Diabetes - And How You Can You Reverse It?

So how did we achieve this? Instead of popping prescription drugs, Sharon simply followed a strict low GL diet and took a supplement of the mineral chromium and cinnamon. Naturally Sharon is thrilled, saying that "My doctor told me I'd be on medication for the rest of my life. I am really thrilled to have been able to come off medication and still have stable blood sugar. My energy is much better. My skin is clearer, mood more stable and I've lost 14lbs in a month. I feel in control of food instead of it being in control of me."

Diabetes - Are You at Risk?

ARE YOU IN DANGER OF BEING DIABETIC?

Are you rarely wide awake within 15 minutes of rising?

Do you need tea, coffee, a cigarette or something sweet to get you going in the morning?

Do you crave chocolate, sweet foods, bread, cereal or cakes?

Do you often have energy slumps during the day or after meals?

Do you crave something sweet or a stimulant after meals?

Do you often have mood swings or difficulty concentrating?

Do you get dizzy or irritable if you go six hours without food?

Do you find you over-react to stress?

Is your energy now less than it used to be?

Do you feel too tired to do any exercise?

Are you gaining weight, and finding it hard to lose, even though you're not noticeably eating more or exercising less?

Do you get very thirsty and pee a lot - especially at night?

Do you get blurred vision?

If you experience many of these symptoms check you blood sugar levels. You are likely to have insulin resistance and benefit from a low GL diet, plus chromium and cinnamon.

Traditional Treatment

Conventional treatment of type 2 diabetes has focused on using drugs, which increase sensitivity to insulin or enhance insulin production. However, the side-effects of these long term drugs can be disastrous.

For example, the most widely used drug Metformin frequently causes nausea, cramps, vomiting and loose stools, and knocks out vitamin B12, raising homocysteine. Low B12 and high homocysteine increases risk for dementia. Other side effects of diabetes drugs include weight gain and increased blood pressure.

A Holistic Solution

Studies have shown that lifestyle changes focusing on diet and exercise are not only more than twice as effective as drugs in preventing diabetes, but are also more cost effective. Following a low GL diet has even been reported to completely reverse adult-onset, type 2 diabetes. Fedon Lindberg, a diabetes expert states 'A balanced low glycemic load diet, coupled with a healthy lifestyle can not only achieve normal blood pressure, cholesterol and fat levels but can also achieve non-diabetic sugar levels without the need for medication - therefore 'reversing' the disease.'

The principle behind the low GL diet is eating foods which provide a slow release of sugar, together with lean protein foods. This leads to less hunger, reduced sugar cravings, increased energy and rapid weight loss, as well as stabilising blood sugar levels.

Along with following a low GL diet, introducing other dietary compounds such as cinnamon and chromium has been found to aid blood glucose control. Cinnamon contains an ingredient called MCHP, which mimics the action of insulin, and therefore increases glucose metabolism. Studies have shown that just 1g of cinnamon per day (1/2 a teaspoon) is enough to lower blood glucose and levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol in type 2 diabetics, with some volunteers even achieving normal blood sugar levels.

Chromium is the other key nutrient in reducing or reversing diabetes. This non-toxic mineral is essential for insulin regulation and glucose control. Chromium's role in insulin regulation was first proven in the 1970s. We now know that the essential mineral increases insulin binding, increases the number of insulin receptors and also increases insulin effectiveness; all of which lead to improved glucose transport into muscle, fat and liver tissue, and therefore better glucose control.

In fact chromium has been shown to dramatically decrease the need for medication in many diabetics and in some cases eliminate the need for drugs completely Thirteen out of fifteen studies have shown that chromium, usually at levels of 400mcg to 600mcg a day, is remarkably effective - in fact so much so that, if you are diabetic I recommend you monitor your blood sugar carefully and inform your doctor since you may need to reduce your diabetic medication (especially sulfonylurea medication). The answer therefore seems to be to combine a low GL. If you intend to take a low GL diet, I recommend Patrick Holford's Book - The Holford Low GL Diet. It contain the essential information you will need.

Bolaji Alli is the founder and CEO of Holistic Miracles, an international organization committed to empowering the physical well being of humanity. He has spent the last twenty years researching into various areas of alternative healing methods such as herbal medicine, nutrition, detoxification etc. He is also a distributor for Tianshi products.