Diabetes Risk Factors

• red, sore, swollen gums
• bleeding gums
• loose or sensitive teeth
• bad breath
• trouble chewing

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.

One of the most significant risk factors for type-2 diabetes is obesity.

Statistics show that 90 percent of all people with type-2 diabetes are overweight. In fact, the link between diabetes and obesity is so strong that it’s led to the coining of a new term, diabesity.

Where you store those extra pounds is also an issue, in terms of your ability to control blood sugar. For example, if you carry the pounds in the abdominal area, you are at an even greater risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. That’s because abdominal fat is more metabolically active than fat stored in the hips or buttocks. It is more easily broken down into free fatty acids that enter the bloodstream, interfere with the action of insulin, and raise triglyceride and glucose levels.

The good news is, for most people, getting a handle on weight is a great way of beating diabetes. Check this blog often for tips on how to lose weight and other natural remedies for diabetes.

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.

We're all knee deep in New Year's resolutions...if we haven't abandoned them already.

For those of you who smoke, hopefully you've chosen 2010 as the year to quit. 

But a study just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine just might have you scratching your head, at least at first glance.

According to researchers, a review of 10,000 smokers found that the risk of type 2 diabetes actually went up when people quit smoking, most dramatically in the first three years after quitting.

During those first three years, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was about 70 percent higher than those who had never smoked. If you kept on smoking, however, your increased risk of diabetes was just (just?) 30 percent higher than lifelong non-smokers.

The good news of course is that if you've never smoked, your risk of developing diabetes is significanly lower than if you have. But quitting smoking as a cause of type 2 diabetes...how can this be?

After all, we know that quitting smoking reduces your risk of nearly every serious disease, including heart disease and an assortment of lung ailments and cancers. But the connection between smoking and diabetes is clear if you've ever known someone who quit or you've tried it yourself -- it's the link between type 2 diabetes and weight.

Sadly, people tend to put on weight when they quit smoking, reaching for a snack when the urge for a cigarette hits. When researchers took into account weight gain after quitting, the increased risk of diabetes from quitting smoking was negligible. 

So if you smoke, you need to quit, and you need to control your weight after quitting, to avoid facing increased diabetes risk.

To make it easier to quit and reduce cravings, Dr. Whitaker recommends the following plan:

Before your start date, get two bottles each of Sulfonil and buffered vitamin C. Sulfonil is a sulfur-based compound that actually binds to the same receptor sites in the brain as nicotine. These receptors become habituated to nicotine, and once you quit smoking they cry out for more. Dr. Whitaker prefers Sulfonil to niotine gums, patches, etc. because it satisfies the cravings without providing the very thing you’re trying to escape.

Starting on your quit day, take two Sulfonil capsules when you wake up, then one every four to six hours during the day, and two more at bedtime. Drink copious amount of water to flush your system. The biochemical addiction to nicotine will dissipate in two to three weeks, so you likely won’t need Sulfonil for longer than that.

But you'll still need to break the habit of smoking, and not replace it with a habit for snacking, to prevent added weight and diabetes risk. When the desire for a cigarette strikes, Dr. Whitaker recommends 500 - 1,000 mg of buffered vitamin C, which can take the edge off intense cravings.

Then...do something, don't eat something. Take a walk, do household chores or paperwork, anything to keep your hands and mind busy.

If you're anxious or edgy (which is highly likely), you should consider supplementing with GABA or l-theanine, two nutrients well known for taking the edge off any stressful situation.

 

Finally, a reason to feel good about my daily venti dark roast fix.

A new meta-analysis from the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a nice correlation between coffee consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

For every cup of Joe you drink, your risk goes down 7%. Not bad.

This review included data from over 500,000 people, with over 21,000 cases of type-2 diabetes. Of the 31 studies reviewed, 18 looked at regular coffee consumption, six focused on decaf, and the remaining seven studies included tea drinkers.

Bottom line, everyone with a mug holds a natural diabetes treatment in their hands. 

It's not just regular coffee drinkers who can beat diabetes. Three to four cups of decaffeinated coffee were associated with a 33 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to non-coffee drinkers. And three to four cups of tea dropped diabetes risk by one-fifth as well.

Now if I've learned anything, it's to take a meta-analysis like this with a grain of salt. And if this were the only reason to drink coffee, I'd proceed cautiously. But it isn't.

