Blood Sugar Supplement

At the Whitaker Wellness Institute, we routinely prescribe high doses of water- and fat-soluble vitamins and minerals to virtually all of our patients. However, for our patients living with diabetes, we bump up those amounts by at least 50 percent. The diabetic condition causes increased urination and essentially acts as a diuretic, washing away magnesium, zinc, folic acid, and other vital nutrients from the body. Supplementing with high levels of these vitamins and minerals helps compensate for nutritional deficiencies and protect against diabetic complications.

Take Roxann, a type 2 diabetic who had been on insulin for 16 years. She had retinopathy, angina, high blood pressure, a history of two heart attacks, and an open ulcer on her foot that refused to heal. But the most debilitating of her problems was neuropathy. Nerve damage left her with virtually no sensation in her feet, and she could barely get around on her own.

After hitting rock bottom, Roxann came to my clinic and started on a comprehensive nutritional regimen that included high doses of antioxidants, B-complex vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and targeted nutrients and herbs known to help control blood sugar. Given the severity of Roxann’s condition, she also underwent a course of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

Within three days, the feeling began to return to Roxann’s feet. She had more energy, less pain, and a renewed sense of hope. By the end of her second week at the clinic, she was walking normally. In fact, she and her daughter did something that would have been unthinkable just three weeks before: They spent the next couple of days strolling around and sightseeing in southern California.

If you’re living with diabetes and are seeing a conventional doctor, ask this question: “Doctor, I understand that diabetes causes losses of many micronutrients in the urine. Would it be wise for me to be on a nutrient supplement regimen to counteract those losses?”

If your doctor says it’s not needed or gives you some garbage about lack of science or some other nonsense, run—don’t walk—to a physician with a different attitude toward nutritional supplementation and other natural diabetes treatments. You just might save yourself a whole lot of suffering.

For more information on treating diabetes or key supplements for diabetes, visit www.drwhitaker.com.

As you strive to control blood sugar levels, it’s important to remember the role antioxidants play in managing diabetes. In order to get a handle on this condition, you’ll need to shore up on these important nutrients.

For starters, there’s Vitamin C. Vitamin C is the most active antioxidant in our water-based tissues. It lowers levels of sorbitol, the sugar that collects in and damages cells of the eyes (retinopathy), kidneys (nephropathy), and nerves (neuropathy).

You’ll also want to take an adequate amount of Vitamin E, your body’s premier fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E improves glucose control and protects blood vessels and nerves from free radical damage, which is accelerated in people living with diabetes. Studies have shown that high doses of supplemental vitamin E may even reverse damage to nerves caused by diabetes and protect against diabetic cataracts and atherosclerosis.

Supplementation with both of these antioxidants is associated with a reduced risk of diabetic retinopathy. If you are living with diabetes, aim for 1,000-2,500 mg of vitamin C and 300-800 IU of vitamin E daily.

For more information on treating diabetes and diabetes risk factors, visit www.drwhitaker.com.

The key to the treating diabetes is twofold. First, you need to control blood sugar levels. Equally important, you must prevent diabetes complications.

While conventional physicians do attempt to stave off diabetes complications by helping patients maintain blood sugar levels that are in the normal range, they ignore the solid scientific research that supports the aggressive use of specific nutritional supplements for protection against the ravages of diabetes. This is one of the most obvious and inexcusable blind spots of conventional medicine.

Diabetes is a nutritionally wasting disease. Massive amounts of nutrients are lost as the kidneys rid the body of excess glucose by increasing urination, so the first step is replacement of these lost nutrients.

Among the most significant losses are the B-complex vitamins, and many people with diabetes have suboptimal cellular levels of these vital nutrients. Vitamins B6, B12, and biotin improve insulin sensitivity and also help prevent diabetes complications, particularly neuropathy, which is present in almost half of all people with diabetes. Supplementation is imperative, with recommended doses of:

• 75 mg vitamin B6,
• 150 mcg of B12,
• 300 mcg of biotin, and
• an array of other B-complex vitamins.

People with diabetes also tend to have low levels of magnesium, and those with the lowest levels are most likely to have diabetic retinopathy and other eye problems. For this reason, anyone trying to manage diabetes should also take a minimum of 500 mg of magnesium per day, balanced with 1,000 mg of calcium.

For more information on managing diabetes, natural diabetes treatments, and reversing diabetes, visit www.drwhitaker.com.

One of the most effective natural treatments for diabetes is vanadium. This unique trace mineral works to lower blood sugar by mimicking insulin and improving the cells’ sensitivity to insulin.

