Diabetic Treatment

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...




 

Vanadyl sulfate is one of the supplements I recommend to help control blood sugar because it mimics the action of insulin and helps with glucose uptake in cells. But despite its amazing benefits, I find that questions about its safety periodically come up. 

Take, for example, a note I received from a reader in Oklahoma City not too long ago. Although he was taking vanadyl sulfate to control blood sugar, he’d heard that it could also cause green tongue and other problems. I’m happy to answer this concern, because it pops up from time to time.

Vanadyl sulfate is a stable, inorganic form of vanadium, a metallic element used primarily as an additive in steel production. Acute exposure to the dust or fumes of vanadium or various vanadium compounds can certainly be toxic to the nervous and respiratory systems, liver, and other organs. And “green tongue” (as the name suggests, a greenish discoloration of the tongue) is indeed a classic symptom of toxicity in miners, industrial workers, or others exposed to high levels of vanadium.

But the accusation—often repeated on the Internet and elsewhere—that nutritional supplements containing minute amounts of vanadyl sulfate are toxic, is completely unfounded. On the contrary, studies demonstrate that vanadyl sulfate is safe when taken in doses of 75, 150, and even 300 mg per day for prolonged periods. Some study subjects taking the higher dosage reported gastrointestinal disturbances, but this resolved over the study course.

What these studies do show—and there are hundreds of them, some dating back more than 20 years—are profound benefits. In average doses of 100–150 mg, vanadyl sulfate increases insulin sensitivity and helps lower blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C—without danger of hypoglycemia. It has even been shown to reduce insulin requirements in individuals with type 1 diabetes. But what I find most remarkable is that benefits usually endured after the supplement was discontinued, suggesting that vanadyl sulfate has an ameliorating effect on the underlying diabetic condition.

So why do rumors of toxicity persist, despite the fact that vanadyl sulfate is, hands down, much safer than the scores of FDA-approved type 2 diabetes treatments? A cynic might say it’s because widespread use would cut into the enormous profits reaped by the pharmaceutical companies—not to mention that a number of vanadium compounds are in the pipeline. Whatever the reason, I stand by my recommendations for patients dealing with diabetes: 100–150 mg of vandyl sulfate daily along with other targeted nutrients, a low-glycemic diet, exercise after every meal, and weight loss. You can take it with confidence.
 

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.
 

For most people with type 2 diabetes, getting a handle on weight is all it takes for blood sugar to normalize, complications to fade away, and overall health to rebound. But shedding those extra pounds isn’t easy—especially when many of the conventional treatments used to control blood sugar actually promote weight gain. 

One of the worst offenders is insulin. Although it’s generally associated with type 1 diabetes, insulin is used by more than one in four people as a type 2 diabetes treatment. And, in most of those cases, it only makes things worse.

A patient of mine—let’s call him Bill—had type 2 diabetes for 10 years prior to seeking treatment at the Whitaker Wellness Institute. At the time he was diagnosed, Bill’s physician started him on an oral drug that stimulates insulin production. It worked for a while, but his blood sugar—and his weight—slowly began to increase. His doctor responded by upping his dosage. Again, his levels improved for a time, but eventually both his blood sugar and his waistline inched up.

Eventually Bill was no longer able to control his blood sugar 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. When I first saw Bill, he was taking 100 units of insulin daily and had put on 100 pounds!

A Vicious Cycle

Let me explain why patients like Bill find themselves in this predicament. Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance. In people with this condition, the beta cells in the pancreas make plenty of insulin—the hormone that moves glucose from the blood into the cells—but the cells are unresponsive to insulin’s actions. This leads to a rise in blood sugar. The pancreas responds by churning out more insulin, and the net result is elevated levels of both glucose and insulin.

Excess weight makes the problem worse. Adipose tissue (fat)—especially in the abdominal area—releases fatty acids that impair beta cell function and insulin sensitivity. It also produces immune cells that lead to chronic, low-grade inflammation. Inflammation, in turn, increases insulin resistance.

Fat cells also secrete hormones, one of them being leptin. Although leptin is best known for its role in regulating appetite and energy metabolism, researchers have discovered that it also has direct effects on insulin secretion and beta cell growth.

