Archive for the ‘Diabetes Treatment’ Category

Berberine for Diabetes

Friday, October 14th, 2011

Diabetes is a serious condition, and it’s also one that can cause many other severe health problems. Diabetes increases your risk of death by heart attack and is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. That’s why you need to know about a nutritional supplement that could save your sight, your kidneys, your legs, your nerves, prevent you from having a premature heart attack, and may help you get off your prescription drugs.

Try Berberine Not Metformin. When I hear about nutritional supplements that work as well or better than prescription drugs, I take notice. That’s why research on berberine, an alkaloid found in goldenseal and other plants, caught my eye. Several clinical trials have shown the positive effects of berberine on blood sugar and lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes. And one of these studies, published in Metabolism, tested it head-to-head against metformin (Glucophage), the most popular diabetes drug in the world.

The Proof is in the Studies. In this pilot study, patients with newly diagnosed diabetes were given 500 mg of either metformin or berberine three times a day for three months. Guess which therapy came out on top? Berberine! It lowered average fasting blood sugar from 190.8 to 124.2, hemoglobin A1C from 9.5 to 7.5 percent, and postprandial (after meals) blood sugar from 356.4 to 199.8. Modest positive effects were also noted on triglycerides. Berberine is safe and well-tolerated, but it may cause transient gastrointestinal upset in some people. The suggested dose is 500 mg, three times a day. Berberine is sold in health food stores and online, or it can be ordered by calling (800) 810-6655.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes Treatment, Nutritional Supplements, Wellness | No Comments »

Defeating Diabetic Neuropathy

Friday, August 20th, 2010

If you or someone you know is dealing with diabetic neuropathy, you are aware just how painful and debilitating this condition can be. The numbness, discomfort, and loss of sensation in the extremities isn’t just inconvenient—it can cause real problems. Fortunately, several effective therapies for diabetic neuropathy exist. Here are a few of my favorites.

Chelation. Chelation is an intravenous therapy that binds to metal ions in the blood, carrying them to the kidneys where they are excreted in the urine. Used for heavy metal poisoning, chelation also improves circulation, which helps alleviate symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). EECP increases blood flow to the extremities and reduces symptoms of diabetic and peripheral neuropathy. During 35 one-hour sessions, pressurized cuffs are placed around the lower extremities. With each beat of the heart, the cuffs contract, squeezing blood up toward the heart and throughout the body, increasing circulation.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). HBOT is administered in a specially designed, pressurized chamber. When 100 percent oxygen is inhaled in this environment, it is easily absorbed, even in areas where blood supply is limited. This infusion helps boost circulation and improves a wide number of conditions, including diabetic neuropathy.

Infrared Light Therapy. Infrared light therapy (brand names Health Light and Anodyne) delivers special wavelengths of infrared light through the skin to the affected tissues, increasing the production of nitric oxide (a signaling molecule in short supply in diabetics). This painless procedure enhances blood flow, improves circulation, and has restored sensation in 93 percent of patients in eight separate clinical trials.

Alpha Lipoic Acid. Also known as lipoic acid or ALA, alpha lipoic acid is my top supplement recommendation for treating diabetic neuropathy. ALA is an extraordinary antioxidant that, in addition to quenching free radicals, has been shown in clinical studies to improve pain, burning, numbness, and other symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. The suggested dose is 600-1,200 mg per day in divided doses.

High-Dose Antioxidants.  Because oxidative damage plays a large role in diabetic neuropathy, high doses of antioxidants are imperative. Aim for 300-800 IU of vitamin E, a minimum of 1,000 mg of vitamin C, and 15,000 IU of vitamin A (as mostly beta-carotene.) A high-quality multi should contain these levels.

B-Complex Vitamins. When it comes to supporting nerve health, B-complex vitamins are essential. Suggested minimum doses are 800 mcg of folic acid, 150 mcg of B12, and 75 mg of B6. Again, a good multivitamin/mineral supplement should contain these doses.

Fish Oil. Inflammation is also a factor in diabetic neuropathy and fish oil is just the supplement to counteract this symptom. For best results, take 2-8 g of high-quality fish oil daily.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes, Diabetes Treatment, Diabetic Complications, Nutritional Supplements, Vitamins | No Comments »

A Sweet Cure From the Kitchen

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Throughout history, people have used herbs, spices, and other non-drug remedies to prevent and treat a variety of health concerns. Let’s take a closer look at one of my favorite “kitchen cures.”

Mentioned in Chinese texts dating back to 2700 BC, cinnamon has made appearances in the Bible, graced the tables of ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, and been deemed at one time a gift fit for a king. Today, cinnamon’s medicinal benefits, as well as its culinary uses, keep it in high esteem—and for good reason.