Supplementation with vanadyl sulfate and other vanadium compounds markedly lowers fasting glucose and improves other measures of diabetes. In a number of animal studies, this mineral has actually eliminated diabetes.

Human studies, although not as numerous, are also compelling. In a landmark study, eight people with type 2 diabetes receiving 50 mg of vanadyl sulfate twice a day for four weeks, followed by a placebo for four weeks, were found to have a 20 percent reduction in average fasting blood sugar, which lasted well into the placebo period after the mineral was discontinued. The only reported adverse effect was minor gastrointestinal (GI) distress during the first few days of the study.

Vanadium is quite safe, even at doses of up to 400 mg per day. Don’t be surprised if you hear rumors to the contrary. According to Dr. John McNeill, one of the world’s leading experts on vanadium, these unfounded precautions are based on toxicity studies done by a single researcher and have never been replicated by anyone else.  

Many physicians have utilized vanadyl sulfate with thousands of people living with diabetes in doses of 100–150 mg per day with remarkable success and absolutely no adverse reactions, save slight GI distress in a few individuals.

Vanadium is just one of the many natural diabetes treatments. For additional natural treatments for diabetes or information on managing diabetes, visit www.drwhitaker.com.

Chromium is a trace mineral that improves the action of insulin and helps move glucose and other nutrients into the cells. Its therapeutic value was first discovered in the 1950s, when researchers isolated a previously unknown substance from pork kidney. When they gave this substance to laboratory rats with glucose intolerance (a pre-diabetic form of insulin resistance), it caused such significant improvements that they named it glucose tolerance factor.

This unique compound was found to improve the activity of insulin and facilitate the uptake of glucose into the cells. Research intensified, and in 1959, the active ingredient in glucose tolerance factor was identified: chromium.

Chromium doesn’t cause the body to make more insulin—it just helps make insulin work better. At least 15 well-controlled clinical trials examining the effects of supplemental chromium on patients living with diabetes, insulin resistance, and other blood sugar abnormalities have shown that this mineral improves glucose metabolism.

Chromium has also been demonstrated to facilitate weight loss. As you likely know, diabetes and weight are very closely connected. Maintaining an ideal weight greatly increases your chances of avoiding the disease and beating diabetes.  

For more information on managing diabetes, natural diabetes treatments, and reversing diabetes, visit www.drwhitaker.com.

While several herbs have been proven to lower blood sugar levels, two in particular stand out:

Gymnema sylvestre.  This is a plant native to India that, incredible as it may seem, appears to regenerate the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Gymnema has been demonstrated to lower blood sugar levels in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In a study of 22 type 2 diabetics, supplementation with this herb resulted in improved blood sugar control across the board. Furthermore, 16 of the 22 patients were able to reduce their oral medications while five discontinued them altogether. The recommended dose is 400 mg of Gymnema sylvestre per day.

Banaba leaf (Lagerstroemia speciosa L.). Banaba leaf contains colosolic acid, which activates glucose transport into the cells and effectively lowers blood sugar. In a landmark Japanese placebo-controlled clinical trial, 24 diabetics were given a supplement containing banaba leaf or a placebo three times a day for four weeks. Significant blood sugar declines were observed in the individuals taking the herb (average 153.9 to 133.1 mg/dL); there was little change in the placebo group. Aim for approximately 50 mg of banaba leaf extract daily.

Other botanicals that make it easier to control blood sugar, albeit to a lesser degree, include:

• bitter melon (Momordica charantia),
• Siberian ginseng,
• basil,
• cinnamon,
• garlic, and
• onion.

Look for all of these herbs in your health food store and use as directed.

For more information on treating diabetes, natural diabetes treatments, and reversing diabetes, visit www.drwhitaker.com. While there, sign up for FREE e-letters, or subscribe to Dr. Whitaker’s monthly newsletter, Health & Healing.

We have become a nation obsessed with junk food and this emphasis on refined, fatty fare is partly responsible for nutritional deficiencies that can make it difficult to control blood sugar.  

