Diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes or Type II diabetes. It is a condition where the pancreas has difficulty regulating blood sugar levels and requires treatment of some kind to keep blood sugars within the normal limits of 4.5-5.0. T issues that normally respond to insulin no longer respond as well. This is called insulin resistance. The initial symptoms include urinary frequency, wounds that don’t heal, increase incidence of infections that do not resolve easily, irritability, mood swings, and cravings for sweets. A blood test called the fasting blood sugar and a urine test for sugar are routine tests that should be done as part of your regular check ups to diagnose this condition. Often what I find in practice is the condition of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, is a precursor of diabetes. The symptoms of hypoglycemia are fatigue, cravings for sweets, feeling worse if meals are not regular, mood swings, dizziness, and lack of concentration. You may contact the office for the article I have written on this topic previously. In this article I would like to give some effective ways for Type II diabetics to improve their blood sugars.

To regulate blood sugars is very important for successful aging. The complications of diabetes that result if the blood sugars are not regulated include: poor circulation that can result in diabetic ulcers, loss of vision, diabetic neuropathy (pain of the peripheral nervous system), diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease) and heart disease. Using some very simple naturopathic approaches a diabetic can prevent the seriousness of these complications.

1. Make one change every two weeks, as it is a stress on your body to change your program.
2. Try each treatment at least three months to give it a fair trial.
3. Monitor your blood sugars at home, one hour before eating and two hours after. The goal is to prevent the wide swings in your blood sugar over a 24-hour period. I think that HgA1C, which is the average of your blood sugars over the period of three months, can give you a false sense of security that everything is just fine. However if over a period of 24 hours your blood sugars range from 3.0 to 11.0 then that is not a healthy process for your body to be put through day after day.
4. Increase the amount of protein in relation to carbohydrate in your diet and monitor your blood sugars to see if in fact they do lower. Choose good quality protein such as lean red meats, organic in source and the least processed.
5. Measure antioxidant levels using the urine oxidata test to evaluate your program. This inexpensive in office test is a great way to know if the antioxidants you are taking are effective.
6. Measure blood fats and tryglycerides regularly to evaluate your progress.
7. Take B complex to help you assimilate sugars, to optimize the health of your nervous system, decrease cravings and improve mood swings.
8. Antioxidants such as Vitamin E, C, A, natural carotenes, selenium, and CoEnzyme Q10 will slow the aging process that is hastened because of diabetes.
9. Minerals such as magnesium, vanadium, chromium, copper, manganese, and zinc help to regulate blood sugar levels.
10. Herbs such as Gymnema sylvestre, ginseng, garlic, gingko, bilberry, pine bark, cayenne pepper and bitter melon have been effective in treating diabetic complaints.
11. Lipoic acid is a wonderful antioxidant that also decreases insulin resistance; biotin is a B vitamin, which is important in blood sugar metabolism; and essential fatty acids prevent blood clots, decrease inflammation and improve sugar metabolism.
12. Exercise regulates blood sugars so do what you can on a regular basis.

To increase your confidence in the above treatments have your serum insulin levels checked regularly as this changes before HgA1C or fasting blood sugars. Start now to slow the aging process that occurs with diabetes.

This information does not take the place of a medical consultation with your MD or ND nor is it meant for you to change your medical treatment program without consultation. References available upon request.
Dr. Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine for 15 years and is currently practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at 286-3655 or www.DrPincott.com

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