Exercise, Foods and Nutrients for Diabetes

Eating food that is high in fiber and that has a low glycemic index may help to prevent diabetes. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high glycemic index are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Foods with a low glycemic index, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. Diets consisting of foods with a low glycemic index have been shown to improve both glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with diabetes. A low glycemic diet is good for weight control because it helps control appetite and delay hunger. Such a diet will also reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance.
Research appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Vol. 167 No. 21, November 26, 2007) observed a cohort of 64,227 Chinese women with no history of diabetes or other chronic disease at baseline for 4.6 years. The researchers identified 1608 incident cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus in 297,755 person-years of follow-up. Dietary carbohydrate intake and consumption of rice were positively associated with risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. The higher the glycemic load, the more likely for the subjects to develop diabetes.
Other research appearing in the same issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, used data from the Black Women’s Health Study, a prospective cohort study of 59,000 black women in the United States. Once again, eating high glycemic foods increased the risk of developing diabetes. In this study, fiber intake reduced the risk for diabetes. Cereal fiber intake was inversely associated with risk of diabetes, that association being especially strong for women with a low body-mass index (not obese).

A pre-diabetic condition known as insulin resistance syndrome can be prevented by exercise. Insulin resistance is the mechanism that creates type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Type 1 diabetes is often called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes is a situation where the pancreas does not produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance. Eating sugar and starch forces the body to produce a lot of insulin, over time, the body stops responding to the insulin creating insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is also responsible for something called the metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome x. In the metabolic syndrome, the individual tends to have high cholesterol with low HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and low LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), and high triglycerides. One of the big problems caused by insulin resistance is obesity. People who are insulin resistant tend to be overweight (especially carrying weight around the abdomen) and may have high blood pressure.

Research appearing in the March 23, 2003 issue of Diabetes Care [26:557-562] followed 18 sedentary men and women for six months. Participants exercised between three and seven days each week by walking  for a half-hour.

At the end of the study, researchers examined insulin sensitivity and levels of blood fats, such as cholesterol. None of the subjects lost weight during the study period, but they did enjoy an increase in insulin sensitivity. The researchers concluded that exercise alone increased insulin sensitivity—even without weight loss. The researchers concluded that even moderate exercise, without weight loss or loss of abdominal fat, can improve indicators of glucose and fat metabolism and lower the risk for developing type-2 diabetes.

The most useful herbs and nutrients for help with insulin resistance are bitter melon vanadium, gymnema sylvestre,chromium and alpha lipoic acid. Please consult your health care professional for the right dosages of these products for your particular situation.

Diabetes

Diabetes

A high-fat , high carb diet can cause glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Atherosclerosis, or plaque in the arteries, is the most common complication of diabetes. There is strong evidence from primary prevention studies in non-diabetics that reduction in LDL (bad cholesterol) level and elevation in HDL (good cholesterol) level each reduces the risk of coronary artery disease. It is essential that physicians pay attention to the control of blood fat disorders in their diabetic patients.

Studies of diabetes using high-fiber, high vegetable diets have indicated improvements in blood sugar control and blood lipid profile. Similar improvements have also been noted when foods were selected on the basis of their slow rates of digestion and flatter glycemic responses despite relatively small changes in fiber content. Simple carbohydrates like monosaccharides and disaccharides (monosaccharides and disaccharides are sugars) should be restricted.

High-fiber intake seems to be important. Studies have suggested that an increase in the intake of soluble dietary fiber can lead to decreases in plasma glucose and glycosuria(sugar in the urine) and a reduction in insulin requirements.

There are certain nutrients that can positively affect the person with diabetes. One of them is alpha lipoic acid. It has show in many studies to improve insulin receptors. Another is chromium. Still another is Gymnema, an Indian herb that has shown the ability to reduce insulin requirements and even regenerate pancreatic beta cells

Exercise can improve blood sugar balance in the person with NIDDM (non-insulin dependent diabetes meletus—or type 2 diabetes) and may lower insulin requirements in the individual with IDDM (insulin dedpendentdiabetes meletus—or type 1 diabetes). Exercise usually decreases plasma glucose levels when the diabetes is well controlled. In the poorly controlled diabetic with plasma glucose greater than 300 mg/dL, exercise may actually increase glucose levels.

Be aware of the fact that giving nutritional supplementation to a diabetic taking insulin or other hypoglycemic agent may undermine control. Sometimes the supplementation is actually effective in bringing down blood sugar and if the insulin dose doesn’t change, can create a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) state. The low blood sugar triggers cortisol (an adrenal hormone) production, raising blood sugar. The result is a loss of control of blood sugar levels. To make sure the patient maintains control:

• Make gradual changes. Add one supplement at a time. Start with a low dose and gradually increase it.
• Make sure that you monitor blood sugar regularly.

Food allergy testing and avoidance of allergens may be of value in the diabetic patient.

HEALTH STRATEGIES

Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), commonly called “juvenile diabetes”  Priorities:

1. The patient must consume adequate calories to maintain desirable weight.

2. Meal times and the composition of the diet must be consistent from day to day, with the carbohydrate content fairly evenly divided from meal to meal.