Coffee has been championed by researchers as a natural way to maintain blood sugar and reduce diabetes risk before, because coffee has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity. Previous studies have shown that a high intake—at least six cups a day—lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 54 percent in men and 30 percent in women.

Dr. Whitaker has written about the health benefits of coffee for years, including research showing coffee reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease by as much as 80 percent and even protects against other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

Coffee improves concentration and alertness, boosts mood, and decreases suicide risk. In fact, coffee aroma alone can relieve stress in animals. (Count me among them.) 

Did you know that coffee can also halt a full-blown asthma attack in its tracks? And drink coffee before a workout and you'll enjoy both increased endurance and less muscle pain.

There are even studies that suggest coffee will make you live longer!

Of course, if you're exercising, preventing diabetes and enjoying your day feeling alert and in a great mood, you can't help but live longer, right? Pour me another cup...




 

Contrary to popular belief, the leading liver problem in the United States is not alcoholic cirrhosis or hepatitis, but nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Afflicting roughly one in four Americans, it is not caused by alcohol or a virus, but by obesity and insulin resistance—and at least half of all people with type 2 diabetes are affected.

NAFLD is a progressive disease with three distinct stages. Simple fatty liver, or steatosis, is characterized by elevations in liver enzymes and fatty deposits in the liver (at least 10 percent of the liver cells are replaced by fat). If the disease is arrested in this stage, it remains relatively benign. Unfortunately, for one in five patients, it progresses to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, involving inflammation of the liver. From there, half develop cirrhosis, marked by advanced and irreversible scarring, fibrosis, and loss of liver function.

Why am I telling you this? Because the most significant risk factors for progression include type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome (syndrome X).

To treat or protect against this condition, I recommend regular supplementation with nutrients that enhance liver function (particularly detoxification) in addition to supplements for diabetes. Look for the following products—as stand-alone products or in combination formulas—in your health food store: lipoic acid, 100 mg; silymarin, 420 mg; selenium, 70 mcg; calcium-D-glucarate, 200 mg; N-acetylcysteine, 600 mg; ellagic acid, 50 mg; and trimethylglycine, 300 mg.
 

Recently I received a letter from a reader who asked what she could do to prevent type 2 diabetes. I’m glad she’s taking a proactive stance against the disease because its incidence is rising dramatically, along with its complications—vision loss, kidney disease, lower extremity amputations, and premature death from heart disease. But the good news is that research shows you can prevent type 2 diabetes with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and weight loss.

Dietary fiber is an important factor in preventing and treating diabetes, so start with a fiber-rich diet with lots of vegetables, whole grains, beans, and fruits. At the same time, go easy on starchy foods such as potatoes and anything made with white flour or sugar. In addition to driving up blood sugar, these foods contribute to weight gain, a significant risk factor for diabetes. Also include lean chicken, fish, or soy with most meals, along with healthy, non-processed fats from raw nuts and seeds and olive oil.

Exercise is also imperative. No matter what shape you’re in, find a way to exercise regularly. Thirty to 45 minutes of activity most days of the week will make a surprising difference in your health, weight, insulin sensitivity, and risk of disease, including diabetes.

Deficiencies in certain nutrients can also tax your body’s ability to control blood sugar, so be sure you’re taking a high-potency daily multivitamin and mineral supplement as well.
 

Oh vitamin D, is there anything you can't do?

As I've written before, the "D" in vitamin D may soon be shorthand for "diabetes fighter" as the pile of research continues to grow supporting this humble nutrient's power to maintain blood sugar and beat back diabetes naturally. 

This, of course, is in addition to the already long list of benefits for vitamin D, including immune fortifier, bone builder, PMS and SAD preventer, fibromyalgia fighter, C-reactive protein reducer and mood booster.

If anything has earned the moniker "the sunshine vitamin," it's this.

The latest good news for vitamin D takers comes from the British Journal of Nutrition, which showed that by increasing levels of D, you can improve insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity, two major risk factors for developing diabetes.

Study participants taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily for six months showed "significant improvements" in both insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance, according to the New Zealand researchers conducting the study. 

The improvements were also accompanied a decrease in fasting insulin levels, another boon for those struggling with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.

This study focused on the D3 form of vitamin D, also known as cholecalciferol, which Dr. Whitaker recommends due to its bioavailability. It's also the form created naturally in the body from regular sun exposure.

