Diabetes Herbal Remedies

Television shows that focus on dramatic weight loss frequently highlight someone with Type-2 diabetes. Often after the diabetic has lost weight through a program of exercise, the diabetes appears to have been “cured.” Although it is well known that exercise is healthy, the question is whether or not exercise can really treat diabetes effectively. It turns out that there is a great deal of scientific evidence to suggest that it can.

In the simplest of terms, diabetes is a disease where the body cannot effectively produce or use a hormone known as insulin. Without insulin, the blood sugar increases and carbohydrates and sugars are not used effectively by the body’s cells. Most diabetes treatments focus on controlling blood sugar either by administering insulin directly or through the use medications that change the body’s ability to use insulin.

One of the very best ways to treat diabetes is with exercise. We know that when a patient has diabetes, diet and exercise can significantly change the course of the disease. In fact, studies have shown that after 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or running, a diabetic patient’s insulin sensitivity may increase for up to 48 hours.

This is extremely beneficial for type 2 diabetics. A study published in 2009 clearly demonstrated that 150 minutes of exercise each week dramatically increased insulin sensitivity. This increase in the body’s ability to use the insulin that is already present may mean the difference between taking insulin shots or not for a type 2 diabetic.

Not only can aerobic exercise control diabetes by changing the way the body uses insulin, but it also can help a number of other diabetes related conditions. We know that in all people, exercise can lower cholesterol levels. Hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol is another condition affecting diabetics. We know that the VLDL and LDL (bad cholesterol) is lowered with exercise, while HDL (good cholesterol) is increased.

In addition, walking and other forms of regular aerobic exercise can lower blood pressure. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common complication of diabetes. It has been demonstrated in a number of clinical studies that regular exercise. Typically has the effect of reducing the blood pressure by about 10mm/Hg. Lowering of blood pressure is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of death related to stroke and heart attack.

Morbid obesity is a problem that is also very closely related to type-2 diabetes. Obesity alone is a major risk factor for heart disease. It also leads to insulin resistance, making diabetes harder to manage. When someone with diabetes loses 15 to 20 pounds, the fasting insulin levels can drop by 30 to 50%. Because of this there is much better control of the blood sugar.

Heart attacks and strokes are also common in type 2 diabetic patients. In fact, about 20% of type 2 diabetics already have coronary artery disease by the time they are diagnosed with diabetes. Regular aerobic activity such as walking has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

When we compare two identical people, yet one is diabetic and what is not, the one who is diabetic is actually four times more likely to suffer a heart attack. Thanks to the work of Dr. Kenneth Cooper, we know that aerobic exercise can prolong a person’s life. In 1968, he wrote a book entitled Aerobics. At the time he was widely criticized for his opinions about prolonging life through vigorous exercise. 40 years after Dr. Cooper expressed his theories, they are widely accepted as scientific fact.

More recently, a study published by Stanford University researchers provided encouraging news for all inactive adults. So don’t think you need to be a marathon runner in order to benefit from exercise. Those who are completely sedentary and started a modest exercise program cut their risk of a cardiovascular death nearly in a half. This shows that the greatest benefits of exercise in terms of health and longevity are the easiest to achieve.

Your muscles must have oxygen in order to function. Oxygen is carried to the muscles in the bloodstream. The arteries can become damaged by diabetes. Poor circulation known as peripheral arterial disease can gradually decrease the amount of blood flow to your feet. This is one of the circumstances that can put you at risk for development of gangrene. Gangrene is one of the leading causes of diabetic foot amputations.

One way to combat this problem is with exercise. When you begin to walk, the muscles in your feet and legs start to consume oxygen much faster than when you are sitting still. The body will increase blood flow to the area in order to keep up with the demand. If you are in the process of developing peripheral arterial disease, you will have to develop additional blood vessels in order to keep up with the demand for oxygen caused by exercise. Doctors call this collateral circulation. In essence, you develop backup blood vessels, which can prevent you from having poor circulation. This will only occur if you exercise.

