If you’re dealing with diabetes, specifically type 2 diabetes, the primary thrust of your medical management should be to obtain and maintain blood sugar levels within the normal range.
For most physicians, this means drug therapy. However, in more than 30 years of treating thousands of type 2 diabetics at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, I’ve found that drugs are rarely necessary. Instead, I rely on alternative diabetes treatments, including a comprehensive diet, exercise, and weight loss program, and natural agents that lower blood sugar. Adopting this natural treatment program has allowed the majority of the diabetic patients who come to the clinic to be successfully weaned from their hypoglycemic drugs.
Take the case of Alice, who came to Whitaker Wellness with a seven-year history of type 2 diabetes. Her blood sugar was under pretty good control on Diabeta (a sulfonylurea drug), but she was concerned about side effects—as she should have been. Drugs in this class are associated with weight gain, elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and an increased risk of heart disease.
During her week at the Back to Health Program, Alice was weaned off Diabeta and placed on a combination of targeted minerals and herbs. And guess what? Her blood sugar levels remained stable. She continued on this effective, less expensive, and far safer program, and has been able to maintain blood sugar levels in the normal range.
Ethylene diamine tetracidic acid (EDTA) chelation is an FDA-approved intravenous therapy that removes toxic heavy metals from the blood, improves circulation, and restores arterial health. Chelation is often used to treat patients with early kidney disease because, even at low levels, lead has been shown to speed up the progression of kidney damage.
It is important to note, however, that intravenous therapy is never offered to patients with severe kidney failure because their bodies cannot handle that much excess fluid.
Because it helps improve blood flow and promotes arterial health, EDTA chelation is also effective for treating diabetes. It is just one of the many alternative treatments for diabetes that is studied and used regularly at the Whitaker Wellness Institute.
With all the focus on “fixing” diabetes with drugs, underlying causes of the condition are rarely considered. One potential contributor is low testosterone, which affects one in three men managing diabetes. But which came first, testosterone deficiency or diabetes?
A study published in Diabetes Care may answer that question. Finnish researchers measured levels of sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) and testosterone in 702 middle-aged men who had no signs of diabetes and were easily able to maintain blood sugar levels that were healthy. They then reexamined them after 11 years.
At the time of follow-up, 147 had developed metabolic syndrome and 57 had diabetes. What’s important about this study is that, regardless of other factors, the men with the lowest testosterone levels were nearly two-and-a-half times more likely to have developed diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
The idea that diabetes can be treated by normalizing testosterone levels is one of the many alternative treatments for diabetes that is picking up speed. Studies looking at supplemental testosterone as an adjunct therapy are being conducted, and many physicians who use bioidentical hormones have been treating diabetes patients with it for years.
Men over the age of 45 should have their testosterone level tested. If it’s low, replacement should be considered. In addition to regulating insulin, testosterone reduces body fat, increases libido, boosts energy levels, and improves mood and memory. Testosterone requires a prescription and may be obtained from compounding pharmacies.
William’s diabetic neuropathy caused unrelenting pain and near-complete numbness of his feet that made it impossible for him to walk without a cane. The only treatment his doctor offered was painkillers, but William couldn’t handle their side effects, so he stopped taking them. That’s when he decided to visit the Whitaker Wellness Institute.
While there, William underwent a course of infrared light therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. For William, infrared light, along with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, did the trick. After two weeks of these therapies, he could walk and even climb stairs without his cane, and by the time he returned home, he was pain-free.
This is just one of the many diabetes success stories from the Whitaker Wellness Institute. There are myriad alternative treatments for diabetes that are working wonders, many of which are discussed in this blog, as well as in Health & Healing.
Bill, a patient of the Whitaker Wellness Institute, had diabetic neuropathy and very little sensation in his hands or below his knees. He was constantly dropping things, and his left leg dragged.
His previous doctor told him there was no hope of improvement and predicted that he’d be in a wheelchair within a year. Rather than accepting this dire prognosis, Bill acted on advice he’d read in Health & Healing, and started taking alpha lipoic acid (ALA).
Bill reported that after taking ALA for about two months, his coordination improved, the pain in his hands and feet resolved, and his gait normalized. His doctor said he’d never seen such a turnaround.
Bill eventually received other treatments at the clinic, but his story is a testament to the therapeutic power of targeted nutritional supplements.
ALA is just one of the many natural treatments for diabetes. Others include nutrients, and supplements for diabetes and simple lifestyle adjustments. Many of these approaches are detailed in this blog. You’ll also find a variety of diabetes success stories that can encourage and motivate you as continue on your quest toward reversing diabetes.
Did you know that more than three-quarters of the world’s population today relies on herbs as their primary source of medicine?
And this is not just a “third world” phenomenon. Doctors in Europe often use herbs rather than prescription drugs to treat patients. Unfortunately, here in the US, physicians are far less enlightened.
There is no greater testament to the heavy-handed dominance of conventional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry in this country than the fact that herbal medicine is relegated to the fringes of our culture—branded by conventional physicians as an unproven remnant of our primitive past, rather than thoroughly modern therapies for the diseases that plague us.
