The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says it does not know what causes diabetes. However, even though many major players appear to be pro-economic rather than pro-diabetic, the ADA gives a good piece of advice in their publication, that all diabetics need to pay attention to. It says, “The cause of diabetes is not known, but there are things you can do to treat yourself.” - Diabetes A to Z.

What is not stressed enough is the well-documented fact that even though you may already have developed the disease, you can control or remove the symptoms of diabetes to the extent that you have a completely nondiabetic profile, without using medication.

Type 2 diabetes is largely a condition resulting from lifestyle habits AND when we know what factors give rise to the condition, we can reverse those symptoms by removing the conditions that caused them in the first place. But there are 2 great hurdles that we face with this seemingly “simplistic” approach.

The first is that it requires a disciplined and persistent approach to naturally control blood sugars. Our doctors, medical care givers, and the pharmaceutical communities know this all too well.

Secondly, a change of lifestyle can be so powerful that if every diabetic were to successfully control their blood sugars by natural means, it would mean significant loss in revenue to the medical and pharmaceutical communities, and…

That I am not really sure that economics would consider sensible… seriously!

If we Knew the Cause of Type 2 Diabetes…

Okay, so there are tens and hundreds of articles that make it clear that certain key factors such as lack of proper sleep, lack of proper diet, uncontrolled body weight, and lack of regular physical exercise are more significant factors than even heredity that cause the development of adult onset of diabetes.

What if the same effort that is used to get people to educate their children was used to encourage people to care for their bodies What if there were not so much competition and rip-off by the drug companies in selling their drugs What if we weren’t “programmed” to think that a pill is the answer to everything even a bad thought What if we had not gotten accustomed to always have to expect instant correction to a problem that we have taken years to develop

Do you see the problem

Not too long ago, I spoke to a nurse about this situation and she said: “Don’t you believe that we [medical professionals] know that natural intervention, i.e. dietary and lifestyle change could give many patients better and more long-term results We know that, but we also know that most patients are not able to stick with such a program.” She went on to tell me that, that is why doctors have to prescribe synthetic drugs - patients will not adhere to a lifestyle change.

Four Simple Anti-diabetes Things You Can do Now

In dealing with type 2 diabetes, we must simply consider what causes diabetes - and we do know a lot. But what do to make sure we have better health, ESPECIALLY during challenging economic times The time has past for us to be acting carelessly, depending continuously on drug intervention for relief.

Type 2 diabetes is largely a condition resulting from a damaged lifestyle. We can fix that. Here are four key steps that I have used to remain prescription-drug free since 2006, and maintaining an A1c of 5.2. Anyone with type 2 diabetes can do this:

[1] Change to a high fiber, complex carbohydrate, low protein plant-based diet. I know this is contrary to many popular beliefs, but consider that carbohydrates are not the culprit in diabetes, high fat diet is. Most dietary considerations have been formulated to maintain good economic health; a high fiber, complex carb diet is patterned after the way nature provides our food and is better in the long run.

[2] Get regular physical exercise. It does not matter if you are physically challenged. You don’t need to go to a gym of fitness center either. The key is to be consistent in whatever you do. When it comes to exercise, however, the more aggressive and consistent you are the better the results. For example, walk at a brisk pace [don't run!] for 30 - 60 minutes every day, 7 days a week for 8 to 12 weeks and see what that does to your high blood sugar. You will lose your medication! It happened to me.

[3] Rest. There are several studies that link development of symptoms of type 2 diabetes with improper sleeping habits. Today’s lifestyle lend itself to late nights watching television and getting no more than a few hours. The research is showing that 7-8 hours of good sleep promote longevity.

[4] For extra boost, use a supplement that lowers blood sugar. There are hundreds of claims all over, but I can only speak for a couple that I am able to “swear” by. Milagro de la Selva diabetes tea and Diametrix Blood Sugar Support. The good thing about ALL these four suggestions is that their effects go beyond helping in diabetes control - they benefit other conditions and improve overall health WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS.

If you’ve been pondering how you and your family can handle the dreadful diagnosis of having diabetes, please realize that having it does not mean that life is on its downward slope. If the doctors tell you that you have Type 2 diabetes and you worry about the children and their future, you have a variety of viable options to improve the quality of your life.

Have you read the Diabetes Reversal Report? If not, then you should turn on your laptop and do some research. If you want a possible alternative to extensive medications, looking at the said report and reviews will suggest alternative treatments that may suit you. This comprehensive document by Joe Barton tells you that there are natural remedies for your illness. It will require change of habits, particularly with your diet, and basically your overall lifestyle, but this is worth it, especially since it provides some alternatives for the healing process.

