Archive for the ‘Diabetes’ Category

The Fantastic Health Benefits of Fiber

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

We all know fiber is good for us. It helps “move things along.” It aids in satiety, making you feel full longer. And the latest research suggests that getting plenty of fiber may not only stave off type 2 diabetes but also improve blood sugar levels in those already diagnosed with the disease.

Apples may come to mind when you’re thinking high-fiber foods. And with 5 grams in each medium-sized piece of fruit, they’re not a bad choice. (Don’t forget to eat the skin!) However, there are a number of other delicious and healthy high-fiber foods out there. Here’s a list of some of my favorites. 

1 cup beans (12-15 grams, depending on variety)
1 medium-sized avocado (11.84 grams)
1 cup raspberries (8.34 grams)
1 cup soybeans (7.62 grams)
1 cup cooked kale (7.20 grams)
½ medium grapefruit (6.12 grams)
1 cup cooked sweet potato (5.94 grams)

Source: Common Sense Health Web site

While all of these foods contain appreciable amounts of fiber, my number one recommendation is freshly ground flax seed. In addition to providing 11 grams of fiber per quarter-cup, flax is also a great source of protective lignans and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It has impressive cholesterol-lowering benefits as well.

A few years ago, Beverly M. had a cholesterol level of 307. She read about my recommendations for lowering cholesterol in my newsletter, Health & Healing, and began taking flax seed. Within six months, her cholesterol fell to 206. As she says, “It sure beats Pravachol [a statin drug] with all its side effects at over a hundred dollars a prescription.”

Just buy a cheap coffee grinder , and grind up ¼-cup of flax seeds a day. Mix  in water and drink quickly (it thickens upon standing), or sprinkle on salads, soups, or other foods. You’re bound to notice the benefits soon after adopting this healthy practice.

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Posted in Diabetes, Diet, Prevention, Weight Loss, Wellness | No Comments »

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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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes, Diabetes Treatment | No Comments »

Stepping Toward Weight Loss and Better Health

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, exercise is part of the fabric of day-to-day life. It’s an essential therapy for all of our patients, and one they practice daily while they’re at the clinic. The program we prescribe is simple, convenient, and pleasant: It’s walking.

Walking tones the largest muscles of your body and helps keep off excess weight. It gets your heart rate up and enhances circulation. It strengthens your bones and heart, improves mood and sleep, and lowers blood sugar and triglycerides—all at minimal risk of injury.

At the clinic, we take our patients on a 10-minute walk after each meal. This is particularly important for people with diabetes because it helps clear glucose out of the bloodstream. We also encourage everyone to walk on their own whenever possible.

In order to track their progress and help motivate them, we use pedometers. Researchers from Stanford and the University of Minnesota recently found that these step-counting devices are a real benefit when it comes to losing weight, lowering blood pressure, and increasing activity levels. 

The scientists reviewed data from 26 studies involving more than 2,700 mostly female participants who were fairly inactive and overweight. Over 18 weeks, those who wore a pedometer took approximately 2,000 more steps every day (that’s almost a mile!), lowered their systolic blood pressure an average of 3.8 points, and decreased their body mass index by 0.4 points. These findings led researchers to conclude that if just 10 percent of Americans started walking on a regular basis, $5.6 billion could be saved each year in heart disease costs.

Walking is one of the easiest—not to mention least expensive—forms of exercise out there. Better still, most anyone can do it. Pedometers, which run about $10–$25 can be purchased in most retail stores or ordered by calling (800) 810-6655. Get yourself one ASAP and gradually work your way up to 10,000 steps per day.

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Posted in Diabetes, Exercise, Heart Disease, Weight Loss | 1 Comment »

Is Diet a Viable Natural Diabetes Treatment?

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine examined the effects of a Mediterranean diet versus a low-fat diet in 215 overweight patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Half of the group was instructed to follow the Mediterranean diet (less than 50 percent of calories from carbohydrates) and the other half went the low-fat route (less than 30 percent of calories from fat).

After four years, the participants on the Mediterranean diet required fewer drugs to control blood sugar and they experienced improved insulin sensitivity, greater weight loss, and a reduction in coronary risk factors. http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/151/5/306

This study doesn’t surprise me in the least. I’ve been using diet and other lifestyle modifications to treat—even reverse—diabetes for more than 30 years with excellent results.

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute we help patients with diabetes control their blood sugar levels with a lower-carbohydrate version of the Mediterranean diet. Meals are centered around lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, legumes), plenty of fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds, healthful fats, and a small amount of low-glycemic fruit. Exercise, at least 30 minutes most days of the week, a targeted nutritional supplement program, and weight loss (if appropriate), round out our natural diabetes treatments.

Before consenting to a drug regimen that your conventional doc will likely say you’ll have to be on for the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to give these natural diabetes treatments a try.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diabetes, Diet | 1 Comment »

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