As if that weren’t enough, high levels of insulin themselves promote weight gain. That’s because insulin is the body’s primary fat-storage hormone—it ushers fat into the cells as well as glucose. So the higher your insulin level, the greater your potential weight gain.

Lose Weight, Lose Diabetes

The best way to break this cycle is to shed excess weight. For best results, cut out starches, sugars, and other high-glycemic carbohydrates; eat plenty of lean protein, vegetables, and fiber; and take a brisk, 10- to 15-minute walk after every meal. Nutritional supplements that enhance weight loss, help lower blood sugar, and protect against diabetic complications—such as alpha lipoic acid, chromium, cinnamon, and Gymnema sylvestre, to name a few—are also important.

Bill had great success with this natural diabetes treatment. It took several years, but he lost those 100 extra pounds, and he was able to control his blood sugar without any medication at all.

 

Last week I talked about the studies that illustrate the dangers of diabetes drugs. Yes, these medications do lower blood sugar, but that shouldn’t be the main goal of managing diabetes. What good is a therapy that can lower blood sugar if it increases your risk of heart attack and death from cardiovascular disease?

Unfortunately, the vast majority of physicians ignore this research—and jeopardize the health of trusting patients. The pharmaceutical industry shoulders much of the blame because they control the bulk of medical research, treatment guidelines, and physician “education.” As a result, not only is the effectiveness of drugs overstated and the risks minimized, but the emphasis on medication draws attention away from safe, natural therapies that truly improve health and longevity.

These therapies, which include weight loss and lifestyle changes, require work on the part of both physician and patient. Most doctors do recommend diet and exercise, but to be really effective, this requires ongoing counseling and monitoring of activity, diet, and weight. Many physicians just don’t have the time or desire to put forth that much effort. And patients accept this because it’s an easy out for them as well. What could be simpler than taking a “magic pill”?

If not drugs, then what? Here’s the treatment program we recommend at the Whitaker Wellness Institute for our patients with type 2 diabetes.

Weight Loss: Losing weight is the single best therapy for type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to weight loss. It requires diet changes, an exercise program, and determination.

Diet: The most therapeutic diet for diabetes is a low-glycemic, Mediterranean-style menu with lots of vegetables and lean protein, such as fish and poultry; modest amounts of fruit (one serving per day); and healthful fats like olive oil. Stay away from sugar and starches—bread, pasta, cereals, and other grain-based foods drive up blood sugar and increase appetite.

Exercise: I recommend a brisk 10-minute walk after meals and several sessions of resistance exercise weekly. Walking and other forms of aerobic exercise lower blood sugar and burn calories, while resistance exercise builds muscle and improves long-term insulin sensitivity.

Nutritional Supplements: To guard against complications of the blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys, take a potent, antioxidant-rich daily multivitamin to replace the nutrients that are inevitably lost as a result of the diabetic condition. To lower blood sugar, take vanadyl sulfate 100 mg, alpha lipoic acid 400-800 mg, chromium 200 mcg, cinnamon 500–1,000 mg, and Gymnema sylvestre 400 mg daily. These supplements may be taken individually or in combination formulas.

My book Reversing Diabetes outlines a step-by-step program for treating diabetes. You can order it at www.amazon.com or by calling (800) 810-6655.

 

Harvard researchers recently conducted a placebo-controlled study examining the effects of insulin and metformin, a popular diabetes drug, on inflammation. Individuals with diabetes tend to have high levels of C-reactive protein and other markers of inflammation, which—in addition to elevations in blood sugar—put them at increased risk of heart disease.

When you think diabetic complications, you probably think of amputations, kidney failure, and blindness. However, cardiovascular disease is the most serious and one of the most common complications—three out of four people with diabetes die of heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems.

The Harvard study tested the presumption that diabetes drugs would lower inflammation and therefore protect against cardiovascular disease. However, when results were published in the September 16, 2009 issue of JAMA, the researcher team was surprised to find that although insulin and metformin lowered blood sugar, they did not reduce inflammation. They stressed that diabetic patients need to adhere to other therapies to reduce risk of cardiovascular events. 