You may want to do some additional research and take a look at a Diabetes Reversal Report review in one of those product review sites, before going directly to the product website and checking the products’ complete package. That way you can get a clearer view of the pros and cons.

As with many products, the author of the report does offer a 60 day guarantee, so that may give you more piece of mind if you decide to check it out. And you can always add your own diabetes reversal report review regarding its effectiveness or ill-effects should there be any.

Treating diabetes is a long, tedious process. But being able to utilize different natural healing resources and dietary and exercise changes may be a more effective way to manage the disease than by relying entirely on medications.

Diabetic retinopathy screening intervals of 18 “24 months are not associated with a higher risk for either referable or sight-threatening retinopathy compared with intervals of 12 “18 months, a community-based screening program shows.

To determine whether less frequent screening of patients at low risk for diabetic retinopathy is as effective as annual screening, Max Bachmann (University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK) and colleagues analyzed data from the Central Norfolk Diabetes Retinopathy Screening Service, which screened 20,788 people with diabetes between 1990 and 2006.

The authors looked at associations of referable or sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy with screening interval and frequency of repeated screening. Most patients had Type 2 diabetes, and all were followed up for up to 17 years, with up to 14 screening episodes each.

Registered patients were invited to undergo retinal screening every year, which was carried out using mobile retinal cameras with trained retinal photographers at their general practice.

If there were signs of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy, patients were referred to the hospital eye services for further assessment and treatment if required.

The results, reported in the journal Diabetic Medicine, show that the prevalence of screening-detected sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy decreased by 91%, from 1.7% in 1991 “1993 to 0.16% in 2006.

Of 63,622 screening episodes among 20,788 people, 16,094 (25%) identified any retinopathy, 3136 (4.9%) identified referable retinopathy, and 384 (0.60%) identified sight-threatening retinopathy.

Compared with screening intervals of 12 “18 months, intervals of 19 “24 months were not associated with increased risk for referable retinopathy, but screening intervals of more than 24 months were associated with increased risk, at an odds ratio of 1.56 after adjusting for age, duration and treatment of diabetes, and hypertension treatment and period.

The authors acknowledge, however, that they were unable to adjust for glycemic control and blood pressure, and therefore note that the results should be interpreted with caution.

They add that possible reasons for the decline in sight-threatening retinopathy are improved management of glycemic control and hypertension, and earlier entry of patients into screening programs due to improved detection and referral by GPs.

“Our study suggests that a screening interval of 18 “24 months would be safe, for lower risk patients, but should not be longer than this,” conclude the authors.

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a part of Springer Science+Business Media. © Current Medicine Group Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Reversing diabetes is not nearly as hard as you would think. Don’t give in to despair and assume that just because you have diabetes, the rest of your life will be miserable. This simply isn’t the case, unless you let it be. More than 20 million Americans have diabetes, yet it’s not as if those people stand out as being miserable or sick. Many of them are learning how to change their lifestyle so that they can reverse their diabetes, and all of them could be doing the same. Yes, it will require some lifestyle changes, but it will be totally worth it! Even if you’re only pre-diabetic, you too can benefit from following many of the same steps used to reverse diabetes.

The leading cause of type 2 diabetes is obesity, which comes from the fact that so many of us are prone to overeating and inactivity. It’s easy to understand why, too, with so many entertainment choices available right at your fingertips, and tasty but fattening meals being prepared at every street corner for a price pretty much anyone can afford. Eighty percent of those of us that are overweight will develop diabetes.

But, thankfully, it’s not that hard to reverse diabetes. We’ve been taught, as a culture, that diabetes is a killer and death sentence, but that’s simply not the case. Reversing diabetes does not take a doctor, personal trainer, or any other trained professional. It just takes effort and willpower, which everyone has when they really want to. As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way, and diabetes is no different. If you have the will to reverse your diabetes, it can be done in a safe and effective manner, and it’s not nearly as difficult as you think. Anyone really can reverse diabetes.

Insulin resistance, syndrome X, type 2 diabetes … words that can instill fear into people’s hearts. Is this because you are concerned as to how diabetes will affect the rest of your life? Well that’s fair. Or is it because there is so much confusing information around and you don’t know what to believe? Well here is a starting point:

Firstly, you understand you have high blood sugar levels which occurred because your body no longer responds correctly to insulin. Insulin is unable to enter your cells at the moment and that is where it needs to be to help sugar cross from your bloodstream into your cells.

Secondly, your fasting blood sugar levels were above 126 mg/dl (7 mmol/l). Your oral glucose tolerance test showed levels higher than 200 mg/dl (11 mmol/l). These tests combined with other signs and symptoms, confirmed you have type 2 diabetes.

