According to statistics released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas, the United States has the highest percentage of diabetes when compared to other developed countries. Roughly eleven percent of the population between the ages of twenty and seventy-nine years has the condition. And these statistics do not include those outside these age parameters. Yet diabetes comes with a variety of health risks and reduces your quality of life. It is no wonder so many are seeking ways to reverse diabetes naturally. But while there are ways to lessen or reverse some types of diabetes, it's not true for all of them.
We always hear that someone either has type-1 diabetes or type-2 diabetes. But technically, there are three types of diabetes, plus what we call prediabetes. Although all of these results from blood sugar irregularities, they have important differences.
Diabetes is either the result of a pancreas that is unable to make insulin in the needed quantities, or when your cells cannot make proper use of the insulin produced by the pancreas.
Prediabetes means you have higher than normal blood sugar levels. But these higher blood sugar levels are not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis. Your body may either have become insulin resistant, or it may have started producing less insulin.
Your chances to reverse diabetes naturally are high when diagnosed with prediabetes.
This type of diabetes, developed during pregnancy, usually goes away once you have given birth. It could, however, cause complications for both the mother and the child. When a mother has gestational diabetes during pregnancy, it does increase both her and her child’s risk of developing type-2 diabetes later on. You may be able to reverse this type of diabetes naturally.
Type-2 diabetes used to be referred to as adult-onset diabetes. Initially associated with poor lifestyle habits that include a poor diet, obesity, and lack of exercise, healthcare practitioners increasingly report this type of diabetes in children.
Type-2 diabetes either results from insulin resistance, or your body’s inability to produce enough insulin to keep up normal blood sugar levels. The majority of people with type-2 diabetes see a delay in their diagnosis because it takes a long time for their body to show any symptoms of the condition. It may be possible to reverse, or at least lessen the severity, of this type of diabetes.
This type of diabetes, often referred to as juvenile diabetes, is frequently diagnosed in childhood. It can, however, be diagnosed at any age. Here, your body cannot produce the insulin it needs to help control blood sugar levels. Type-1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder resulting from your immune system attacking certain cells in your pancreas that produces insulin. Because of this low or non-existent insulin production, your blood sugar levels tend to increase. This could result in the development of life-threatening issues if left uncontrolled.
Although there has been some interesting new research into possible ways to reduce type-1 diabetes, such as a mice study using a fasting-mimicking diet, in general, this condition is considered irreversible.
One often overlooked condition that can play a role in prediabetes and metabolic imbalances that lead to type-2 diabetes is stress. Stress is an ongoing problem in our culture today, and it can cause imbalances in the pancreas and the Bioenergetics circuit of the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response.
Your NEM stress response kicks in when you experience any type of stress. It causes myriad changes throughout your body to help you survive a stressor. But it was designed for short-term use. Persistent stress may keep your NEM stress response on overdrive for extended periods. This requires an ongoing supply of cortisol, the stress hormone from the adrenals, which depletes resources for other key hormones and requires huge amounts of energy. This can ultimately result in many health issues, including obesity, diabetes, and adrenal fatigue.
During a prolonged NEM stress response, your body tries to keep energy levels high to fight a stressor, but eventually, it begins to run out of resources. You may see imbalances occurring in the three organs of your Bioenergetics Circuit: the pancreas, liver, and thyroid. As the key organ associated with energy production, your pancreas controls your insulin levels and produces enzymes that help to break down food. Impaired pancreas health could cause inflammation, blood sugar spikes and crashes, cravings, and fatigue. This may result in the development of health issues that include blood sugar issues.
Common problems relating to an impaired Bioenergetics Circuit also include an imbalance in gut bacteria, leaky gut, sleep disorders, and obesity. And the root cause of these is continued stress, a continuously activated NEM stress response, and the resulting adrenal fatigue.
Some people show no symptoms for a lengthy period, while others show very few. Symptoms often vary according to the type of diabetes. It is usually best to implement measures to reverse diabetes naturally as soon as a diagnosis occurs.
Many women with gestational diabetes show no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they include, amongst others, fatigue, excessive thirst, and/or excessive hunger. You may also need to urinate frequently, while the occurrence of yeast infections is common. Do remember that, while this type of diabetes usually clears up by itself after giving birth, you, as well as your child, are both at risk of developing diabetes later on in life.
Much like in gestational diabetes, those with prediabetes often do not show any symptoms, although darkening of the skin under the armpits, groin area, and neck may occur. Prediabetes is the best time to reverse diabetes naturally.
The symptoms of type-2 diabetes tend to develop gradually. You may notice the following:
You may be able to reverse diabetes naturally if you start making certain changes as soon as possible. However, it is still possible for type-2 diabetes symptoms to recur for the rest of your life. Any changes you make to reverse diabetes naturally would have to become lifelong lifestyle changes.
Type-1 diabetes symptoms are the same as those of type-2 diabetes. Most frequently diagnosed in children and teens, the onset of this type of diabetes, unlike that of type-2 diabetes, tends to be very sudden. Medical research has not yet found a way to reverse diabetes type-1, although maintaining a healthy lifestyle is still important for controlling symptoms.
The following increase your risk of developing type-2 diabetes:
Type-1 diabetes is not considered to be a condition caused by lifestyle factors, but risk factors include:
Type-1 diabetes is usually detected in childhood.
There is much you can do to reverse diabetes naturally if you have prediabetes and, in certain cases, type-2 diabetes. However, diabetes symptoms can return at any time, so it is important to make many of these changes lifelong lifestyle changes.
While you cannot reverse type-1 diabetes naturally, and gestational diabetes usually clears up after giving birth, it is still important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in these cases to help manage your blood sugar.
Inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for diabetes. Regular exercise may help reverse diabetes naturally because it helps control your blood sugar levels by increasing your sensitivity to insulin. It is also great at helping to combat mental health issues. Those with adrenal fatigue and diabetes often find themselves not only experiencing insulin issues but mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
If you are beginning to exercise after a prolonged period of inactivity, please take it slow, especially at first. Begin with light exercises like walking or gentle yoga. You can increase both the length and intensity of your activity as time goes by.
Good exercises to consider include swimming, tai chi, yoga, or Pilates. A brisk walk around the block is also great. The aim is to get your heart rate up without overextending yourself. Do note that if you have advanced adrenal fatigue, overly strenuous exercises could lead to an adrenal crash with serious health consequences. So be sure to start gently and increase the intensity of your exercises slowly and only as you become healthier.
Literature shows that, if you are overweight, losing between five and ten percent of your body weight can help you reverse diabetes naturally. This is especially the case in those with prediabetes or those recently diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. One of the hallmarks of insulin resistance is an increase in tummy fat.
Losing weight usually involves doing exercise and making changes to your diet. If following a strict diet to lose excess weight, you may find it difficult to restrict yourself to three smaller portions of food a day. If this is the case, do consider breaking up your food intake into four to six smaller meals throughout the day. This may leave you feeling less restricted. It can also help stabilize blood sugar.
Your diet probably plays the most significant role in reversing diabetes naturally. First of all, you should avoid a diet high in red meat, processed foods, added fats, refined carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates, and sugar. Instead, concentrate on eating low glycemic index foods.
A low glycemic diet is one where most foods you eat take a long time to break down into glucose. The adrenal fatigue diet also provides adrenal support while helping with blood sugar control. Both diets aim to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels while providing the nutrients needed to heal and help control your weight.
Essentially, weight loss, diet, and exercise tend to result in lower levels of fat in your pancreas and liver. This may help your pancreas release insulin and promote blood sugar control.
Another diet that has helped control blood sugar levels is an intermittent fasting diet, such as the 5:2 diet. This may also help reverse diabetes naturally. This type of diet involves, for example, fasting by eating only once per day twice a week, and eating twice a day on non-fasting days. A study in 2018 found that this type of fasting was safe for those with type-2 diabetes connected to diet. The fasting diet helped control glucose levels and participants also lost weight.
Concentrate on eating complex carbohydrates. These include whole grains, vegetables, and beans. High in fiber, these carbohydrates ensure you stay satiated for longer periods. They also break down slowly, thereby preventing blood sugar spikes. You can eat fruit, but limit your intake to one or two servings a day. You should stay away from dried fruits as they have high sugar content. When eating meat, limit your red meat intake and cut away extra fat. Similarly, when eating chicken, cook it without the skin, as it is high in fat. Fish is a healthy food choice as well.
Many natural supplements may help with blood sugar control when you have diabetes.
This herb may sharply decrease your blood sugar levels after you have eaten. The herb may increase both your insulin levels and your body’s response to insulin. Do take note that it can interfere with the action of certain blood-thinning medications and stimulate your immune response.
Aloe vera may stimulate the production of insulin in your pancreas. The herb may, however, interact with certain medications, especially certain heart medications.
Vitamin D promotes the health of insulin-making cells in your pancreas. Many people have a vitamin D deficiency. This vitamin, however, could interact with certain medications.
Probiotics may help stabilize gut bacteria and promote your body’s ability to digest carbohydrates. Taking probiotics may also have a beneficial effect on your fasting blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon may promote stabilized blood sugar levels and reduce blood sugar spikes after meals. High quantities of certain types of cinnamon may, however, cause liver damage due to the presence of the compound coumarin. Ceylon cinnamon contains a low percentage of this compound. Water-based extracts also don't contain coumarin.
Berberine is the active compound in certain plants and may improve your body’s insulin sensitivity while simultaneously promoting the uptake of sugar into your muscles from your blood. Though generally safe, berberine may cause certain digestive side effects and interact with medications that lower blood sugar and other medications.
Magnesium deficiency commonly occurs in those with type-2 diabetes. It plays a role in your body’s ability to secrete insulin, as well as in how insulin works. This supplement can, however, interact with certain medications.
When considering supplements to reverse diabetes naturally, it is essential to talk to your healthcare provider. Many supplements interact with medications used to manage diabetes and other supplements, potentially increasing your risk for hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and other problems. A doctor is also best able to determine the best dosage and supplements for your body.
Smoking may increase your risk of not only lung cancer or heart disease, but it is also a diabetes and prediabetes risk factor. If you smoke, please quit. If you find it difficult to do so, please consider using patches or gums that help you quit. Many people find relief through acupuncture.
Literature associates sleep apnea with insulin resistance. Symptoms of this condition include sleepiness during the day, choking while sleeping, loud snoring, and a headache upon waking up. The condition sees you stop breathing for short periods while sleeping due to throat muscles relaxing. If you have sleep apnea, please speak to your healthcare provider.
People with diabetes should keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Water helps lower your blood sugar levels as well.
The number of people with diabetes, especially prediabetes and type-2 diabetes, is increasing. In many instances, diabetes is the result of lifestyle factors like lack of exercise, the wrong diet, and obesity. By addressing these three key issues, you may significantly lower your diabetes risk. You may also help reverse diabetes naturally by doing something about the situation at the earliest possible time.
If you want to reverse diabetes naturally, here are a few things you can do.
If you would like to know more about how to reverse diabetes naturally, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1 (626) 571-1234 where we will privately discuss any issues you may have. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
Yes, you can reverse diabetes naturally. But only prediabetes and some cases of type-2 diabetes. Doing so may also provide some much-needed adrenal support. Your healthcare provider should be able to explain more on how to do this and how to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