Studies indicate that only a quarter of Americans get the recommended amount of magnesium, and intakes of zinc are also low. The average woman gets less than half the calcium she needs, and 58 percent of young women in the US are iron deficient. Chief among the nutrients that are lost during the refining process is the trace mineral chromium, which enhances the action of insulin and also facilitates weight loss. It has been suggested that chromium deficiencies, which are increasingly common in this country, may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Everyone—even those of you who eat a good diet—should take a high-potency multivitamin-mineral supplement every day. Make sure your multivitamin contains “megadoses” of the nutrients that have been demonstrated to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, namely vitamin C (1,000-1,500 mg), vitamin E (300-400 IU), vitamin B6 (75–100 mg), vitamin B12 (100–1,000 mcg), biotin (300 mcg), magnesium (500 mg), and chromium (200–400 mcg).

Think of your multivitamin supplement as insurance to counterbalance the inadequacies of your diet. This small measure can help fill in the nutritional “holes” created by our modern lifestyle. Believe me, it’s the cheapest diabetic treatment you’ll ever buy.

For more information on managing diabetes and natural treatments for diabetes, visit www.drwhitaker.com. While there, sign up for FREE e-letters, or subscribe to Dr. Whitaker’s monthly newsletter, Health & Healing.

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.

With all the focus on treating diabetes with drugs, underlying causes of the condition are rarely considered. One potential contributor is low testosterone, which affects one in three diabetic men. 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 blood sugar problems, and then reexamined them after 11 years.

At the time of follow-up, 147 had developed metabolic syndrome and 57 were living with 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 of treating diabetes by normalizing testosterone levels is picking up speed. A study looking at supplemental testosterone as an adjunct therapy is underway, and many physicians who use bioidentical hormones have been treating patients with it for years.

If you are male and over the age of 45, get your testosterone level tested. If it’s low, replacement should be considered. In addition to regulating insulin and making it easier to control blood sugar, 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.

R.B., a type 2 diabetic, had been on insulin for 16 years. She had retinopathy, angina, high blood pressure, a history of two heart attacks, and an open ulcer on her foot that refused to heal. But the most debilitating of her problems was neuropathy. Nerve damage left her with virtually no sensation in her feet, and she could barely get around on her own.

After hitting rock bottom, R.B. came to the Whitaker Wellness Institute and started on a comprehensive nutritional regimen, which included high doses of antioxidants, B-complex vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and targeted nutrients and herbs to help control her blood sugar. Given the severity of her condition, R.B. also underwent a course of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

Within three days, the feeling began to return to her feet. She had more energy, less pain, and a renewed sense of hope. By the end of her second week at the clinic, she was walking normally. In fact, she and her daughter did something that would have been unthinkable just three weeks before: They spent the next couple days strolling around and sightseeing in southern California.

R.B. is just one of many diabetes success stories. And, in 99 percent of these cases, people have been willing to try natural diabetes treatments, as opposed to conventional methods of treating this disease. Targeted supplements for diabetes, coupled with lifestyle modifications, are just a few of the natural methods used in treating diabetes – and they work.

Fish oil, which contains the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, is powerful medicine for disorders ranging from heart disease and depression to arthritis and autoimmune disorders.

EPA is particularly beneficial for the cardiovascular system, as it discourages blood platelets from sticking together, relaxes the arteries, and lowers triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

For years, people dealing with diabetes, specifically type 2 diabetes, were advised to avoid fish oil supplements, due to their presumably negative effects on the body’s ability to control blood sugar. However, a meta-analysis has put this myth to rest.

In this review of studies involving 823 patients with type 2 diabetes, fish oil supplementation at doses ranging from 3,000–8,000 mg per day had no harmful effect on short- or long-term ability to control blood sugar. Furthermore, the fish oils supplements significantly improved triglyceride levels.

More recent research found that women living with diabetes who took 3,000 mg of fish oil a day for two months had marked improvements in body fat and blood lipid levels. (This is key, in part due to the connection between diabetes and weight.) 

I’m not suggesting that fish oil is a cure for high blood sugar, but it can certainly play a role in managing diabetes. Everyone, regardless of health status, should take a minimum of 2 g of high-quality fish oil per day. If your cholesterol and triglycerides are high, consider increasing this to 4 or more grams daily. For these larger doses, look for liquid or concentrated fish oil supplements, as they beat taking handfuls of capsules.

If you’re trying to manage diabetes and need a little extra help to control blood sugar (and your weight), glucomannan may be just the supplement for you.

Glucomannan is a water-soluble fiber derived from the Konjac root, a potato-like tuber native to Asia. Glucomannan works by absorbing water, which increases bulk, helping to reduce appetite, and produce feelings of satiety. It can also help support your health in other ways:

• Glucomannan promotes a more gradual absorption of carbohydrates, which helps to slow the release of sugars from the gut. This helps to manage blood sugar levels.
• Since glucomannan is a soluble fiber, it prolongs stomach emptying time and helps to promote healthy cholesterol levels.
• Glucomannan also helps support overall digestive health and naturally promotes regularity and normal bowel function.