Thirdly, and one of the most important steps, is to look at your eating plan. This is the main treatment for type 2 diabetes and it is in your control. You can lower your:

• blood sugar levels
• insulin levels
• and your weight

by finding a diet that will work for you, one that takes into account your likes and dislikes. A low-Gi carbohydrate, moderate protein, low fat diet is a really effective way to stabilize your blood sugars almost immediately.

Refined carbohydrates such as bread, spaghetti, macaroni, bagels, cookies, refined grain cereals and white rice cause almost the same rise in blood sugars as a tablespoon of sugar. To keep your blood sugar levels from rising too high:

• reduce sweet foods generally, look for low-sugar alternatives
• always eat fruit and root vegetables with protein so the protein will slow down the absorption of sugar from these foods
• eat plenty of whole grain foods as they release their carbs slowly. They also help to control your appetite
• carbohydrates can also be found in alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, milk, yogurt, sugar, honey, corn syrup and molasses. These are carbs you need to watch out for also

Carbohydrates have by far the greatest impact on your short-term blood sugar levels. Fat plays only a minor role in short term blood sugars and protein takes several hours to show up as a blood sugar. Carbohydrates are the key.

The amount of carbohydrate to have for each meal and/or snack could be discussed with a dietitian who specializes in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The lower your blood sugar level, the less your insulin resistance is aggravated and your insulin level will then not need to rise. High insulin levels prevent fat breakdown … so insulin prevents weight loss also.

There have been some testing done for turmeric for diabetes, but it hasn’t been on humans. At least not yet, because so far all the testing has been done on mice.

We’re not talking about Type 1 diabetes. Turmeric for diabetes studies have all focused on Type 2. So if you’re Type 1, like my husband is, more test have to be done to see if this spice will help you with your disease.

The health benefits come from the curcumin in this spice.

When obese male mice that had previously been fed a high fat diet were given curcumin, they encountered a small but statistically important decrease in body fat percentage and body weight. Yet they hadn’t changed their diet at all.

Female mice that were purposely bred to have lower levels of an appetite regulating hormone leptin, also showed the same data. Both had improved blood sugar levels and glucose tolerance.

In this test all the mice also had decreased levels of inflammation in their livers and their fat tissues. All of these factors combined can indicate a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the disease.

Since these test haven’t been done on humans, we must wait until more studies are done to determine if taking turmeric for diabetes will help people struggling with this disease.

In the mean time turmeric has been shown to have benefits for heart disease, which is a common killer of diabetics, so taking a supplement with this in it certainly won’t harm you, and in fact will help your over all general health.

My husband and I both take a supplement that contains 70 different nutrients our bodies need for optimal health, one of them being curcumin, the helpful part of turmeric. If you’re diabetic you know keeping your body in top shape is very important.

On that note check out my web site where you can find a totally balanced supplement that will nourish your whole body. The same company also carries a product especially for diabetics. Taking them together will be very good for your fight against diabetes, if you have the disease now.

Almost 30 percent of the US population has what is called pre-diabetes. If left unchecked, it will become type 2 diabetes in about ten years or less in most people. Even young people are now being found with pre-diabetes.

Why is this happening at such an alarming rate? Family history is the blame for some of it, but for the most part it is our easy lifestyle and high intake of sugar and processed food. Just fifty years ago our diet was mainly some meat, vegetables, and maybe some type of potatoes.

Just look at any photo of a street load of people taken in the forties or fifties and count the overweight people. Then walk down town and try to count them. You will have to count fast.

Proper nutrition and physical activity can do wonders for the pre-diabetic to prolong the onset of type 2 diabetes and even prevent it altogether. Just losing ten pounds and doing exercises daily cuts the chance of getting diabetes by fifty percent.

As far as a diet for the prevention of diabetes goes, mainly it should include lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit soft drinks, juice, and anything with white flour and sugar. Surprisingly ice cream isn’t that bad. It’s very important to never skip a meal.

Muscle burns calories, so some weight training should be combined with aerobics and stretching for a good workout several times a week. Staying active by getting out of the house for walks etc. are very important. Staying really active will burn fat and keep your outlook better both mentally and physically.

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age and is common in the over 55 age group, an age when most have gained significant weight. This is the main reason type 2 was once known as Adult Onset Diabetes. However, these days diabetes is being diagnosed also in the younger age group, mainly due to the earlier onset of obesity.

Actually there is strong evidence which suggests type 2 diabetes can be prevented in people who are at risk, or in those who are showing early signs.

