Various ways of Treating and Controlling your Diabetes

Diabetes - Part 2

Dr. Edward F.Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN

Treatment

Controlling your blood sugar is essential to feeling healthy and avoiding long-term complications of diabetes. Some people are able to control their blood sugar with diet and exercise alone. Others may need to use insulin or other medications in addition to lifestyle changes. In either case, monitoring your blood sugar is a key part of your treatment program.

Pancreas or islet cell transplantation may be an option for people whose kidneys are failing or who aren't responding to other treatments.

Monitoring blood sugar
If you've just received a diagnosis of diabetes, monitoring your blood sugar may seem like an overwhelming task. But once you learn to measure your blood sugar and understand how important it is, you'll feel more comfortable with the procedure and more in control of your disease. Testing is crucial because it tells you whether you're keeping your glucose levels in the range you and your doctor have agreed on.

The best range for you depends on your age and the type of diabetes you have. For younger adults who don't have complications of diabetes, a typical target range might be 80 to 120 mg/dL before meals and below 180 mg/dL after eating. Older adults who have complications from their disease may have a fasting target goal of 100 to 140 mg/dL and below 200 mg/dL after meals. That's because blood sugar that falls too low in older adults can be more dangerous than in younger people.

How often you test your blood sugar depends on the type of diabetes you have. If you take insulin, test your blood sugar at least twice a day, and preferably three or four times a day. But if you have type 2 diabetes and don't use insulin, you may need to test your blood sugar levels only once a day or as little as twice a week.

Keep in mind that the amount of sugar in your blood is constantly changing. Self-monitoring helps you learn what makes your blood sugar levels rise and fall, so you can make adjustments in your treatment.

A healthy diet
Contrary to popular myth, there's no "diabetes diet." Furthermore, having diabetes doesn't mean you have to eat only bland, boring foods. Instead, it means you'll eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains - foods that are high in nutrition and low in fat and calories - and fewer animal products and sweets. Actually, it's the same eating plan all Americans should follow.

Yet understanding what and how much to eat can be a challenging task. Fortunately, a registered dietitian can help you put together a meal plan that fits your health goals, food preferences and lifestyle. Once you've decided on a meal plan, keep in mind that consistency is extremely important. To keep your blood sugar at a consistent level, try to eat the same amount of food with the same proportion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats at the same time every day.

But even with all the information you need and the best intentions, sticking to your diet can be one of the most challenging parts of living with diabetes. The key is to find ways to stay motivated. Don't let others undermine your determination to eat in the healthiest way possible. You have to believe that what you're doing matters - and that you're worth it.

Exercise
Everyone needs regular aerobic exercise, and people with diabetes are no exception. The good news is that the same exercises that are good for your heart and lungs also help lower your blood sugar levels.

See your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Once you have the go-ahead, take some time to think about which activities you enjoy and are likely to stick with. Walking, hiking, jogging, biking, tennis, cross-country skiing and swimming are all good choices.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days. But if you haven't been active for a while, start slowly and build up gradually. For the best results, combine your aerobic activity with stretching and strength-training exercises.

Healthy weight
Being overweight is the greatest risk factor for type 2 diabetes. That's because fat makes your cells more resistant to insulin. But when you lose weight, the process reverses and your cells become more receptive to insulin. For some people with type 2 diabetes, weight loss is all that's needed to restore blood sugar to normal. Furthermore, a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds is often enough.

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Yet losing even 10 pounds can be a challenge for most people. Fortunately, you don't have to do it alone. A registered dietitian can help you develop a weight-loss plan that takes into account your current weight, activity level, age and overall health. Ultimately, however, the motivation has to come from you.

Natural Methods for Diabetes

Liver/gallbladder flush - Flushes out toxic over-load.

Quantum Greens - Helps to detoxify the body and provides nutrients.

Lymphatic Drainage - Dry-brush skin everyday.  Helps to expel toxins.

Chromium - Use up to 1,000 mcg daily.  Improves glucose tolerance.

IntraMax - Organic multivitamin/mineral complex.  Supplies many of the nutrients involved with blood sugar metabolism.  Take according to label.

Essential Fatty Acids - Fish Oil - 1,000 mg of DHA and EPA.  Evening primrose oil - 1,500 mg daily.  EFA's are needed for proper insulin function and support nerve function.

Gymnema Sylvestre - 400 mg of a 25 percent gymneic acid extract daily.  Improves insulin production in the pancreas.

B-Complex - 50 mg B-complex daily.  Helps diabetic neuropathy and stress levels.

Vitamin C - 1,000 mg two to three times daily.  Helps prevent complications from diabetes.

Alpha lipoic acid - 300 to 1,200 mg daily.  Improves insulin sensitivity and helps diabetic neuropathy.

Cinnamon Extract - 500 mg. two times daily.  Improves insulin sensitivity and utilization.

Magnesium - 500 to 750 mg daily.  Reduce dosage if loose stools occur.  Involved with insulin production and utilization.

Garlic - 300 to 450 mg two times daily.  Stabilizes blood sugar, improves blood flow and reduces levels of bad cholesterol.

Vitamin E - 800 to 1,200 UI daily.  Improves glucose regulation and prevents cholesterol oxidation.

Hot and cold compresses - Apply to abdomen over the pancreas and the kidneys.  Encourages proper insulin production and regular elimination of fluids from the kidneys.

Essential Oils - Oils to relax are bergamot, jasmine, lavender, rose, sandalwood and ylang ylang.  Use in massage, bath or lotions.

These are all god ways to help with diabetes. Again, in order for the condition to be maintained and controlled, there has to be a sustained effort to take care of the condition. In order to make sure the body functions the way it is suppose to you need to make sure you are giving it the proper diet and provide the other steps on an everyday basis. Continue reading to see what others things you can do to decrease or lesson the impact of diabetes in your life.

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