All of these factors place glucomannan at the top of the list when ti comes to natural remedies for diabetes.

If you are looking to manage diabetes, take ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) mixed in an eight-ounce glass of water, two or three times daily, 30 minutes to one hour before meals (drink it quickly, before it thickens). Take care to avoid glucomannan capsules, as they may stick and expand in the esophagus.

Glucomannan is safe and well-tolerated. It can be taken indefinitely.

Note: Taking fiber supplements may interfere with the absorption of some minerals. If you take glucomannan or any fiber supplement before a meal, wait three or four hours before taking your vitamin and mineral supplements. (Most of the time, supplements should be taken with food. If you are taking glucomannan, use as directed and take your other supplements with a light snack to avoid stomach upset.)

Chromium is a trace mineral that is a boon for people living with diabetes. Its therapeutic value was first discovered in the 1950s, when researchers isolated a previously unknown substance from pork kidney. When they gave this substance to laboratory rats with glucose intolerance (a pre-diabetes form of insulin resistance), it caused such significant improvements that they named it glucose tolerance factor (GTF).

This unique compound was found to improve the activity of insulin and facilitate the uptake of glucose into the cells. Research intensified and, in 1959, the active ingredient in GTF was identified: chromium.

Chromium doesn’t cause the body to make more insulin—it just helps insulin work better, and this is critical for people who are trying to manage diabetes. 

At least 15 well-controlled clinical trials examining the effects of supplemental chromium on people living with diabetes, insulin resistance, and other blood sugar abnormalities have shown that this mineral improves glucose metabolism.

In one study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center and Beijing Medical University, 180 people with type 2 diabetes were divided into
three groups and given supplements containing 100 mcg chromium, 500 mcg chromium, or a placebo, twice a day. No other changes were made in their medications, diets, or activity levels. When their blood glucose levels were tested after four months, the patients taking chromium had reductions in blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, and glycated hemoglobin (also called hemoglobin A1C, a longer-term measure of blood sugar control).

Chromium has also been demonstrated to facilitate weight loss, and if you’re aware of the close connection between diabetes and weight, you’ll understand how important this is.

Aim for 200 mcg of chromium daily.

Two of the best natural remedies for diabetes are B-complex vitamins and vitamin C.

B-complex vitamins, particularly B6 and B12, are vital for the health of people who have diabetes. That’s because these vitamins support nerve health, which is critical when addressing conditions such as diabetic neuropathy.

Biotin is another B-complex vitamin that is necessary for cell growth and for the metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. This vitamin also also been shown to lower fasting blood sugar levels and reduce risk of complications such as diabetic neuropathy.

The ideal daily dose for people living with diabetes is 75-125 mg of B6, 150-1,000 mcg of B12, and 300 mcg of biotin daily.

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that protects against free-radical damage throughout the body. This vitamin is also required for the production of collagen, so it strengthens the blood vessels and supports healthy blood flow. In addition, it is involved in multiple aspects of the immune response and boosts overall immunity.

Perhaps most important to people managing diabetes, however, is vitamin C’s ability to lower levels of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that can collect in the cells and damage the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. This, plus its ability to put the brakes on free radicals, makes vitamin C an important weapon in the arsenal against diabetes complications.

Finally, vitamin C is an excellent therapy for another condition that often co-exists in individuals living with diabetes: hypertension. Irish researchers found that just 500 mg of vitamin C a day lowered blood pressure and arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes.

I recommend people dealing with diabetes take at least 1,000 mg of supplemental vitamin C daily.

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.

Although most people think injected insulin is reserved for type 1 diabetes, more than one in four people with type 2 diabetes use insulin. And, in most of those cases, it just makes things worse.

“Bill”, a patient of mine, had type 2 diabetes for 10 years prior to coming to the Whitaker Wellness Institute. At the time of diagnosis, his physician started him on a drug that stimulates insulin production. It worked for a while, but slowly and surely, he was unable to manage blood sugar levels effectively. Plus, his weight began to increase.

His doctor responded by increasing his medication dose. Again, his levels improved for a time, but eventually both his blood sugar and his waistline inched up.

