According to the World Health Organization, over 346 million people worldwide are now diagnosed as diabetic, a figure researchers didn’t expect to reach until 2030. The number of cases has doubled since 2005, and diabetes currently stands as the seventh leading cause of all disease-related fatalities.
The Silent Epidemic
November 14th will mark the 21st annual World Diabetes Day, first introduced in 1991 as a response to the alarming rise of this affliction throughout the world. This year organizers are focusing exclusively on effective education and prevention, a perfect theme considering the increasing statistics on diabetes.
In the United States, an estimated 26 million people are affected, and 7 million of these individuals are not yet aware of their status. This is because the disease is very subtle—it is often called “The Silent Epidemic”—and often begins merely with minor increases in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Physiology of Diabetes
Insulin is the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar, and becoming unresponsive to insulin—one precursor to diabetes—is believed to be caused by chronically elevated levels of blood sugar as a response to stress, and a result of excess sugar and simple carbohydrates in the diet.
Over time, the body’s cells become unresponsive to insulin, and greater amounts must be released to reestablish normal sugar levels—this is known as becoming insulin resistant. Left unchecked, this imbalance becomes cyclical and increases until the body can no longer produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels at all—this is the disease of diabetes.
Because of this close relationship between blood sugar and insulin, diabetics are also at high risk for hyperinsulinemia—chronically elevated levels of insulin that can inflict similar damage to health as unregulated blood sugar. Both can raise triglycerides and other blood lipid levels, and be accompanied by obesity, metabolic syndrome, impaired kidney function, heart disease and stroke.
Prevention is Possible
Fortunately, blood sugar management also amounts to insulin management, and diabetes is one of the few diseases that can be effectively prevented—and in some cases, even overcome—through appropriate lifestyle choices. Used in combination, the elements below can provide an effective first line of defense against diabetes.
A key component is regular exercise, and all forms of exercise have proven effective for maintaining consistent blood sugar levels. Alternating between sessions of aerobic exercise and strength training, so that exercise is performed over the majority of the week, is the most common approach. For those who actually have diabetes, exercise frequency is of the highest importance, and it is recommended to engage in some form of physical activity (such as walking) every day.
Eating patterns also contribute enormously to blood sugar management, and the fact of the matter is that there are more foods available that will help regulate blood sugar than send it spiraling out of control. The well-known glycemic index, developed in 1981 specifically for diabetic patients, has since become a foundational reference in many popular nutrition programs. Making foods that fall on the lower end of this scale the basis of weekly eating, while also minimizing the intake of sugar and other high-GI carbohydrates, keeps both blood sugar and insulin in check.
For truly comprehensive nutritional support, there are a number of specific nutrients that have proven effective for blood sugar management:
Chromium—this metal, available in various forms, is regarded by some experts as every bit as important as iron in human nutrition because of the benefits it offers for blood sugar management.
nutraMetrix Isochrome provides nutrients that help support healthy blood sugar maintenance. The key ingredients included in Isochrome assist in the body's production of energy. Isotonix Isochrome provides a powerful dose of chromium, which has been shown to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and healthy levels of blood cholesterol http://bit.ly/12K2iDL
TLS CORE Fat & Carb Inhibitor inhibits the amount of starchy carbohydrates being absorbed by the body. These carbohydrates can elevate blood sugar levels, increasing insulin. This can cause the body to store additional fat, triggering leptin, causing you to eat and over-consume. Finally, TLS CORE Fat & Carb Inhibitor helps to stop the body from converting excess carbohydrates into fat http://bit.ly/SVCKR5
Fiber—certain forms of fiber, such as inulin and glucomannan, have proven effective in helping to minimize blood sugar spikes, and the corresponding insulin surge that occurs afterward.
NutriClean® Advanced Fiber Powder delivers top quality soluble fiber, with beneficial probiotics, which promotes the growth of good bacteria in the colon, keeping things in balance in terms of microorganisms. Because it is not broken down by the body, fiber has no effect on blood glucose levels because it isn't digested. So, fiber is a good thing for people with diabetes. http://bit.ly/Rgp3st
Gymnema sylvestre—in its native India, this plant is known as gurmar (“destroyer of sugar”), and this concentrated extract has become well-known as a metabolic mitigator of blood sugar levels.
Vanadium—although recognized as an essential mineral, there is no established RDA for vanadium as of now. Nevertheless, it has demonstrated positive preliminary results for potentially offsetting conditions associated with diabetes.
Gymnema sylvestre—in its native India, this plant is known as gurmar (“destroyer of sugar”), and this concentrated extract has become well-known as a metabolic mitigator of blood sugar levels.
Vanadium—although recognized as an essential mineral, there is no established RDA for vanadium as of now. Nevertheless, it has demonstrated positive preliminary results for potentially offsetting conditions associated with diabetes.
nutraMetrix Advanced Level 90 is a combination of vitamins, trace minerals and herbs including Gymnema sylvestre & Vanadium that help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and promotes optimal uptake and use of blood glucose. It controls cravings for sweets and improves glucose metabolism. http://bit.ly/SDhA8H
Niacinamide—also known as nicotinic acid amide and nicotinamide, this specific form of Niacin (vitamin B3) supports carbohydrate metabolism, and is believed to improve insulin response.
nutraMetrix Isotonix Activated B-Complex delivers metabolically active forms of several vitamins and minerals in isotonic form including Niacinamide, ensuring that your body receives and uses vital nutrients quickly and efficiently. Hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body are supported by B-vitamins, and vitamin B deficiency can lead to fatigue and lethargy. A B-complex vitamin is one component of eight essential B-vitamins that are critical to metabolism at the cellular level.
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In conclusion, while diabetes is routinely referred to as “The Silent Epidemic”, events such as World Diabetes Day are working diligently to sound the alert, and to increase the much-needed sense of urgency in instituting effective intervention practices. By all indications, however, blood-sugar management will still emerge as one of the most effective and most frequently recommended preventative health practices of the early 21st century. Building on the foundational principles listed above is the next logical step, and represents a call to action for everyone involved in the health and nutrition community.
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