZQDV'LDEHWHV0HOOLWXV '0 7KHFRQGLWLRQKDVEHHQ NQRZQVLQFHDQFLHQWWLPHVEXWLW¶VSUHGLFWHGWKDWHYHU\WHQWKSHUVRQ RQ WKH SODQHWZLOO KDYH LW E\ LIZH GRQ¶W VWRS LW IURP UHDFKLQJ pandemic proportions. 7RGRWKDWZHPXVW¿UVWXQGHUVWDQGZKDWLQVXOLQVHQVLWLYLW\SUH - GLDEHWHVDQG7\SH'LDEHWHVDUHUHFRJQL]HWKHV\PSWRPVDQGOHDUQ how to prevent and treat them properly. The Basics of Diabetes The pancreas, a large gland of the digestive system, is directly in- YROYHGLQWKHGHYHORSPHQWRIGLDEHWHV,WLVORFDWHGRQWKHOHIWVLGHRI the abdominal area just below the left side of the rib cage. The gland VHFUHWHV D SDQFUHDWLF MXLFH IXOO RI GLJHVWLYH HQ]\PHV WR EUHDN GRZQ protein, carbohydrates and fat. The pancreas also functions to produce insulin by beta cells. Un- OLNH7\SH 'LDEHWHVZKLFK LV FKDUDFWHUL]HGE\EHWD FHOOGH¿FLHQFLHV DQGFDQGHYHORSHDUO\LQOLIH7\SH'LDEHWHVKDSSHQVZKHQWKHUHDUH enough beta cells but the insulin receptors of the cells are broken — or resistant — due to an excess amount of sugar, simple carbohydrates or alcohol consumption. When this occurs, insulin cannot deliver glucose into the cells, depriving the cells of energy, and allowing extra glucose to circulate in the bloodstream, which turns into fat surrounding and penetrating internal organs. Obesity causes fat cells to act as their own hormonal tissue, triggering hunger and more storage of fat in the or- gans and outside tissues — it is a vicious cycle and an important one to break. 7KHDSSHDUDQFHRI7\SH'LDEHWHVLVQRWVRPHWKLQJWKDWKDSSHQV overnight. Rather, it begins due to a compounding of unhealthy life- style factors that lead to prediabetes, or insulin resistance syndrome,
which can eventually turn into a full-blown diagnosis. Obesi- ty, diets high in junk food and simple carbohydrates, and lack of exercise and quality sleep are GDQJHURXV SUHFXUVRUV ,Q DGGL - tion, certain medications, and hormonal disorders can exacer- bate early conditions. Warning signs for insulin resistance, or prediabetes, in- clude an increasing waistline RYHULQFKHV GDUNVSRWV on the skin around elbows, knees; skin tags; and elevated or high normal levels of blood glucose and triglycerides, blood SUHVVXUH RYHU DQG ZKHQ+'/ FKROHVWHURO LV ORZHU WKDQPJO
PATHWAYS—Winter 21-22—17
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