Tuesday, March 22, 2011

BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR (part 2 of 2)

Conventional methods for diabetes usually consists of a diet high in grains and low in protein, along with Rx meds to manage blood sugar and insulin. These meds come with a laundry list of side effects including stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, loss of limbs and eyesight. Read Part 1

Tips to Balance Your Blood Sugar and Boost Diabetes Protection

Diet/Nutrition

  1. Sweeten with stevia, an herb, instead of artificial sweeteners or sugar. Stevia will not elevate blood sugars and has zero calories. Avoid all artificial sweeteners and any product with NutraSweet or Aspartame. Especially avoid any product with high-fructose corn syrup and agave syrup, both which create an aggressive insulin response and increased visceral fat.
  2. Eliminate all boxed, canned, microwavable foods and fast foods. Consuming fast food 2 or more times a week results, on average, in an extra weight gain of 10 pounds and doubles the risk of prediabetes over a 15-year period. 
  3. Avoid refined and processed carbohydrates, gluten and grains (white rice is associated with a 10% increased risk of type 2 diabetes). Especially important for those who are insulin resistant or already have diabetes: Eliminate all soda including diet soda, pasteurized dairy products, sugar, fruit juices, high glycemic fruits, starchy vegetables, hydrogenated fats, vegetable oils, alcohol and tobacco.
  4. Enjoy green tea, white tea, and coffee. Ditch ALL soda. Consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity and diabetes. Just one sweetened drink a day raises your risk of diabetes by 25%!
  5. Coffee can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30 percent! Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition said that the components that could be responsible for this protection include magnesium, phenolic compounds, and quinides, which have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. Other compounds in coffee have antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties.
  6. Fruits: type 2 diabetics should avoid most fruits except for tomatoes, berries, apples, avocados, grapefruit, lemons and limes. Blueberry and apple lovers have a 23% lower risk of developing diabetes. They're chock full of flavonoids, which have been linked to protection against heart disease and cancer.
  7. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! Drink a minimum of half your body weight in ounces of water every day. Stay away from plastic bottles due to BPA exposure which has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer.
  8. Increase protein intake from organic sources. An article published in the Nutrition Journal concluded that a low-carb, high-protein diet is superior to a low fat diet to reduce insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. 
  9. Your meals and snacks should consist of protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fiber from veggies and leafy greens to help stabilize blood sugar. Fiber helps lower glucose.
  10. Cinnamon helps control post-meal insulin spikes. Cinnamon can be used to reduce the glycemic index of a meal up to 29%. One USDA study showed that just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon/day lowered the blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
  11. Mix 2 TBS. of apple cider vinegar or the juice from a lemon or lime (flavonoids) in water and drink before your meals. This helps reduce the insulin index of the meal.
  12. Eat a protein-rich breakfast! Skipping breakfast increases your risk of type 2 diabetes.
  13. Coach Charles Poliquin shared this potion in a seminar I attended years ago. When taken on an empty stomach first thing in the morning it helps lower the insulin index.

*** 1 T. freshly ground fenugreek seeds
*** 1 T. freshly ground flax seeds 
*** 1 T. Liquid chlorophyll
***  8 ounces water

Lifestyle

  1. Get to bed by 10pm. Sleep for 7-9 hours every night. Lack of sleep disturbs lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, androgen production, body fat levels, blood pressure, immune function and memory.
  2. Heal your Gut. Research into diabetes has found a link between diabetes, intestinal permeability, and gut bacteria. Whether or not you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it is always a good idea to strengthen digestive function.
  3. Manage your stressors. Stress is the #2 cause of type 2 diabetes. Diet is the #1 cause.
  4. Minimize BPA exposure (plastic water bottles, dental sealants, plastic wraps, canned foods, etc.) A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that found BPA is linked to heart disease, diabetes, cancer and liver problems in adults.
  5. Diabetics should monitor blood glucose levels at least 2x/day before eating meals. If you are exercising you will need to test your glucose levels more frequently.
    1. Glucose levels are influenced by carbohydrate intake, stress, glandular and liver function. When a fasting glucose level is >100, diabetes is imminent.
    2. Know your lab values including fasting insulin levels and Hemoglobin A1C.
  6. Rule out food intolerances and sensitivities, heavy metal toxicity, Candida, parasites, pesticide overload, other xenobiotics and inoculations which can be locus to pancreatic dysfunction resulting in diabetes or hypoglycemia.
  7. Take care of your eyes. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness. It can lead to retinopathy and other eye problems such as cataracts.

Exercise and Movement 

The power of movement and activity should never be underestimated – from a brisk 5 minute power walk to a 40 minute strength training session, it all counts towards reducing and eliminating the pre-diabetes (insulin resistance) syndrome and controlling diabetes.

  1. Begin some form of exercise and be consistent! Walking is excellent form of activity to adopt for those who have been sedentary for many years. A daily 3mph brisk walk decreases diabetes risk by 58%.
  2. Strength training is far superior to steady state aerobic exercise to prevent obesity, increase insulin sensitivity and manage your blood sugar because steady-state aerobic exercise increases cortisol levels which elevate insulin levels.

Nutritional Supplementation

Although we are each unique in our biochemistry, there are basic supplements that offer nutritional support to manage blood sugar and diabetes including:

Eliminate the guesswork with this Blood Sugar Kit. 

The obesity epidemic and the number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes and/or insulin resistance will continue to increase due to unhealthy lifestyle choices. A study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development predicts that by the year 2020 nearly 75% of the American population will be overweight or obese. A shocking prediction: in less than 9 years, half of all Americans will be either pre-diabetic or suffer full-blown type 2 diabetes.

NOW is the time to take control and responsibility. Health is a choice. You can avoid insulin resistance, balance your blood sugar, and prevent, reverse and manage diabetes with the four powers: Diet/Nutrition, Lifestyle, Smart Exercise and Nutritional Support.

Contact me for a custom plan that will lower inflammation, stabilize blood sugar and reduce your risk of diabetes. Make an appointment. Schedule a 15-minute phone call to discuss your goals and needs. Paula consults with clients locally in the Phoenix area and around the world via telephone or Skype.

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