Want to schedule a visit or phone consultation?
To ensure high quality service and diagnosis, kindly complete this form.
by: Dr. Craig A. Maxwell
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by the body’s inability to properly regulate insulin. The pancreas may not produce enough insulin or the cells may respond inappropriately to the insulin. Believe it or not, there are five types of diabetes. On this page, we’ll look at them in brief detail before focusing on how to control type II diabetes through natural means!
Types of Diabetes
- Type I Diabetes
Type I diabetes, also called insulin-dependent diabetes, can occur at any age but usually appears in infants and young children. Type I diabetes occurs when the body makes little to no insulin because the immune system is attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. It is an autoimmune disease that must be controlled with an insulin pump or injections for life.
- Type II Diabetes
Also called adult onset diabetes, type II diabetes occurs when the body still produces insulin but does not produce enough of it or the body responds inappropriately to it. Type II diabetes usually occurs after the age of 40 and is closely connected to diet and lifestyle.
- Type III Diabetes
Type III diabetes is considered a hybrid form of diabetes, which means a person needs to have either type one or type II diabetes in order to have type III. According to a study done at the Rhode Island Hospital and Brown Medical School, insulin is not only produced by the pancreas but by also by the brain. If the brain does not produce enough insulin, cells begin to die, and this could lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. It is believed the common cause of type III diabetes is electromagnetic pollution from cell phones and computers.
- Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA)
This type of diabetes is closely related to type I diabetes and is autoimmune in nature. However, this type of diabetes is difficult to diagnose because it is not insulin-dependant like type 2. This type of diabetes is often called type 1.5.
- Gestational Diabetes
Up to 2 to 10 percent of women develop high blood sugar during their pregnancy. This type of diabetes usually resolves itself after the child is born but can leave a woman at risk for developing type II diabetes later in life.
Symptoms of Diabetes
- Excessive Thirst
- Frequent Urination (May also be linked to BPH)
- Excessive Hunger
- Sudden Weight Loss (Type I)
- Extreme Fatigue
- Tingling in Extremities
- Blurry Vision
- Dry, Itchy Skin
- Slow-Healing Cuts and Wounds
- Nausea
- Frequent Yeast Infections
Risk Factors for Diabetes
One of the most prevalent factors in the development of diabetes is obesity. When you’re overweight, it puts a great deal of stress on your body, including the ability to properly regulate insulin levels. It is estimated that up to 90% of people with adult onset diabetes are overweight.
Other risk factors for diabetes include:
- Lack of Exercise – Our bodies were designed to move. A sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk for diabetes by increasing blood sugar levels.
- Poor Dietary Habits – It goes without saying that a poor diet will lead to poor health and chances are, if you’re eating poorly, you’re likely overweight.
- High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol – While high blood pressure and high cholesterol don’t directly cause diabetes, it can increase your risk for developing the disease. High blood pressure and high cholesterol commonly leads to metabolic syndrome, which could result in the development of diabetes. Plus, certain high blood pressure medications have been shown to cause diabetic symptoms.
- Age – Age can be a factor in the development of type II diabetes. As the pancreas ages, it may not be able to produce enough insulin. Cellular resistance to insulin also increases with age.
- Ethnicity – African American, Native American, and Hispanic Americans are at greater risk for developing type II diabetes.
- Family History and Genetics – If you have a close family member with the disease, your likelihood of developing diabetes increases.
Your Diet and Diabetes
The diet you eat has a lot to do with whether or not you’ll develop many types of disorders ranging form diabetes to cancer. The Standard American Diet is filled with artificial coloring, flavoring, preservatives, additives, and sweeteners that do little to nourish your body and wreck havoc with your metabolic system.
One of the major contributors to metabolic disturbances is high fructose corn syrup. It has been clinically proven that this synthetic sweetener has been linked to the epidemic of obesity. So if you’re a regular soda drinker, you’re inviting obesity and diabetes into your life. Also, a diet rich in refined sugars and carbohydrates can contribute to the development of diabetes.
Natural Treatments for Diabetes
When it comes to treating and preventing type II diabetes, there are plenty of natural options.
For my diabetic and pre-diabetic patients, I recommend the following protocol:
- Dietary Changes
First and foremost, you must clean up your diet in order to avoid developing diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases. This means eliminating junk food such as soda, fast food, microwavable meals, and canned food and dining on whole food instead. Whole foods consist of foods such as organic vegetables, fruit, whole grain, wild-caught fish, lean meat and poultry, dairy products, and healthy fats.
For treating type II diabetes, cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels. Adding a sprinkle or two of organic cinnamon to your oatmeal or coffee each day can help stabilize blood sugar and help you lose weight.