But despite the prejudice among doctors against these proven therapies, Americans are buying herbs. According to one survey, almost half of all Americans have used herbal supplements at one time or another.
This is great news for anyone managing diabetes, as herbs are among the top alternative treatments for diabetes. In fact, diabetes herbal remedies, as well as vitamins, minerals, and simple lifestyle adjustments make treating diabetes safe, easy, and natural.
Many natural treatments for diabetes are highlighted in this blog. We hope you’ll read them and take advantage of their ability to help you.
Taiwanese researchers looked at more than 87,000 patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated with either oral drugs or insulin, and what they discovered may shock you.
They found that patients using insulin had a higher prevalence of hypertension (61.3 versus 53.9 percent), and the longer they used it, the greater their risk.
This is not surprising when you consider insulin’s activities beyond nutrient storage. Injected insulin increases sodium retention and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. It induces oxidative stress, leading to free-radical damage that impairs the function of the endothelial cells lining the arteries. It also has growth factor–like activity that thickens blood vessels and increases risk of atherosclerosis.
Since people living with diabetes are already at dramatically increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, the last thing they need is a treatment that amplifies this risk.
Instead, opt for alternative treatments for diabetes, including nutritional supplements and diet modifications. These more natural options have been very successful in lowering blood sugar and preventing complications.
During my 30+ years of medical practice, many of my patients have asked me how they can prevent nerve damage.
Among the many diabetes complications, nerve damage is one of the most frightening, as it can curb your mobility and independence and challenge your ability to live life to its fullest.
There are a number of alternative treatments for diabetes that can help prevent this damage, including a few key supplements I know are effective.
For starters, there’s lipoic acid. Also called alpha lipoic acid or ALA, lipoic acid is referred to as the “universal antioxidant” because it is both fat- and water-soluble. This allows it to enter all parts of the cell to neutralize free radicals. Research has shown that when taken in high doses, lipoic acid helps to support peripheral nerve health in people living with diabetes.
Depending on the amount of support you need, I recommend 800–1,200mg of lipoic acid per day.
Another supplement I recommend to people who are managing diabetes and want to promote nerve health is evening primrose oil. Evening primrose is a wildflower native to North America that contains the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA). It too has been shown to help support optimal nerve function.
In one double-blind study carried out in seven medical centers, 480 mg of evening primrose oil taken daily for one year improved symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. Other studies have utilized doses of up to 6,000 mg per day with good results.
I suggest starting with 500–1,500 mg of evening primrose oil per day.
In addition to being the driving force behind type-2 diabetes, insulin resistance is also part and parcel of a condition known as metabolic syndrome.
Identified in the mid-1980s by Stanford University researcher Gerald Reaven, MD, metabolic syndrome, initially called syndrome X, is a cluster of disorders that includes obesity, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol (often referred to as “good” cholesterol since it ushers excess cholesterol out of the body), and increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Reaven, observing that these seemingly unrelated disorders cropped up so often in the same individuals, determined that the one underlying constant was insulin resistance. In addition to insulin resistance, here are some of the other risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome:
Abdominal obesity: an accumulation of excess fat around the waist
Age: the older you are, the higher your risk
Sedentary lifestyle
Hormone imbalances
Poor diet: a diet high in saturated and trans fats and sugar
Fortunately, by following the alternative treatments for diabetes that we’ll be sharing here, you will not only protect yourself from diabetes, but also lower your risk of metabolic syndrome.
While there are many diabetes risk factors, I’d like to focus on three:
1. Prescription Drugs. Taking certain prescription drugs can increase your risk of developing diabetes. Common culprits include: corticosteroids (typically prescribed to treat asthma and arthritis), thiazide diuretics (often used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure), and antipsychotic drugs. British researchers also found that beta blockers (medications used to treat hypertension) increase the risk of diabetes by 50 percent. If you are taking any of these medications, talk to your doctor about safe, natural alternatives to these side effect-riddled drugs. Doing so may help you manage diabetes.
2. Level of Activity. People who are inactive are at higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes. In fact, Harvard researchers found that the more TV you watch, the more likely you are to develop diabetes and weight problems. This is because lack of regular exercise lowers insulin sensitivity and increases the possibility of metabolic syndrome.
3. Smoking. Everyone knows smoking increases your risk of cancer, but many probably don’t know that it is also a risk factor for type2 diabetes.
There are many other diabetes risk factors, which we will explore in this blog. We’ll also carefully examine the many alternative treatments for diabetes and how you can incorporate them into your daily life.
Diabetes is a fearsome disorder, yet one we take much too lightly. Few people dealing with diabetes risk factors or borderline elevated blood sugar levels realize the urgency of controlling diabetes in its early stages.
Most are unaware that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and amputations in this country or that people who have diabetes are more likely to have—and die of—a heart attack or stroke than those who are able to maintain blood sugar levels that are closer to normal. Nor do they recognize that diabetes is a primary contributor to conditions such as erectile dysfunction (impotence) and dementia. As a matter of fact, most people either don’t know or tend to ignore the subtle warning signs. It’s time we all pull our heads out of the sand and look diabetes in the eye.
