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How to Prevent
Diabetes, or Improve Existing Blood Sugar Imbalances in the Body
By Liz Barrington, Natural Body Healing
Diabetes Mellitus (otherwise known as ‘Sugar
Diabetes’) is a condition in which the body is unable to properly
metabolise sugar. The most obvious symptoms of diabetes include
excessive thirst and frequent urination. Further complications can
include blindness, heart disease, kidney failure and circulation
problems in the limbs.
In diabetes mellitus, the pancreas fails to produce either effective
or sufficient levels of insulin - the hormone responsible for
controlling blood sugar levels. This situation results in a
condition called ‘hyperglycaemia’
which leaves excessive sugar in the blood stream. Furthermore, the
kidneys attempt to excrete the excess sugar along with other fluids,
and so urination becomes frequent and excessive. The drop in body
fluids is often accompanied by thirst, inflammation, infections and
red tongue.
The most common form of diabetes mellitus is ‘adult-onset
diabetes’ whereby enough insulin is produced however its
utilisation in the body’s cells becomes blocked primarily by the
effects of the consumption of a diet rich in fats. Eating refined
white sugar and other simple sugars also contributes to diabetes
because when consumed in excess, these sugars are converted to fat
in the body.
Yet, when a low-fat diet based on complex carbohydrates such as
unrefined grains (ie. wholegrain/brown rice, oats, wheat),
vegetables and legumes is followed for several weeks, studies show
that approximately 80% of diabetics can stop taking insulin and
diabetic medication altogether whilst the remaining 20% can reduce
their intake.
The other form of diabetes is ‘juvenile-onset diabetes’ which
is difficult to cure whereby the insulin-producing part of the
pancreas is damaged and the body therefore produces insufficient
levels of insulin. However, studies show that by following a
healthy diet with adequate complex starch and fibre can often make
possible a reduction of insulin intake by about one-third, as well
as reducing the incidence and severity of diabetic complications.
To start on the road to recovery, it’s best for any diabetic to
consume less food, especially foods that stress the liver and weaken
the spleen and pancreas. Therefore, greasy and fatty foods should be
limited (including meat, eggs, cheese, butter, excess oil, nuts and
seeds). Unnatural ‘refined’ foods should be completely avoided, such
as white flour, white sugar, hydrogenated and synthetic fats such as
margarine and shortening, toxins and chemical ingredients, and also
try to avoid eating very sweet, salty and spicy foods.
It’s also recommended that late-night eating and complex food
combinations (such as eating proteins with carbohydrates together in
the same meal) should be avoided. Small, frequent meals (4-5
per day) can help to stimulate insulin production.
Chromium, zinc and manganese are minerals that can help control
blood sugar levels which are incidentally the same minerals that
are removed in the refining process of highly-processed foods!
In wholegrain, these minerals are located in the bran layer.
Therefore, adding wheat bran to the diet has been shown to lower
blood sugar levels. Bran is also a rich source of silicon that can
help improve pancreatic function.
To help maximise mineral absorption, liquid chlorophyll helps
increase the utilisation of all nutrients within the human body and
also encourages cell renewal and repair, also affecting those
cellular tissues within the pancreas.
Because diabetes is often triggered by a highly-acidic diet,
generally high toxicity levels within the body and also various
inflammations, chlorophyll is extremely useful because of its
alkalising, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory effects. Foods that
naturally contain very high levels of chlorophyll in addition to
other important minerals, enzymes and nutrients, include wheat or
barley grass, spirulina and chlorella which are often referred to as
‘green foods’ or ‘superfoods’.
Small amounts of specific high-quality oils that are rich in
essential fatty acids can quickly assist a diabetic condition. For
example, GLA oils, as those found in Evening Primrose, borage,
blackcurrant seed oils and also in spirulina can help regulate
insulin and protect against heart, eye and kidney damage, whilst
Omega-3 oils can assist with cleansing the heart and arteries. Fresh
flaxseed oil and also hemp oil are one of the best sources of high
quality linoleic and omega-3 fatty acids that you can take.
Important: Extracted Omega-3 rich fish oils that contain
concentrated forms of EPA and DHA Omega-3’s must be used sparingly
by diabetics (safe dosage 1g/day for the first month) to avoid
healing reactions; yet eating the fresh oily fish itself that
contain Omega-3 in its natural form is generally more advisable and
safer.
One of the simplest recommendations to make concerning the
improvement of a diabetic condition is proper chewing,
especially that of complex carbohydrates whose digestion commences
when mixed with saliva - although chewing food properly is essential
for the digestion of all types of foods. The diabetic is less likely
to over-eat, especially large meals which aggravate diabetes if the
food that they're consuming isn't properly digested and assimilated
in the body.
Most diabetics who chose to change their lifestyles and diets to
become much healthier and balanced generally show significant
improvement within a few months. Those on insulin can usually reduce
their dosage gradually (under a doctor’s supervision).
It’s important that the diabetic eats foods that strengthen the
pancreas, regulate blood sugar levels, and at the same time improve
fluid metabolism. It’s recommended that at least one or more of the
following foods are eaten daily as part of a primarily vegetarian
diet of wholesome/unrefined grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits and
herbs, along with a limited amount of nuts and seeds.
Daily Recommended Foods to Help Treat
Diabetes:
Grains & Legumes:
Millet, rice, sweet rice, oats, fresh corn, wholewheat and bran,
tofu and soy products, mung bean, garbanzo bean.
Chlorophyll Foods:
Wheat or Barley Grass, spirulina, chlorella, liquid chlorophyll.
Vegetables & Fruits:
String/runner beans, carrot, radish, Jerusalem artichoke, turnip,
asparagus, yam, spinach, avocado, pear, plum, lemon, grapefruit,
lime, blueberry.
Herbs:
Dandelion root and leaf, cedar berries, yarrow flowers, blueberry
leaf, fenugreek, gymnema, bilberry, bitter melon, grapeseed extract.
Sweeteners:
Liquorice tea,
liquorice extract or powder, stevia powder or extract.
Animal Products:
Clams, cow’s milk, yogurt, pancreas of lamb, pork, beef or
chicken, lamb’s kidneys, chicken, goose, beef.
Nutritional Supplementation:
Chromium,
Zinc, Manganese,
Nopal,
Liquorice Root,
Liquorice & Dandelion Combination,
Spirulina,
Liquid Chlorophyll,
Fibre,
Evening Primrose,
Flaxseed Oil.
Also of equal importance, vigorous exercise helps lower blood
sugar levels and thereby reduces the need for insulin. Exercise also
improves the circulation which tends to be poor in diabetics.
The nutritional supplement product links stated in this article can only be purchased from this website in UK and in Europe; however all other health product links stated on this page are available worldwide from Natural Body Healing.
The above information should not be treated as a substitute for the
medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care
professional.
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