Natural Treatments For Type 2 Diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes is a forever ongoing chronic illnesses that continues to grow in society today. The easily available junk food at a low cost, the younger generation being born into a world of social media sitting playing on the latest iPhone, and the pure lack of education surrounding nutrition has created a sedentary, unhealthy population.
Eating too much of the wrong foods, taking on too much emotional stress in our fast paced world, lack of sleep, consumption of toxins and of course genetics, are all the main drivers of type 2 diabetes. But they are all things you can overcome by small dietary and lifestyle changes.
When it comes to type 2 diabetes, the majority of people are more drawn towards the natural medicine route to allow their body to make physiological changes and improve their condition.
What exactly are the foods which are going to cause type 2 diabetes?
Junk food - you might want to rethink that takeaway just because it’s time efficient and ‘convenient’ because that sure will wreak havoc on your internal health.
Sugar - step away from the cakes, pastries, brownies, sweets, chocolate, you name it, the list goes on!
Processed foods - surprisingly those ‘300kcal’s’ microwave meals that look so enticing on the supermarket shelf are packed with additives and sugar and aren’t as health as what you think they are.
Sugary beverages - these drinks are loaded with fructose which is closely linked with diabetes and insulin resistance, which will cause weight gain.
Trans fats - found in margarines, peanut butter, spreads, crackers etc. These are unsaturated fats which have been chemically altered to increase stability.
Too much white bread, pasta and rice - over consumption of carbs will increase blood sugar response if not burn off, but these foods also have an extremely low fibre content.
Along side the poor dietary choices, there are also a lot of lifestyle factors which will contribute to type 2 diabetes. These lifestyle factors include:
Sedentary lifestyle - not moving and increasing your heart rate for a minimum of 30 minutes per day will significantly increase your risk of diabetes.
Lack of sleep - sleep deprivation over a prolonged period of time will eventually affect your blood glucose levels. You may also find you’re more drawn to sugary foods and drinks to get you through the day.
High levels of stress - leading a stressful life will drive your stress hormone (cortisol) up, which will affect your insulin and again your blood glucose levels.
Below are a few natural remedies which you can add into your daily routine to prevent and improve your blood glucose levels from rising:
Cinnamon - Cinnamon can be sprinkled over yogurt, oats, added to hot drinks etc. It’s a powerful spice in reducing blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Apple cider vinegar - Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits, but when it comes to diabetes, taking 2 tablespoons before bedtime can reduce your morning fasting blood sugar levels. You may even want to add a little into your salad dressing to wreak the benefits.
Fibre - pack your meals with fibre. Your daily consumption should be 30g. The best way to do so if make sure each and every meal has a good amount of veggies in. If not, psylium husk is always a good supplement to go for.
Chromium - A deficiency in chromium impairs the metabolism of glucose. Chromium has been shown to lower blood sugar and A1c levels. (If you suffer from kidney disease, be careful with supplementing this).
Zinc - Zinc is another supplement which has been shown to lower blood sugar and A1c levels. Not only this, but it also has an antioxidant affect and can help some other complications related to diabetes.
Berberine - Berberine a herb which is great for reducing blood sugar and A1c. This however should not be supplemented whilst pregnant.
In terms of lifestyle factors, here are a few starting pointers:
Make sure you hit a minimum of 10k steps per day at a brisk pace. Wear a fitness tracking watch or carry your phone in your pocket. If 10k sounds a lot, break your day up into morning, lunch and dinner and split your steps into mini walks.
Reduce your stress levels. Look at where you can alleviate stress and take small daily steps to create change. Read a book, meditate, talk a walk, do an activity or something you enjoy!
You want to average between 7-8 hours sleep per night. If this means going to bed earlier in the evening and skipping that next episode of your favourite series on Netflix, then do it. Turn off your blue light on your devices, read a book before getting into bed, meditate, and maybe even think about supplements to improve your sleep quality.