The ability to manage blood sugar levels is largely an issue of lifestyle. In 90 percent of all cases, diabetes is both preventable and treatable.
I’ve been practicing medicine for more than 30 years and I have tens of thousands of diabetes success stories from to people who have followed my protocol of natural diabetes treatments. Many of my patients have called me over the years to thank me for my alternative treatments for diabetes. “My blood sugars are normal—without drugs.” “I was able to avoid amputation.” “My vision has stabilized.” “Your advice saved my life.”
In future blog postings, I will share what you need to know to take control of your own health so that you, too, can beat diabetes.
While green tea gets all the attention these days, it may be the humble black tea that proves to be most healthful for diabetics, according to a new study in the Journal of Food Science.
Researchers at Tianjin Key Laboratory in China examined green, oolong and black teas, keying on each tea's polysaccaride content. Polysaccarides are believed to be useful in treating diabetes because of their natural ability to limit the absorption of glucose.
The researchers found that the polysaccharides in black tea had both the most glucose-inhibiting properties and strongest antioxidant power. Their ability to scavage free radicals should be of great interest for those seeking alternative treatments for diabetes, or building a healthy diet plan that includes natural protection against arthritis, Alzheimer's and other diseases associated with aging.
“Many efforts have been made to search for effective glucose inhibitors from natural materials,” says lead researcher Haixia Chen. “There is a potential for exploitation of black tea polysaccharide in managing diabetes.”
Dr. Whitaker has long been a proponent of drinking tea, particularly green tea, with its high concentration of antioxidants and unique components like ECGC, which has thermogenic properties (meaning it helps your body burn more calories -- gotta love it).
Now no matter which variety of tea you choose, you know you're doing yourself a favor and making managing diabetes a bit easier.
Just don't make the mistake of thinking "sweet tea" makes the grade. A large McDonald's Sweet Tea packs a walloping 59 grams of sugar. I for one, am not loving it.
It will be interesting to see what the mainstream media makes of this latest study on the dangers of type 2 diabetes drugs, and their links to heart failure and death. You can bet that it won't be to tell you to avoid the drugs entirely and focus on managing blood sugar and diabetes naturally, or showcasing Dr. Whitaker's proven solutions for the natural treatment -- and reversal -- of diabetes.
As Dr. Whitaker wrote in May's Health & Healing, "When are we going to learn—rather, when are we going to accept—that oral medications for type 2 diabetes actually do more harm than good?"
We've known since the late 1960's that drug treatments for type 2 diabetes have fatal complications, and the two drugs in this latest study -- rosiglitazone and pioglitazone -- are hardly different. Consider the side effects and you're left scratching your head in disbelief.
Why doctors would knowingly prescribe "treatments" for type 2 diabetes that bring on fluid retention, weight gain and increased risk of heart failure, health risks diabetics already have with the disease, is absurd, especially when you consider that lowering blood sugar, controlling weight gain, and preventing the complications of diabetes is not only achievable with alternative treatments, it's far safer.
Dr. Whitaker will continue to lead the charge against this gross mistreatment, and if you're dealing with diabetes, it's nice to know you have someone on your side. Someone who understands that dealing with diabetes isn't a drug deficiency, it's a chance to take control of your life. Understand that, and beating diabetes isn't just achievable, it's natural.
Here's a simple recipe for preventing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease: pour glass of tomato juice. Drink. Repeat.
Metabolic Syndrome -- which for many is the first step towards obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease -- may be prevented by upping your antioxidant carotenoid levels, according to a recent study from the University Medical Center Ulrecht in The Netherlands.
In the study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Dutch scientists report that those with the highest carotenoid levels had a 58 percent decreased incidence of Metabolic Syndrome, drastically reducing their future risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Higher levels of carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin, were associated with smaller waist size and less body fat, as well as lower triglyceride levels. Waist size above 40" in men (35" in women) and increased triglyceride levels are two major signs and symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome.
The highest levels of protection seem to come from lycopene and beta-carotene, with lycopene in particular associated with a 45 percent lower incidence of the syndrome.
Clearly if you're looking for a new diabetes treatment or a simple lifestyle change for better health, getting more lycopene in your diet is a healthy place to start. Lycopene, which is abundant in tomato juice and widely available in supplement form, not only lowers your risk of diabetes, heart attack and diseases of the prostate, lung, colon, stomach, and pancreas, but studies have also found it can significantly decrease exercise-induced asthma too.
Metabolic Syndrome is particularly dangerous because so many have it and don't even realize it. As many as 75 million Americans have the risk factors associated with Metabolic Syndrome (also known as "Syndrome X") which include low HDL cholesterol, high fasting blood glucose levels and blood pressure above 135/85.
Taking steps to manage blood sugar and reduce weight can not only prevent Metabolic Syndrome, but the more serious Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems that so often follow behind it.
Who knew that an alternative treatment for diabetes could be as close as your next V-8? Just make it the low sodium variety, please.
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