Diminishing Diabetes Takes Determination

by Dr. Brett L. Lukert, DC

Diminishing the prevalence of diabetes may seem unrealistic since it affects more than 20 million Americans and costs our country more than 130 billion dollars annually. It is easy to be apathetic toward this disease, especially since it continues to grow at such a seemingly irreversible rate. Having the attitude that there is nothing we can do, however, is one of the main reasons our country is as unhealthy as it is. This disease, like so many others, can, and will be dramatically reduced once we decide to make a consistent, disciplined effort to living healthier. Tackling diabetes starts with understanding what it is and realizing (and believing) that we can do something about it.

Anyone who thinks we should just pack it in and give up when the going gets tough should take inspiration from a man named Steven Redgrave. He developed diabetes at the age of 35 after having won gold medals in rowing at four consecutive Olympic games. After his diagnosis, instead of retiring, he was determined to continue training and competing. He went on to win a fifth gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Like any challenge that comes our way, we can either let it get the best of us, or we can get the best of it.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not properly manufacture or utilize the hormone insulin. Insulin is responsible for converting sugar in the blood into usable energy by the cells, which can then be used as fuel by the body. If insulin is not being used properly, blood glucose levels will increase. This is called hyperglycemia. Over time, high blood glucose can lead to severe diabetic problems such as heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), kidney damage (nephropathy), and nerve damage (neuropathy). Diabetes is related to genetic and lifestyle factors, and although it can be diagnosed in children, more than 90 percent of those affected are adults.

Since 80 percent of people with diabetes are obese, it is not hard to understand why inactivity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are also common risk factors. These are the areas that we want to target and decide to do something about. It has been shown that controlling blood pressure and cholesterol can reduce cardiovascular symptoms in people with diabetes by 50 percent.

Developing and managing a proper exercise and nutritional plan based on each individual’s health history is the cornerstone to improving diabetic symptoms naturally. However, before any major lifestyle changes are made, anyone currently diagnosed with diabetes, or think they might be, should first be screened by their medical doctor to make sure these changes are appropriate for them.

In general, a diabetic adult should start with 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking briskly) 4-5 days a week. Nutritional changes should include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, beans, fish, and lean meats. This is a good starting point and can lay the foundation for more specific lifestyle changes, which will help us reach our ideal weight. This, in turn, will help decrease blood pressure, decrease cholesterol and help regulate proper blood glucose levels. Let’s decide to do something about diabetes, and do what we can to be healthy, live healthy and stay healthy!