After a time, Bill was no longer able to manage his diabetes with oral drugs, so his doctor prescribed a low dose of insulin. Over the next few years, his insulin dose was periodically ratcheted upward to keep pace with his rising blood sugar levels, and with every increase, he gained more and more weight. After 10 years, he was taking 100 units of insulin daily and had put on 100 pounds! Folks, that’s just bad medicine.

Bill’s diabesity, which was contributing to a number of health problems, was clearly exacerbated by insulin. Following the Whitaker Wellness diabetes treatment program, Bill lost those 100 extra pounds (over the course of several years), and his blood sugar normalized without any medication at all.

Another testament to the link between diabetes and weight is the fact that 90 percent of teenagers with type 1 diabetes sometimes skip their insulin doses in order to prevent weight gain. Clearly, this is not a good thing (especially since people with type 1 diabetes need insulin to survive), but it goes to show just how many people experience this potential downside to supplemental insulin.

In my next post, I’ll discuss another downside of insulin: hypertension.

How does a physician know someone has diabetes and needs treatment?

For years, fasting blood glucose (blood sugar) and oral glucose tolerance tests were the primary diagnostics doctors used to determine whether or not a patient has diabetes. Today, glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) is the new gold standard. This test measures the average glucose level during the two to three months prior to the blood draw, so it’s a broader picture than the “snapshot” the other tests provide. An A1C level higher than 6 percent is indicative of blood sugar problems, and 6.5 percent is the cutoff for a diagnosis of diabetes.

If a doctor diagnoses you with type 1 diabetes, you’ll immediately—and unavoidably—be prescribed insulin. If the diagnosis is type 2 diabetes, which nine times out of 10 is the case, you’ll likely be told to make some changes in your diet and to begin exercising. Beyond that, if it’s a conventional physician, a prescription drug will likely also be dangled in front of you, if not to begin at once, then to start if your blood glucose and A1C levels don’t normalize with lifestyle measures.

Prescribing drugs is what physicians do. In fact, medical school education is largely an exercise in learning what drugs to prescribe for which conditions. Studies published in the most prestigious medical journals routinely compare the benefits of one drug to another. Prescription meds are simply the heart and soul of modern medicine.

Although diabetes medications may be effective in helping to lower blood sugar, each and every one of them has its price. The oral hypoglycemic (blood glucose–lowering) agents are no more than a Band-Aid approach to diabetes—they lower blood sugar, but do nothing to address the underlying condition. For example, one popular class of drugs, sulfonylureas, increase insulin production. However, most people with type 2 diabetes produce too much insulin! These folks are not insulin deficient; they’re insulin resistant.

For years, doctors have known the potential dangers of oral hypoglycemic drugs, but for whatever reason, they continue to prescribe them to patients.  This is a shame, given the number of blood sugar supplements and other, more natural treatments for diabetes that exist.

Stay tuned for my top supplements for diabetes and other natural remedies for diabetes.

Cinnamon contains an ingredient called methylhydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP), which is very helpful for treating diabetes. You see, in addition to being a potent antioxidant, MHCP also improves insulin sensitivity.

Research suggests, however, that chemicals in saliva render it ineffective. Therefore, instead of just adding ground cinnamon to your food, you should take a water-soluble cinnamon extract.  You should be able to find multiple brands in your local health food store.

You should also know that the undesirable compounds that cinnamon contains are eliminated when mixed in hot water, so drinking cinnamon tea or adding cinnamon to ground coffee before brewing are other great options. To use cinnamon tea or cinnamon-infused coffee to help you manage blood sugar, aim for a quarter- to a half-teaspoon (or the supplement equivalent) twice a day.

Retinopathy is one of the more serious diabetes complications that affects the eyes. It occurs when the small blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive area in the back of the inner eye) become damaged, usually as a result of metabolic changes associated with diabetes. The longer you’ve been living with diabetes, the higher your risk of developing this condition.

Early diagnosis and treatment are very important, as diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the industrialized world today. In fact, it leads to 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness annually.

There are three main types of diabetic retinopathy:

• Background retinopathy, which occurs when the blood vessels are damaged, but there is no problem with vision.
• Maculopathy, which happens as a result of damage to the macula (a small area in the center of the retina that provides central vision and helps us to see fine details), and leads to impaired vision.
• Proliferative retinopathy, which develops as a result of poor blood flow and oxygen delivery to the eye

If you have diabetes, you should do everything you can to protect your eyes. For optimal protection, maintain blood sugar levels, eat a low-fat diet with lots of carotenoid-rich leafy greens, and take a nutritional supplement that targets vision health.