3. Simple carbohydrates must be limited to 10% to 15% of total calories.

4. Depending upon the insulin regimen, a bedtime snack may help prevent nocturnal hypoglycemia; midmorning and midafternoonsnacks must be taken if needed, to match the food intake to the peak insulin action.

5. Food must be taken to correct hypoglycemic episodes.

6. Food and fluids must be taken for periods of increased physical activity and during illness.

7. Suggest modifications in the diet for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and/or kidney problems if present.

8. If obese, the patient must follow a program to reduce weight (persons with IDDM are usually not obese).

Non–Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM): This is adult onset diabetes. Obesity and poor dietary habits can cause this. It is a situation where the individual produces insulin, but is becoming insensitive to their insulin. This type of diabetes can be controlled by diet, and the other factors that contribute to reduced insulin sensitivity like cortisol elevations.

General Advice for Hyperglycemia:

• Avoid refined sugar and refined carbohydrates.
• Avoid hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.
• Finding and eliminating hidden food sensitivities is sometimes useful: Avoiding food that an individual may be sensitive to, like gluten grains and dairy, commonly makes blood sugar easier to control. Testing for and eliminating common allergens is controversial when dealing with diabetes, but is sometimes useful.
• Increase fiber from vegetables and legumes:Vegetables contain antioxidants and fiber helps improve blood sugar control.

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure should be checked periodically because it can be abnormal without causing any symptoms. Failing to find and adequately treat high blood pressure (hypertension) increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.Even the inexpensive wrist blood pressure monitors are useful.

Many things affect blood pressure, including neural, glandular, kidney and cardiovascular factors. High blood pressure can be caused by hardening of the arteries or kidney disease.

If the exact cause of high blood pressure cannot be determined, it is called “essential” hypertension. Often there are several factors contributing to the high blood pressure, making it impossible to find a single cause.

If there is no pathology, often high blood pressure can be improved without the use of drugs. The natural approach does not have the side-effects of the drugs. Even if the natural methods do not completely control the blood pressure, they can help reduce the amount of drugs necessary to do the job.

The Nervous System and Blood Pressure:

The autonomic nervous system is the part of the nervous system that automatically controls certain bodily functions like digestion, heart rate, blood vessel diameter and other functions that happen free of central nervous control. These are bodily functions that you don’t have to think about, they happen “autonomously”. You don’t tell your stomach to start producing acid after you eat; it is handled automatically by the autonomic nervous system.

The two divisions of the autonomic nervous system are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. These two divisions are opposites. They are analogous to the accelerator (sympathetic) and brakes (parasympathetic) on a car.

Branches of the nerves that make up the autonomic nervous system come from the spine. They are affected by spinal subluxations (vertebrae that are out of place) and fixations (vertebrae that do not move properly). Muscle tightness, spinal subluxations and fixations interfere with proper nervous system control. They are very effectively treated by many hands-on therapies. Treating the musculoskeletal system, actually affects the nervous system. Emotion also affects neurological control of the blood pressure. Stress has an effect on the autonomic nervous system. Read the report on the adrenal gland for more information about how stress affects the body.

Nutrition and Blood Pressure:

There are several nutritional factors that can affect blood pressure. The most common nutritional approach is sodium restriction, which isn’t always a good strategy.  Magnesium supplementation has been shown to help reduce high blood pressure in some cases.

Obesity is another important link to high blood pressure. If one weighs more than 15% more than his or her ideal weight, weight loss has been shown to help reduce high blood pressure.

One nutritional issue not commonly discussed with respect to high blood pressure is sugar. Eating refined sugar (and other refined carbohydrates) can lead to “Syndrome X”. Syndrome X is a condition described by Dr. Gerald Reaven. In short, stress and insulin resistance (caused by eating too much sugar and too many refined carbohydrates) can raise cholesterol and blood pressure. The cholesterol increase has a definite pattern. Triglycides and LDL (bad cholesterol) are too high and HDL (good cholesterol) is too low.  Sugar consumption can also adversely affect the adrenal glands and can contribute to high blood pressure.

Arteriosclerosis (loss of elasticity or “hardening” of the arteries) and athlerosclerosis (accumulation of plaque on the internal arterial wall) can cause high blood pressure. High cholesterol, a lack of antioxidant nutrients, consumption of trans fats and refined carbohydrates, smoking, alcohol consumption and stress can all contribute to this condition.

Proper treatment should include dietary and lifestyle changes (whether or not medication is being used to control the blood pressure. Your chiropractor trained in applied kinesiology is equipped to help you develop an effective nutritional program to address all of the issues associated with high blood pressure. Call for a consultation to explore this issue.

Low Blood Pressure

Unless the blood pressure is so low that the kidneys can’t operate, as it is in shock, low blood pressure is not as dangerous as high blood pressure. The main problem for people with low blood pressure is fatigue.

In general, people with low blood pressure do not feel very good. Sometimes they have symptoms other than fatigue, like headaches, pain or allergies.

Sometimes people with low blood pressure are thiamin (a B vitamin) deficient. Often these people do not sleep well—waking up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep. Often when people who do not have a lot of energy, do not sleep well and have low blood pressure take thiamin, they feel and sleep much better.

Herbs, like licorice, can help to raise blood pressure. In fact, if you have high blood pressure, licorice (we are talking about the herb, not the candy) should be avoided.