Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot adequately process insulin and regulate blood sugars. Although many factors play into determining whether an individual develops type 2 diabetes, the standard American diet, which is loaded with processed foods and refined sugars, definitely plays a major role in the epidemic of type 2 diabetes we see in the United States today.
Anyone who consumes such a heavily processed diet will eventually find that their body can’t keep up with the amount of sugar and carbs they throw at it. At the point where they’re diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, most people start a regimen of diabetic medications to try to manage their blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, this does little to address the lifestyle factors that contribute to the illness. More importantly, it will only continue to aggravate the condition over time, even with prescription intervention.
If you’re ready to start reversing your type 2 diabetes, you’ll need to:
- Stop overloading your system with sugar
- Start burning off excess sugar and fat
- Learn how to balance your system through fasting and supplementation
Change Your Diet
We all know that sugar comes from candy, ice cream, cookies, sodas, and other sugary snacks, drinks, and desserts. And most of us understand we’re supposed consume such treats in moderation. But perhaps what some of us don’t realize is that the foods most dangerous to our health fall outside of this category. I’m referring to highly processed, refined carbohydrates. Products such as white rice and anything made with refined, bleached white flour are equally likely to spike blood sugar levels and cause weight gain. All starchy foods break down into glucose, so if you’re trying to stop the sugar overload, you have to cut more than just sugary foods.
As Maria Atwood explains in her blog post “Forgetfulness: Are You Afraid You’re Losing It”:
“The brain requires glucose safely derived from healthy fats, not straight doses of simple carbohydrates like refined white sugar. White sugar and its allies destroy pancreatic cells, the very cells needed for producing potent insulin. Refined sources of sugar and even too much whole sugar, coupled with a diet lacking whole proteins and healthy fats, will eventually cause what is called insulin resistance, which does not allow the glucose to nourish the brain. Insulin resistance often leads to diabetes.”
Feel the Burn
Without exercise, you’re not likely to succeed in reversing your type 2 diabetes. The good news is that a little goes a long way. Exercise improves your blood sugar control and decreases body fat. This increases your body’s sensitivity to insulin and lowers insulin resistance. Better yet, just 30 minutes of moderate exercise such as walking can do the trick, and it doesn’t even have to be 30 consecutive minutes. You can break your exercise into three 10-minute chunks and still receive the same great health benefits.
Fasting and Supplementing
Although most medical professionals advise diabetics to space their meals and snacks evenly throughout the day to maintain blood sugar levels, research shows that conscientious fasting could be more beneficial because it improves insulin sensitivity. If you’re a type 2 diabetic, one of your goals should be to restore a natural lifestyle. That includes eating more whole foods and getting adequate exercise, the way our ancestors did. Fasting is a natural process, and short periods of time without food is both healthy and completely manageable.
It’s also important for diabetics to supplement their diet to compensate for nutritional deficiencies. Be sure to include a high-quality omega-3 supplement, vitamin D, and a probiotic to promote gut health. Standard Process makes all of these supplements in exceptionally high-quality whole-food concentrate forms.
If you want to take the strain off your body, allow it to start healing itself and creating the potential to reverse type 2 diabetes. Just remember that it all begins with addressing lifestyle factors.
Image from Pixabay.
alternative health | holistic nutrition