Coconut oil has also been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels. This healthy fat is loaded with healing antioxidants and medium chain fatty acids that are able to be absorbed by your body without the need for insulin. This gives your body the nutrients it needs to heal your body and stabilize your blood sugar. Coconut oil also helps boost metabolism and its rich lauric acid content helps support your pancreas.
- Exercise
A combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training can boost your metabolism, support healthy blood sugar levels, and stave off obesity. Weight training is especially important in improving insulin resistance. Just getting up and off the couch 2-3 times per week can go a long way in reducing diabetes symptoms and lessening your dependence on medication!
- Stress Reduction
Stress reduction is also very important in controlling type II diabetes. If you’re overweight, your body already suffers from chronic, low-grade inflammation. According to research, chronic stress weakens the immune system and causes irregularities in the metabolic system. Stress reduction techniques such as meditation and yoga can help heal your body from the inside out and help stabilize your blood sugar.
- Supplements
Diamond Nutritional’s Foundation Vitamins
To heal diabetes with supplements, it’s important to start with a good foundation. Even if you’re already taking a multivitamin, it’s possible you’re making your diabetes symptoms worse. This is because most store-bought vitamins are of poor quality and contain additives, sweeteners, and preservatives that cause the health problems you’re trying to prevent. Diamond Nutritional’s Foundation Vitamins are made from superior whole-food ingredients your body can easily absorb and utilize.
Foundation’s ingredients:
- Vitamin A – 7,500 IU
- Vitamin C – 500 mg
- Vitamin D3 – 500 IU
- Vitamin E – 100 IU
- Vitamin K – 50 mcg
- Thiamine – 25 mg
- Riboflavin – 25 mg
- Niacin – 25 mg
- Vitamin B6 – 38 mg
- Folic Acid – 400 mcg
- Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg
- Biotin – 200 mcg
- Panthothenic Acid – 150 mg
- Calcium – 100 mg
- Iodine – 113 mcg
- Magnesium – 200 mg
- Zinc – 10 mg
- Selenium – 100 mcg
- Copper – 1 mg
- Manganese – 2.5 mg
- Chromium – 200 mcg
- Molybdenum – 25 mcg
- Potassium – 50 mg
- Choline Bitartrate USP – 50 mg
- Inositol – 50 mg
- Mixed Tocopherols – 50 mg
- Lipoic Acid – 25 mg
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine USP – 25 mg
- Rutin – 25 mg
- Lutein – 3 mg
- Boron – 1.5 mg
- Lycopene – 1 mg
- Vanadyl Sulfate Hydrate – 1 mg
Diamond Nutritional’s Balanced Omega Formula
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients for diabetics as they cut down on chronic inflammation and help lower blood cholesterol levels. Also, most products may claim to CONTAIN 1,000 mg. or 1,200 mg. on the front label, but on the back label the EPA and DHA may only add up to 300 mg. or so. The rest are nothing but fillers.
Diamond Nutritional’s Balanced Omega Formula contains nothing BUT 100% molecularly distilled fish oil for powerful, healing nutrition!
Diamond Nutritional’s Chelated Magnesium
Studies have shown that magnesium deficiency can be a contributing factor in the development of diabetes. This is why I recommend adding Diamond Nutritional’s Chelated Magnesium to help ease symptoms and support healthy metabolic function. Our chelated magnesium supplement is ideal because it contains some of the smallest minerals available, making it more bioavailable to your body. Each serving contains 59% of your daily value of this essential mineral!
Diamond Nutritional’s Diacose Formula
This diabetic support formula is designed to help improve the functioning of your pancreas and support healthy glucose levels.
It contains the following nutrients:
- Biotin USP – Enhances insulin sensitivity and improves glucose and insulin tolerance.
- Chromium – Increases glucose tolerance factor.
- Gymnema Leaf Extract – Increases pancreatic function and insulin release.
- Alpha Lipoic Acid – A powerful antioxidant that modulates glucose and insulin sensitivities.
- Cinnamon Bark Extract – Lowers blood sugar and improves insulin resistance.
There is a large connection between diabetes and obesity as well as diabetes and hypertension. If you’re experiencing excessive thirst or any of the other symptoms of diabetes, you can order the Diabetes Package Plus from Direct Labs and visit a LabCorp office to get your blood drawn. This comprehensive test not only measures your blood but also does an evaluation of your urine for more accurate results. You’ll need to fast 10-12 hours for the test and you’ll receive your results in 1-6 business days.
Even if you’ve been taking insulin medication for several years, you can still use this combination of diet, stress reduction, exercise, and supplements to heal your type II diabetes. Once you get it under control, you may be able to live drug-free for life!
Click to Schedule a Personal Telephone Consultation from Dr. Maxwell