Those in the high risk category include:

• anyone over the age of 55 years
• anyone over 45 years with a weight problem, and/or high blood pressure
• anyone with a family history of diabetes
• any woman who had high blood sugar levels during pregnancy
• any woman with polycystic ovaries and a weight problem
• anyone from a high-risk ethnic group

Many years before the development of type 2 diabetes, people usually become overweight. This leads to insulin becoming less effective and then your body needs to make more and more insulin to control your blood glucose. After a while, the pancreas can no longer keep up and blood sugar levels start to rise. So maybe being overweight could be considered the first sign.

Early symptoms include:

• extreme tiredness, lack of energy
• needing to urinate more frequently, including during the night time
• passing a lot of urine at a time
• dry mouth and very thirsty
• dry skin
• blurred eyesight
• cuts or bruises that are slow to heal
• gum infections
• thrush, both oral and genital
• erectile dysfunction in men
• difficulty in concentrating
• numbness or tingling in your extremities

You usually have two or more of the above symptoms when your blood sugar levels are high.

Diagnosing what used to be called Adult Onset Diabetes is a simple procedure. Diabetes means high blood sugar and this is what is tested. Usually after you have not eaten for eight hours your blood sugars are tested, often early in the morning. Non diabetics would have a fasting level below 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/l). A value over 126mg/dl (7 mmol/l) would indicate you have type 2 diabetes. Your health care provider may repeat the test to be sure. He will also follow up with an oral glucose tolerance test. A definite diagnosis is made when the glucose level is 200 mg/dl (11mmol/l) or higher two hours after starting this test.

Researchers reveal a novel pleiotropic effect for atorvastatin in patients with Type 2 diabetes, demonstrating an increase in circulating levels of a splice variant of the soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (esRAGE).

The RAGE plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications and atherosclerosis, note Kathryn Tan (University of Hong Kong) and colleagues.

They explain: “Interfering with the activation of RAGE by using a soluble form of the receptor (sRAGE) ameliorates the vascular complications of diabetes in animal models.”

sRAGE levels are modulated by some currently available pharmacological agents including atorvastatin. Tan and her team investigated the effect of the statin on the expression of sRAGE and esRAGE.

The researchers incubated human monocytic leukemia cells (THP-1) with atorvastatin for 24 hours. Levels of sRAGE and esRAGE in the medium were measured by Western immunoblot.

They found that atorvastatin increased the production of both esRAGE and sRAGE by macrophages in vitro.

The effect of atorvastatin on sRAGE in cell culture studies may not directly translate to in vivo settings, the researchers note. They therefore measured serum levels of sRAGE and esRAGE by ELISA at baseline and after 6 months in stored frozen serum samples of Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes who had participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial exploring the cardiovascular effects of atorvastatin.

Atorvastatin significantly increased serum levels of esRAGE, whereas the effect on sRAGE was less marked. There was also a correlation between the increase in serum levels of esRAGE and a reduction in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

The potential benefits of modulating sRAGE for the prevention and treatment of diabetic complications have been demonstrated in animal studies, say the authors.

“Whether modulating sRAGE and/or esRAGE is a potential useful therapeutic approach in human diabetes will have to be evaluated in long-term prospective interventional studies with cardiovascular end-points,” they conclude.

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a part of Springer Science+Business Media. © Current Medicine Group Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Treatment with rosiglitazone has a more favorable impact on arterial stiffness than metformin in people with Type 2 diabetes, a small clinical study suggests.

The research was undertaken by Turkish researchers with the aim of evaluating the long-term impact of two insulin-sensitizing drugs ??” rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinedione, and metformin, a biguanide ??” on markers of diabetic vasculopathy.

In all, 50 drug-naïve patients with Type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to receive rosiglitazone 4 mg/day, metformin 850 mg/day, or no drug therapy. All groups received standard advice on diet and physical activity.

The study lasted 52 weeks. Compared with baseline, patients in the rosiglitazone group showed a significant improvement in small-artery elasticity index, a measure of arterial stiffness. This parameter was unchanged in the other two groups.

Serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 ??” a marker of inflammation ??” fell by 13.5% in the metformin group and by 27.2% in the rosiglitazone group, and both of these changes were significant versus baseline.

Serum levels of another inflammatory marker, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, were unchanged in all three groups over the study period, however.

Commenting on their study, Sinem Kiyici (Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey) and co-authors say that rosiglitazone therapy had a favorable effect on vascular stiffness and inflammation whereas metformin impacted only inflammation. Interestingly, these effects appeared to be independent of glycemic control.

Writing in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, the team concludes: “Since atherosclerotic vascular disease is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus… the effect of antidiabetic agents on arterial stiffness may be suggested when selecting therapy.”

However they add: “The clinical relevance of these data should be validated by additional prospective studies.”

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a part of Springer Science+Business Media. © Current Medicine Group Ltd; 2009

Free abstract