Diabetes Type 2 - Can It Be Reversed?

Diabetes is a growing problem in this country.  With all the sugary treats and drinks available to our youth that disease has spread like wildfire into our young.  Diabetes was a rare thing in my generation - but to see how it has spread with the addition of so much sugar into our culture concerns me greatly. 

This has concerned doctors for quite some time and there are several studies going on that may influence the way this disease is managed.

Let's start with sugar - we have had several conversations now about sugar.  Do NOT listen to the marketing hype on TV that states that all sugars are the same - THEY ARE NOT.  Every sugar is broken down differently and could even overload different organs.  As I have stated before, refined white sugar is the worst.  Stick with darker sugars if you must go with refined, if not raw sugars, and honey are far better.  The best is honey as it has already been broken down by bees - it is by far the gentlest on your system.

Additional Reading: http://finallyhealing.com/sugars-affect

What organs can be affected by sugar?  Obviously, the pancreas, but also the liver, heart, and the kidneys.  Sugar (that includes fake sugar) is one of the biggest causes of excess weight, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and pancreatic failure.  Sugar is an additiction that must be faught daily to be controlled. 

Additional Reading: http://www.sooperarticles.com/health-fitness-articles/sugar-disease-articles/organs-affected-diabetes-646683.html

Obviously, the pancreas is one of the most important organs, initially in this discussion because it is Pancreatic failure / overload that is the trigger for diabetes.  How do we help strengthen and heal our Pancreas once the damage of sugar has been done?  REDUCE your sugar intake.  I know it sounds silly for me to say this - but it is step one and it might take a while for you to get there.  Toss out all the sugar and sugary foods in your pantry and fridge.  I will tell you, this takes time - reducing slowly is typically much easier than going cold turkey.  Step two, is to get rid of most (not all) of your starchy foods (bread / pasta) as these quickly break down into sugar in your body.  And don't forget your alcohol - not saying you need to quit that all together as some wines are quite healthy for your heart when taken in moderation. But alcohol also turns almost immediately into sugar in the body.  Next, you need to start eating more fish (Omega 3), nuts, beans, raw vegetables, and fruit.  Yes, I did say fruit.  As your body adjusts to the lower levels of sugar in your system, your taste buds change too - things that weren't sweet at all - now taste sweet.  For example, when I started removing sugars from my diet I LOVED chocolate (even though I am lactose intollerant) but couldn't stand dark chocolate - it was too bitter.  Now, I can't eat milk chocolate it is WAY too sweet and dark chocolate is PLENTY sweet enough for me.  Another recommendation is to do a detox.  Get rid of tobacco as it also leads to pancreatic overload.  Finally, you will need a good active exercise regimen.  Start slow if you aren't currently working out regularly - you have to walk before you can run! 

LiveStrong has a good list of foods that help promote a healthy pancreas: http://www.livestrong.com/article/36490-foods-heal-pancreas/

Dr Hyman has a great article on how to begin the reversing of diabetes and that if done properly it can be reversed in two weeks.  This means a radical change in your diet.  Now, I will remind you to take every bit of information I provide with a grain of salt - and THINK.  If it doesn't sound right - do your own research and come to your own conclusions. 

Dr Hyman's article: http://drhyman.com/new-research-finds-diabetes-can-be-reversed-6187/?utm_source=Publicaster&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=drhyman%20newsletter%20issue%20#27&utm_content=Get+the+story
Here is the site that is doing the diabetes trials / studies.  It provides some good info.  Just remember is is based on allopathy and naturopathy not just naturopathy: http://www.diabetologia-journal.org/

Blessings... E

A Healthy Immune System

Your immune system is a very delicately balanced, fine-tuned process.  If you do not have a strong immune system, you are more likely to be someone that will be prone to chronic disease.  Whether that means things like chronic flu, colds and bronchitis or more serious ailments like cancer depends on how weak and compromised your immune system is.  If you are chronically ill, you need to take a step back and determine what is causing the weakness in your immune system and correct it.

There are foods and lifestyles that boost your immune system and those that break down your immune system.  Let's look at the negatives first.

Alcohol - anything in excess is bad for the body.  A cup of wine every now and then is good for the body since it has many good enzymes in it.  However, the high carbs and high sugars (in certain alcohols) are damaging to the body.  They overload the liver and make it difficult for the white blood cells to kill germs in the body.
Sugar - we just had a discussion about good sugars and bad sugars.  White refined sugar taxes the body in general.  8T or the equivalent of 2 sodas suppress the immune system and cause the liver to go into over drive.  In addition, it reduces the ability of the white blood cells to do their job by as much as 40%.  Do you want 40% of the germs in your body to thrive? 
Food Allergens - most of us don't realize that we have food allergies until they slap us in the face.  If you have issues with indigestion, bloating, cramping, constipation, or diarrhea - you have a food allergy.  Food allergies or sensitivities cause problems with your immune system because your white blood cells begin destroying good things.  Your body is thrown into chaos and begins destroying itself.
Fat - again we are back to excess.  Eating excessive amounts of fried foods, fatty foods, and the wrong type of fats reduces the ability of the white blood cells to do their job.  Again, reducing their ability to destroy germs.
Prescription Drugs - again... excess.  If you are chronically ill, you probably have filled your body with antibiotics that actually weaken your natural immune system.  An example - when you get stung by a bee or mosquito, your body immediately sends histamine to the site.  It doesn't send histamine to your entire body - JUST to the part of your body that was stung.  When you take a drug for an illness, it doesn't just go to fight the germs in the part of your body that is ill - it spreads throughout your body and not only kills germs, but kills the white blood cells that are naturally fighting the illness as well.