No Surprise

How anyone could be surprised at such an outcome is beyond me. Just last year, the large, government-funded Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial found that that study participants taking intensive drug regimens had a dramatically increased cardiovascular death rate. In fact, this arm of the study was terminated 18 months early to prevent aggressive drug use from killing even more people.

But we’ve known about the fatal cardiovascular complications of diabetes drugs since 1969, the year that results of a study called the University Group Diabetes Program were made public. Like ACCORD, this clinical trial had to be stopped two years early because participants who were taking the drugs had a 250 to 300 percent higher death rate than those taking a placebo.

Safe, Effective Options

So what’s the take-home lesson here? There are far better ways to lower blood sugar that also decrease inflammation and protect against cardiovascular disease. I’ve been treating patients who are dealing with diabetes for more than 30 years. If they come to the clinic on oral medication, we stop it on sight. If they’re on insulin and they’re overweight, we stop the insulin as well.

In their place, we institute a program of regular exercise, a therapeutic diet, weight loss, and targeted nutritional supplements. Yes, this is a new concept. Patients are conditioned to trust their doctors, who have convinced them of the absolute necessity of taking prescription meds to lower blood sugar. However, once they hear the truth about diabetes drugs, most of our patients opt to stop their medications and adopt a much healthier treatment approach targeted at lowering blood sugar and reducing risk of heart disease and other complications.

Next week, I’ll give you the particulars of the Whitaker Wellness Institute’s approach to treating diabetes. For more information now, visit www.whitakerwellness.com.

 

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.
 

As the General Manager of Forward Nutrition, I'm constantly reading and researching about supplements and health, particularly when it involves diabetes. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome are huge problems that are only getting worse in this country, and natural treatments for diabetes don't get nearly the attention they deserve.

This article from the April 2009 issue of Nutritional Outlook (ok, I'm a little behind) is too good not to share.

Entitled "Understanding a Silent Killer," this is must reading if you're at all concerned about diabetes, maintaining or managing blood sugar, or seeking natural, safe treatments to treat Type 2 diabetes.

Among the natural treatments for diabetes care discussed are alpha-lipoic acid, dietary fiber, gymnema sylvestre and chromium. These nutrients have been shown repeatedly to help manage blood sugar, control blood sugar spikes, and reduce sugar cravings and mood swings.

Alpha-lipoic acid doesn't just improve insulin sensitivity, but also protects against diabetic complications like peripheral nerve pain. It's one of the best natural diabetes treatments, and it also helps your body utilize the other antioxidants you take, like vitamins C and E.

 

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.

 

The connection between exercise and diabetes treatment and prevention is not exactly new news, but this is: a new study shows that less than 10 minutes a week may actually be enough to make a difference!

Researchers studying Type 2 diabetes at Scotland's Heriot-Watt University assigned 16 subjects in their 20s to very short exercise sessions, lasting only 30-seconds each. In addition to a set of 4-6 sprints, subjects drank a 75 gram glucose solution, to determine how long blood sugar and insulin levels remained elevated, and the impact of intense exercise on glucose control.

The result: after only two weeks, blood sugar levels decreased 12 percent, and the duration of elevated blood sugar decreased 37 percent.

While we all know exercise has tremendous benefits -- not just to manage diabetes and control blood sugar, but to treat and prevent heart disease and boost overall health -- we still come up with excuses not to do it.

Exercise dramatically improves diabetes and insulin resistance. It actually acts like insulin -- exercising muscles take up glucose. Furthermore, the benefits are lasting because exercise increases insulin sensitivity.

Exercise also helps you lose weight, key to managing diabetes and blood sugar control. In an NIH study, regular exercise (just 30 minutes, five days a week) and a low-fat diet resulted in an average sustained weight loss of 10-15 pounds. This alone can prevent or reverse diabetes.

Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming --what you do doesn't matter as long as you actually do it. Dr. Whitaker recommends you aim for at least 30 minutes, five days a week, and if you can add a session or two of weight training, so much the better.

But this new research shows that even a few sprints around the block, a quick bike ride or a run up a hill or set of stairs can deliver lasting health benefits too.

No excuses -- start moving. I'll race ya!