Points to consider in the treatment of Diabetes type II
Exercise and healthy RESTRICTED food choices (portion control) have been
shown to be helpful to type II diabetics to keep blood sugar levels down.
In observing gastric bypass patients where portions for the first year are
extremely restricted, the sugar levels in most individuals with type II
diabetes return to normal levels within 48 hours of surgery (before they
have lost any weight).
What you may not have heard about diabetes type II
- 33 percent of type II diabetics have never been fat i.e. unlike you
hear on TV, obesity DOES NOT by itself cause diabetes TYPE II.
- type II diabetes or insulin resistance is something you are born with
- since treatment of type II diabetes includes addressing insulin
resistance and cardio-vascular issues, all children with diabetes
should be examined for insulin resistance and NOT JUST
AUTOMATICALLY put on insulin, it being assumed that they have type I (or
a dead pancreas).
- If you don't have the proper genes, you could bury yourself in being
fat or eating a lot of sugar and not come down with diabetes type II
- By the time most individuals are diagnosed type II diabetes, their
pancreas is 75 percent dead.
- In type II diabetics the problem is with their muscle cells which do
not easily take up insulin (a carrier for simple carbs) in the blood.
Cardio exercise depletes the muscle cells of glycogen or simple sugar and
forces even insulin resistant muscle cells to take up insulin (and sugar)
from the blood. Cardio exercise is a DIRECT and IMMEDIATE aid
to high blood sugar levels. Type II diabetics should "indulge"
heavily in cardio!
- Insulin resistance causes other things like atherosclerosis and heart
disease. Type II diabetes is more correctly named "Cardio-vascular
dysmetabolic syndrome".
- You will hear that keeping your blood sugar level below 140 is
"fine". DO NOT BELIEVE IT. There is GOOD EVIDENCE that
damage starts occurring when the blood sugar level is above 120.
Keep your blood sugar levels below 120 and more ideally, below 110.
- Whether you are on insulin or not, you need to test your blood sugar
levels once or twice each day. Once in the morning, at
least.
- Diabetes can be handled with life style changes and medication if you
need it. But it can get nasty if you do NOT change your lifestyle to
keep your blood sugar levels down, so DO NOT EVER underestimate what
diabetes can do... treat yours VERY CAREFULLY.
- The diabetes gene was likely an adaptation to being able to survive in
a society where food is not plentiful and a person may only have enough to
eat occasionally. In other words, diabetes type II IS
NOT A DISEASE. It is a set of genetics which would work fine
if you lived in the Amazon jungle but if you want to live in the USA you
need to modify your lifestyle.
The healthy approach which may mean you can avoid
medication for many years would be:
- Daily cardio exercise of 1-2 hours - can be light cardio - this not
only addresses sugar levels but also the other issues of diabetes type II
like atherosclerosis and heart disease
- portion control on all foods - counting points a la
Weight Watchers
works well and is simpler than counting calories.
- restriction of carbohydrates to 100 - 150 g per day and near total
restriction of simple carbs (bread, sugar etc)
- Test blood sugar with accurate meter, once or twice EVERY DAY and more
if you think your sugar levels might be high (due to food indiscretion
etc)
- CoEnzyme Q10 is thought to protect the liver and also is supposed to
protect the heart and lower the cholesterol
- Approach statin drugs with
caution (Lipitor etc). The jury is still out on whether they do more harm
than good as a preventive measure
- Flax seed oil (2 tablespoons a day - add to salad dressing etc) is
very healthy and has helped some bring down the cholesterol levels of some
individuals
- Obtain your A1C (blood draw) every 6 months. More often if your blood
sugar levels are not well controlled.
- Have a good Primary Care provider (PCP) WHO UNDERSTANDS diabetes
- In Phoenix, AZ,
Deborah Bergstrom, FNP is highly recommended
- Outside of Phoenix, check the
NP directory for
a nurse practitioner near you. They will PARTNER with you on your health
care
And Last but not least....
- Stay AWAY, FAR AWAY from the following - they are poison
to you:
- sugar
- cake
- doughnuts
- fast food of any kind except meat
- ice cream
- artificial sweetener (quite a bit of research suggests that
artificial sugar may raise the insulin levels (and sugar cravings) in
everyone including diabetics
- smoking
- alcoholic beverages
- pop or soda of any kind
- junk food
- transfat (what is in junk food which makes it taste good)
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