So, basically our "standard bad foods" are the ones you need to reduce or remove from your diet.  Now, onto the good foods and healthy lifestyles.

Vitamins C, B, & E all help strengthen your immune system.  They each have a separate function but together they build strong cell walls, increase the reproduction of white blood cells, and enhance their germ fighting capabilities. 
Cartenoids are found in orange fruits and vegetables as well as some green vegetables including spinach and kale.  They are very important in the germ fighting capabilities of your white blood cells.  They also promote cell communication necessary for fighting proper germs.
Bioflavenoids protect the cell structure from environmental toxins, hence increasing the strength of the cellular wall. 
Garlic enhances the multiplicity of germ fighting cells and increases the efficiency of the same cells.
Selenium boosts cancer fighting capabilities of the body.
Omegas - The Omegas are the essential oils necessary for your body to function properly.  They enhance the white blood cells capability to destroy germs.

As for the lifestyle, you need to remain active.  Even when you are not feeling well, it is vital for you to get at least 30 minutes of sunshine and at least 30 minutes of activity daily.  Both of these build up your tolerance and a stronger physical body promotes a stronger immune system.

Here's to a healthier stronger you!  Blessings... E

Sugars

There are days that I just can't seem to get off my soap box... and today is one of them.  I watch TV very rarely because it irritates me.  The media that fills our heads with lies and the commercials that turn people into lemmings are just horrid!  I can't stress enough the need for everyone to read all the labels - ask the "why" questions - and question recommendations that come with fine print. 

I want to discuss sugar since there are so many commercials out there that do not give you the full story on your sweeteners.  We have discussed artificial sweeteners - specifically aspartame in a previous post so will not be rehashing that one here.  So let's get to it...

Honey - again we have discussed this in previous posts, but it is important for you to know that you should be consuming at least a teaspoon of honey each day.  Honey has already been broken down by the bees that create it and so of all the sweeteners out there it is the easiest for humans to digest.  In addition it is an anti-bacterial, an anti-fungal and an anti-viral. So taking a teaspoon of it daily helps keep your immune system strong.  Because bees go from flower to flower obtaining the nectar from the flowers - they also pick up the pollen from the trees, flowers, and grasses and this also finds its way into honey.  The traces of pollen when consumed help the body naturally fight allergies.  If you take that teaspoon of honey daily, you will find a dramatic decrease in your seasonal allergies (I tried it this year and am a believer!)  It is always best to get honey from your local beekeeper - not only are you getting the trace amounts of pollen from your local plants, but your beekeeper can offer you good advice with what kind of honey to take - do you like it strong? mild? etc.. Additionally, honey is known to react differently in your system than processed sugars - it has almost a 1:1 ratio between fructose and glucose - easier on the liver and for those with Diabetes that is very important. 

Recommended reading: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96

Molasses - Molasses is a byproduct of the refining sugar process.  Molasses is very high in iron, manganese, calcium, and copper.  Think of it in terms of - what the refining process has removed from sugar is what makes up molasses.  People suffering from anemia would benefit greatly from two teaspoons of molasses a day.  People that are prone to osteoporosis would also benefit. 

Recommended reading: http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/molasses.html

Raw Sugar - Raw Sugar comes from the sugar cane plant and has not had all the minerals and vitamins processed out of it.  Therefore, it is better for you than the refined white sugar we find in the store.

Recommended reading: http://www.naturalorganiclifestyle.com/unrefined-raw-sugar.html

Brown Sugar - Brown sugar is about 1/2 way between raw and refined sugar.

Refined White Sugar - White sugar has not only had all of the beneficial minerals and vitamins removed but it also has some not so good things added to it, such as - Phosphoric Acid, Sulfer Dioxide, and Formic Acid.  You can read about each - not a good thing. 

Recommended reading: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all.html

We have been manipulated with all the processed foods around us to desire more, and more sweet things.  No other country (that I know of) eats as much sugar as Americans.  Once you move away from artificial sweeteners, and sweet things on a daily basis - you will find that you don't want so much sweetness.  The increase of diabetes and other sugar related diseases relates directly to the type and amount of sugar you are ingesting. 

So, stop listening to the commercials that tell you that "sugar is sugar" because there is a great difference between the types of sweeteners you choose to use. 

Blessings... E