Diabetes Management

Holistic Approach To Diabetes Treatment & Sugar Control

It is suggested there will be a 165% increase in the number of Americans with diabetes by 2050 using the trends from 1980-1998 (Boyle et al. 2001).

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that disrupts the biochemical pathways involving carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. There are three types of diabetes-

Type-1 diabetes is characterized as insulin dependent diabetes. The hormone insulin regulates the glucose in the bloodstream. In Type one diabetes, the beta cells, which are responsible for the secretion of insulin, of the pancreas are completely destroyed. Type-1 is characterized as an autoimmune disease and primarily is diagnosed during childhood.

Type-2 diabetes affects 90% of all diagnosed persons with diabetes and is also characterized as non-insulin dependent diabetes. This hyperglycemia involves an impairment of insulin effectiveness, or insulin resistance. Blood sugar increases and becomes uncontrolled.

The third type of diabetes occurs when the pancreas is over working during a pregnancy; this occurs in fourteen percent of all pregnant women. Although the condition reverses upon delivery, women diagnosed with type three diabetes are 9.6 times as likely to develop type-2 diabetes after age 40.

What is Type-2 Diabetes?

Type-2 diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, was most prevalent among the adult populations ranging from ages 50-70 years. As the body ages, the beta cells of the pancreas become strained. The beta cells produce insulin; however, the body fails to respond to the hormone causing an insulin resistance. Typically, a diet rich in refined sugars causes the beta cells to become strained, rendering them ineffective and causing insulin resistance syndrome.

As a result of its attempt to rid the body of the excessive sugar in the blood, the pancreas over works itself. An error in the target tissues for glucose, the liver, muscle, or adipose tissue is also possible. The pancreas, consequently, will compensate by making more insulin, however, the body’s cells resist the hormone causing glucose to accumulate in the blood. It is common, as a result, to find such patients making over 300 times the amount of glucose necessary suggesting an error in metabolism.

Symptoms of Poor Sugar Control leading to Type 2 Diabetes

Increased thirst and frequent urination
Increased hunger
Muscle loss
Fatigue
Blurred Vision
Slow-healing of sores or frequent infections
Darkened area of this skin folds called acanthosis
Tingling, pain, or numbness in hands/feet

Due to the importance of blood sugar control on all of the systems of the body, there are many associated conditions. Often times this leads to Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X. This condition is a triad of health conations with an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and strokes.

Conditions Associated With Diabetes

Heart Disease, Stroke, Hypertension, High Cholesterol
Obesity, Kidney Disease, Liver Diseases, Overactive Bladder
Fatigue, Skin Conditions, Cellulitis, Alzheimer’s Disease
Foot Problems, Dental Diseases, Optic Neuritis, Blood Clots
Hyperlipidemia, Blindness, Xerostomia, Restless Leg Syndrome
Nervous System Diseases, Neuropathies, Gastroparesis, Impotence
Peripheral Arterial Disease, Ketoacidosis, Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome

Diabetics statistically have

2 to 4 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease
5 times increased risk of blindness
4 times the rate of kidney disease

Diabetes Management & Prevention

Although Diabetes is quickly becoming an epidemic in our society there is hope. Taking an integrative approach to diabetes management has shown significant strides. An integrative approach combines conventional medicine with evidence based alternative methods. Learning how to control blood pressure through meal planning, exercise, and stress reduction will decrease the reliance on traditional medications. Research shows that reducing weight by 5% significantly improves insulin resistance, decreases hemoglobin A1C, and reduces the need for diabetic medications.

Rose Wellness’ Approach to Diabetic Management

At Rose Wellness Center, we take great pride in being a warm and friendly place where patients feel comfortable and look forward to their visit. We utilize a multifaceted approach by incorporating nutrition education with lifestyle modification. For each patient we aim to decrease the reliance on medications, improve blood work, and energize their health. We will create an individualized plan that may include nutrition education, meal planning, exercise tips, and stress reduction. Each patient is unique and we help develop a lifestyle plan that fits your goals and lifestyle. We also emphasize pre-diabetic education and detoxing from sugar. We believe that prevention is key, not only in ourselves but also for our children.

Education on Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

Topics Include –

Healthy Eating and Meal Planning
Controlling Blood Sugar with Medications
Balancing Food, Exercise, and Medications
Reading Food Labels
Avoiding Complications and Associated Diseases
Exercising for Better Health
Controlling Blood Sugar with Medication
Eating Out
Monitoring Blood Sugar

Extra Facts about Diabetes

Scientists now call Alzheimer’s disease “Type 3 diabetes.” More recent studies show people with diabetes have a four-fold risk for developing Alzheimer’s. People with pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome have an increased risk for having pre-dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). – Dr. Hyman

Diabetes costs $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical expenses.

From the American Diabetes Association

Prevalence: In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes.
Approximately 1.25 million American children and adults have type 1 diabetes.
Undiagnosed: Of the 29.1 million, 21.0 million were diagnosed, and 8.1 million were undiagnosed.
Prevalence in Seniors: The percentage of Americans age 65 and older remains high, at 25.9%, or 11.8 million seniors (diagnosed and undiagnosed).
New Cases: 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year.
Prediabetes: In 2012, 86 million Americans age 20 and older had prediabetes; this is up from 79 million in 2010.
Deaths: Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States in 2010, with 69,071 death certificates listing it as the underlying cause of death, and a total of 234,051 death certificates listing diabetes as an underlying or contributing cause of death.