"The diabetes epidemic is upon us. More than 230 million people worldwide have diabetes and, according to the World Health Organisation, that number will increase to 333 million by 2025." Dr Fedon Lindberg (physician, specialist in Internal Medicine, Norway) ...
...It is mainly the rise in cases of type-2 diabetes that is fuelling the worldwide diabetes epidemic. ... Eighty percent of sufferers are or have been overweight. One of the most alarming features of the rising tide of diabetes is the fact that 50% of all those who have the disease do not know that they have it. ... Cardiovascular disease is the most common complication for people with diabetes. Approximately 50% to 80% of deaths in people with diabetes are due to cardiovascular disease. ...
Food and exercise is better than insulin – A Norwegian study, conducted by Aker University Hospital, concluded that lifestyle change is better than insulin therapy for type-2 diabetics. The insulin group increased their weight by 4.9kg and had worsened metabolic parameters such as triglyceride levels. Given that heart disease is the biggest cause of death in type-2 diabetics, and increased triglycerides increases the risk of heart disease, insulin treatment is obviously not the best choice! ...
Large studies from the US and Finland show that eating more fish, vegetables, berries, nuts and pulses; less sugar, starches (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) and red meat; and choosing healthy fats can dramatically reduce the risk of diabetes. For some readers, this article may seem eye-opening, and to others shocking, because it may turn upside down their perception of what is healthy and unhealthy in relation to an appropriate diabetes diet.
The 10 golden rules of diabetes reversal:
• Eat a low-GI Diet: A diet high in refined carbohydrates is one of the main factors behind weight gain and loss of blood sugar control. There are two ways to achieve a low glycaemic load. 1. eat no, or very few, carbohydrates; eat protein instead; 2. eat only those carbohydrates that have a low glycaemic load – those are the foods that release their sugar content very slowly. Oats and berries are examples.
• Eat high levels of soluble fibres such as oats and pulses like lentils, beans and chickpeas which are naturally high in what are called soluble fibres. They not only stabilize your blood sugar levels, but they also help to eliminate excess cholesterol and fat, so both cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood come down.
• Use the insulin helpers such as metmorfin – my favourite of those on offer. But the combination of the mineral chromium with a certain extract from cinnamon does it better without the side effects.
• Increase Omega-3 fats and monounsaturated fats; reduce Omega-6 and saturated fats and avoid transfats. Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and diabetes cause unpleasant symptoms and knock-on diseases is because they switch your whole system toward inflammation. ... Inflammation promotes insulin insensitivity, feeding back into worsening diabetes. Meat and dairy products are high in saturated fats and tend to increase inflammation, so I encourage you to go for the many natural anti-inflammatory compounds found in food. ... But the most potent of them all are the omega-3 fats found in oily fish.
• Increase your intake of anti-oxidants. Foods with strong colours such as blue-berries, tomatoes, mustard and broccoli, have the most anti-oxidants and these will help to reduce inflammation.
• Eat liver-friendly foods. Antioxidants and certain foods, are especially important because they help to support the liver's ability to work optimally.
• Take daily exercise. This is a must if you have diabetes or insulin resistance.
• Reduce your stress and improve your sleep. This might sound easy to say but it is going to happen naturally when you follow my low-GL diet and take the supplements I recommend. Stress is caused by changes in your blood sugar. ... By stabilizing your blood sugar lows you will naturally feel less stressed and you will sleep better as a result.
• Change what and how you drink. The biggest single increase in sugar consumption has come from drinks, many of which are loaded with high levels of fructose. Nothing is better for you than water or herb teas. Lemon tea would be a good choice, but ginger and cinnamon tea is best. Rooibos is high in antioxidants.
• Take supplements twice a day, every day. I know you have probably heard that if you eat a well-balanced diet you will get all the nutrients you need, but this really is completely untrue. There are many nutrients you just cannot get enough of from eating food, and these include Vitamins C, D and B12. Vitamin D reverses insulin resistance and reduces your diabetes risk. You need much larger amounts of nutrients than you will need once you are healthy. Chromium is an example. Vitamin C and the B vitamins are vital for turning sugar into energy rather than fat. Vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid are vital for a process called methylation. A lack of these B Vitamins raises the level of homocystein in your blood.
• Antioxidant nutrients in supplement form. The following nutrients help to reverse your risk of diabetes:
• Vitamin C; Vitamin E; Co-enzyme Q10; Alpha lipoic acid; Glutathione; Resveratrol; Zinc; Magnesium; Milk Thistle.
[Compiler's NOTE: All the above mentioned anti-oxidants are in Sportron's FoodState® Ultragard Forte]
One word of caution: If you are on diabetes medication, your need is likely to become less as your blood sugar levels stabilize once you start following the recommendation in this article.
Sportron's recommendation for Diabetes is: Ultragard Forte – Glucoplex – Omegatone 3 – Femtron/Gentron
Detailed profiles are available from Marian on request, our local Sportron guru.