The bottom line. If you're not taking vitamin D, start. If you haven't asked your doctor to check your vitamin D levels, do it soon. You're not going to find a more inexpensive, easy-to-take, versatile natural remedy than this one, whether you're focused on beating diabetes naturally, or just looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

It's always nice when the mainsteam media wakes up to the realities of healthcare, particularly when it comes to the devastating damage of the rampant diabetes epidemic in the U.S. But an article in the July 12 USA Weekend underscores the importance of sticking with a doctor like Dr. Whitaker, someone who isn't afraid to come right out and state the brutally obvious.

On the one hand, Dr. Todd Mitchell's "HealthSmart" column does bring to light the scope of the diabetes problem, and the consquences of not bringing blood sugar under control. Without action, the more than 23 million Americans already diagnosed with diabetes -- not to mention those who have diabetes and don't know it, and the scores with Metabolic Syndrome or pre-diabetes -- are on a road to serious health problems, to say the least.

From comparatively minor skin and teeth concerns to truly frightening heart, eye, circulatory, and kidney diseases and increased risk for wounds and infections, Mitchell acknowledges that uncontrolled blood sugar is a recipe for disaster.

To his credit, Mitchell also points out that there are many effective ways to naturally lower blood sugar and keep Type 2 diabetes at bay, including following a diet low in high glycemic refined sugars, maintaining a healthy weight, getting adequate sleep, and maintaining an active lifestyle.

But that's as far as Mitchell is willing to go. Of course, it's not surprising that a diabetes article in USA Weekend fails to include a single mention of the many nutritional supplements that can not only lower blood sugar but directly impact the diabetes risk factors that lead to the complications he mentions. However, it's the waffle words about exercise and diabetes that truly surprised me.

In describing an "interesting" study of NFL players and blood sugar (not exactly your representative sample of the U.S. population) Mitchell points out that while the massive linemen and tackles weighed an average of 60 lbs. more than men in the control group, their fasting blood sugar was lower. Could exercise and rigorous physical activity have something to do with these blood sugar findings? Well, maybe, says Mitchell.

The kicker is the closer though. "More study is needed, but it does seem that, when it comes to diabetes, lifestyle habits matter."

Thanks for the newsflash, Dr. Mitchell.

There's no maybe about it. Exercise is one of the best, safest, most logical and truly natural ways to control blood sugar and prevent, manage, and even reverse diabetes. That's because exercise is one of the best ways to improve insulin resistance and make your cells more sensitive to insulin.

To get more exercise into your daily routine, the first thing you should try is taking a brisk 10-minute walk after meals whenever you can. Even mild aerobic exercise causes your muscles to soak up the glucose in your blood more quickly, keeping those post-meal blood sugar spikes to a minimum. Also, shoot for several sessions of resistance training (such as weightlifting) in your weekly routine to build muscle and improve your insulin sensitivity long-term. 

At the Whitaker Wellness Institute, Dr. Whitaker has been helping thousands of patients over the years use diet, exercise and targeted nutritional supplements to beat back diabetes for good.

And as a 2001 NIH study showed, this type of natural program works better than the most prescribed diabetes drug, Glucophage. No maybe about that either, Dr. Mitchell.


 

Harvard University researchers recently looked at a dozen lifestyle and metabolic factors that impact the health and longevity of Americans, and while the top four are fairly obvious, moving up fast and checking in at Number 5 (with a bullet) is high blood glucose.

Failing to control blood sugar, or maintain healthy blood glucose levels, is more dangerous than high cholesterol, excessive salt intake, high trans fats, alcohol, and a diet deficient in fruits and vegetables.

Researchers speculate that between 163,000 and 217,000 high blood glucose-related deaths could have been avoided in the year 2005 alone, and certainly that number has only gone up as diabetes, pre-diabetes and other related conditions only gain increased traction in America.

Smoking ranked as the deadliest risk factor, responsible for up to a half-million annual, preventable deaths, followed by high blood pressure, obesity, and lack of exercise.

The message is clear. Type 2 diabetes is not only deadly, but preventable. You can absolutely maintain blood sugar naturally, with targeted nutritional support, a sound diet, and moderate exercise.

Follow Dr. Whitaker's plan, and you'll also avoid numbers 2-4 on the Killer Top 5 list as well.

That leaves only #1. And you're not still smoking, are you? ARE YOU?





 

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.