Symptoms of diabetes include excessive hunger and thirst, frequent and copious urination and weight fluctuations: Type 1 generally causes weight loss, and Type 2 is associated with weight gain. Watch for cuts and bruises that are slow to heal, and tingling or numbness in your hands and feet. Extreme lack of energy, itchy skin and blurred vision are also involved. Recurring bladder and vaginal yeast infections may also be present. Skin tags that grow on the neck, face, armpit, groin and the folds under the breasts are also a sign of diabetes. Sixty percent of those with skin tags have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is an insidious condition, with symptoms appearing so gradually that they often go unnoticed.

Type 1 diabetes results from damage to the cells in the pancreas responsible for insulin production as a result of a virus, infection or other immune system destruction. It is also possible that an allergy to the albumin in milk promotes destruction of the insulin-producing cells. Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed their children, as clinical research shows that breastfed infants do not develop Type 1 diabetes as often as those on milk-based formulas. Researchers have found that the introduction of gluten-containing foods before the age of 6 months may also increase the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes in childhood.

A growing body of research has found a connection between diet and lifestyle and the development of Type 2 diabetes. The Western diet of high sugar and high fat, coupled with a lack of fruits, vegetables and fiber leaves many people undernourished and overweight. Insulin is the main hormone that contributes to our weight problem. The standard, high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet is disrupting our bodies’ ability to regulate blood sugar adequately. When we are pumping out too much insulin in order to reduce abnormally high blood glucose, we inevitably gain weight and become fat, and our cells become resistant to insulin and weight loss. Everyone who is overweight has insulin resistance, and this resistance puts them at a higher risk for diabetes as well as heart disease. Those with an apple-shape or “beer belly,” with excess weight around the middle, are at serious risk of disease. In North America, one in four children between the ages of two and five are obese. Over 60 percent of the adult population is overweight, and 15 to 30 percent are considered obese.

• Take 1-2 tbsp of ground flax seed; slows the absorption of carbohydrates

  Decreases total cholesterol and triglycerides and blood sugar levels

• Vitamin C (buffered with mineral ascorbates 1000-2000 mg daily in divided doses prevents vitamin C deficiency and reduces sorbitol and aldose reductase (an enzyme that causes many diabetic complications). High sorbitol can damage sensitive tissues in the eyes causing retinopathies. Vitamin C protects against retinopathy. Research published in the Journal of Epidemiology 2002 found that by taking a vitamin and mineral supplement, the risk of developing diabetes was reduced by 30 percent in men and 16 percent in women. Basic nutrients are the foundation on which you will build your personalized anti-diabetes program.
• Avoid all processed foods. Processed foods (containing sugars and trans-fatty acids) and refined carbohydrates take only a few minutes to cause a rapid increase in blood sugar and a corresponding release of insulin. A complex or non-refined carbohydrate can take hours to convert to glucose. Hence the reason this book recommends “good carbohydrates” only. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that women eating a diet high in trans-fatty acids have an increased risk of developing diabetes.
• In addition to avoiding white foods, attention should be paid to the level of dietary fiber in the diet. Up to 40 grams of fiber should be eaten daily by those with diabetes.
• To increase your intake of EPA and DHA, add regular servings of fish such as salmon, herring or mackerel. Eat only good fats and eliminate trans-fatty acids from your diet (found in processed foods). When saturated fats (the bad ones) are replaced with essential fats from flax, fish, borage, evening primrose, olives, avocados, nuts and seeds, insulin levels normalize or decrease.
• Eliminate artificial sweeteners (aspartame, Sweet’N Low, sucralose) and use stevia (containing no sugars and having zero calories). Stevia has been shown to have a positive effect on the pancreas. Xylitol (which has been researched to prevent periodontal disease) is another sweetening option for those with diabetes.
• Avoid alcohol and cigarettes. Alcohol is high in sugars. Cigarette smoking increases insulin resistance and high circulating blood insulin levels.
• Eat small amounts of protein throughout the day. Protein, when eaten in small amounts, inhibits the rise of glucose and stimulates glucagon to release stored carbohydrates in the liver. But too much protein has been shown to increase insulin, especially when consumed with certain types of carbohydrates. When simple, refined carbohydrates are combined with too much protein – for example, the burger with the white bun – insulin increases. Consume good protein sources with excellent carbohydrate sources low on the glycemic index, while adding good fats and avoiding sugars.
• Avoid or greatly reduce processed meats such as hot dogs and bologna. Research has shown that eating processed meats five or more times per week is a risk factor for developing diabetes.
• Walking as little as 30 minutes per day can dramatically reduce the side effects associated with diabetes while aiding the return of normal blood glucose and insulin regulation. Losing as little as two to fourteen percent of excess body fat has been shown to reduce triglycerides and high cholesterol as well as normalize fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin.
• Have your doctor check for hypothyroidism or do the Barnes Basal Body Temperature Test to determine if you have functional hypothyroidism.