This spice improves insulin sensitivity and has profound effects on blood sugar. German researchers gave patients with type 2 diabetes who were on oral drugs either an aqueous extract of cinnamon (the equivalent of 3 g of cinnamon powder) or a placebo daily. After four months, the group taking cinnamon experienced a 10.3 percent reduction in blood sugar, compared to the placebo group’s drop of 3.4 percent. This effect was even more pronounced in an earlier study, in which blood sugar levels fell 18 to 29 percent with doses of 1 to 3 g of cinnamon per day.

A recent study confirms that cinnamon also lowers blood pressure, a benefit I’ve been hearing about for some time from my patients and readers. Marsha, a Health & Healing subscriber from Memphis, reported that taking a cinnamon extract and drinking cinnamon tea lowered her blood pressure from 215/110 to an average of 125–135/60–70! In addition, it has been shown to drive down triglycerides 23 to 30 percent and LDL cholesterol 7 to 27 percent over a 40-day period.

Cinnamon’s other purported benefits range from curing the common cold and relieving arthritis to improving memory and warding off insects. Although I’m not certain these claims will pan out, the wide-ranging benefits of this spice make it a worthy addition.

But don’t just add ground cinnamon to your food. Research suggests that chemicals in saliva render it ineffective. Furthermore, whole cinnamon contains some undesirable compounds that are eliminated when it is mixed in hot water. Therefore, I recommend taking a water-soluble cinnamon extract, drinking cinnamon tea, or adding cinnamon to ground coffee before brewing. The suggested dose is a quarter to a half teaspoon twice a day.

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Posted in Diabetes, Diabetes Treatment, Diet, Foods That Heal, Nutritional Supplements, Prevention, Vitamins, Wellness | No Comments »

Lifestyle Changes More Effective Than Drugs for Diabetes

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Recent research published in the respected medical journal The Lancet confirms what I’ve been saying for years: Natural treatments for diabetes are more effective than drugs.

This 10-year follow-up study revealed that high-risk adults following a program of lifestyle changes were able to reduce their risk of developing full-blown diabetes by 58 percent. In contrast, in a comparable group given the oral diabetes drug metformin, incidence of diabetes was reduced by 31 percent.

Though conventional medicine relies heavily on oral diabetes drugs, these medications are replete with serious side effects including cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke as well as substantial weight gain. To find out that they aren’t even all that effective–on top of these risks–makes you question why such medications are ever prescribed. But that’s another story.

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute we focus on the following natural diabetes treatments to get blood sugar under control once and for all.

  • Weight Loss: Hands down, losing weight is the best therapy for type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet for weight loss. It requires diet changes, an exercise program, and determination.
  • Diet: The most therapeutic diet for diabetes is a low-glycemic, Mediterranean-style menu with lots of vegetables and lean protein, such as fish and poultry; modest amounts of fruit (one serving per day); and healthful fats like olive oil. Stay away from sugar and starches—pasta, cereals, and other grain-based foods drive up blood sugar and increase appetite.
  • Exercise: I recommend a brisk 10-minute walk after meals and several sessions of resistance exercise weekly. Walking and other forms of aerobic exercise lower blood sugar and burn calories, while resistance exercise such as weightlifting builds muscle and improves long-term insulin sensitivity.
  • Nutritional Supplements: To guard against complications of the blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys, take a potent, antioxidant-rich daily multivitamin to replace the nutrients that are inevitably lost as a result of the diabetic condition. To lower blood sugar, take vanadyl sulfate 100 mg, alpha lipoic acid 600 mg, chromium 200 mcg, cinnamon 500–1,000 mg, and Gymnema sylvestre 400 mg daily. They may be taken individually or in combination formulas.

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Posted in Diabetes, Diabetes Treatment | 1 Comment »

Do You Really Need to Test Your Blood Sugar Every Day?

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Many people with type 2 diabetes are told by their doctors to test their blood sugar levels multiple times daily. This is not only inconvenient and expensive but also unnecessary—especially if you aren’t on insulin and this testing isn’t resulting in changes to your treatment.

For instance, if you aren’t using your readings to adjust your medication dosages or to identify and eliminate problems foods from your diet, then what’s the point?

Last year, two studies published in the esteemed British Medical Journal found that regular self-monitoring of glucose levels was associated with lower quality of life, increased costs, and higher rates of depression. What’s worse is that this obsessive testing did not result in better glycemic control. (For study details, click on the links below.)

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/336/7654/1174
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/336/7654/1139

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, instead of regular self-testing, we monitor our patients’ A1C levels. Unlike finger-stick glucose tests, A1C reveals an average of blood sugar over the past few months. This test gives us a broader picture and allows us to determine if the diet and supplement regimens we prescribe are working effectively to keep blood sugar under control.

Instead of oral drugs or insulin, we treat our patients who have diabetes with targeted nutritional supplements and lifestyle modifications (more exercise, fewer carbohydrates, weight loss, etc.). This natural approach has helped tens of thousands of our patients say goodbye to diabetes and its debilitating complications and hello to a healthier, more vital life.

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