All people that have diabetes are at risk for developing open sores on their feet known as diabetic foot ulcers. These open wounds are the precursors that lead to diabetic foot amputations. Because of this, wound healing is very important. A number of studies have clearly shown that exercise helps dramatically speed wound healing. Wounds that heal faster are much less likely to become infected and lead to an amputation.

When the blood sugar is high, the white blood cells that directly fight infection by eating the bacteria are essentially disabled. By reducing the blood glucose, a diabetic patient can increase the effectiveness of his or her immune system. This can mean the difference between a simple open sore and a diabetic foot infection that leads to an amputation.

The primary goal of treating diabetes is to prevent avoidable long-term complications. With so many positive effects of exercise it is clear that any diabetic patient could benefit from exercise. Although exercise may not cure diabetes, there is no doubt that every diabetic can benefit from a structured walking or exercise program. As with any type of exercise, be sure to consult with your personal physician before starting a new exercise routine.

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Can exercise cure diabetes? This is a question which is often asked by people. Unfortunately, there is no cure for diabetes. There is a way, however, to manage this disease so patients can live a normal life. The key is exercise. Exercise can play a vital role in keeping the disease under control.

Exercise Stabilizes Blood Sugar Levels
During exercise, the muscles absorb glucose for energy. This causes a lowering of the blood glucose (sugar) levels. The reduction of glucose levels creates a natural treatment for diabetes. It is important to note that exercise that is too strenuous may have the opposite affect of increasing blood glucose levels, which can be harmful to diabetics. The key is to find the type of exercise that will work best for the patient and to do this exercise at levels that are not harmful.

Lower Rate of Cardiovascular Disease
Studies have shown that exercise has a positive impact on blood pressure, cholesterol, and glycemia. This significantly reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease, which leads to the death of many diabetic patients. So, although exercise cannot really cure diabetes, it can definitely prevent some life threatening symptoms in diabetic patients.

Weight Loss
Exercise also helps in the reduction of body fat. This is important for individuals that suffer from type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by a reduction in the sensitivity to insulin. Weight loss has a proven effect of increasing insulin sensitivity and improving the efficiency of insulin production in the body. Reversing problems with insulin sensitivity may be as close as we can get with regard to a cure for type 2 diabetes. Many overweight people originally diagnosed with type 2 diabetes no longer experience diabetic symptoms once they shed the excess pounds.

An Improved Sense of Well-Being
The psychological benefits of exercise also have a profound impact on diabetics. The endorphins released by exercise create an improved sense of well-being. This increasingly positive outlook is accompanied by a desire to work toward a better physical, mental, and emotional state. The result is a stronger commitment to engaging in the daily habits that are necessary to gain control over this disease and manage its symptoms. Patients begin to eat better, feel better, look better, and live better. This doesn’t imply that exercise is a cure for diabetes but it definitely illustrates how exercise can have the power to bring about a newer and brighter phase in the patient’s life.

Diabetics Can Benefit from a Variety of Exercises
Exercises that improve cardiovascular health are ideal for diabetic patients. These include walking, swimming, cycling, jogging, roller blading, etc. Walking is recommended more than any other exercise because it is not too strenuous and can be done for a longer duration without exhausting the patient. Strength Training is also great for those suffering from diabetes because it will aid in the burning of fat and building of lean muscle mass, which is necessary for controlling insulin sensitivity. Additionally, yoga, pilates, tai chi, qi gong and other types of mind/body/spirit disciplines will also help tremendously with managing diabetes.

Conclusion
So for anyone posing the question “can exercise cure diabetes?”, it is important to understand that exercise can only help you manage the disease. Nevertheless, management of the disease may lead to the complete elimination of all known symptoms of diabetes. This is as close to a cure as anyone can get. If you suffer from diabetes, you should begin incorporating exercise into your lifestyle as soon as possible. Start by determining which exercise regimen will be the most enjoyable for you, as well as help you to meet your goals in the safest way possible. Be sure to consult a physician before starting any exercise program. Furthermore, monitoring your blood sugar levels before and after exercising is a must. You need to educate yourself on how to determine when it is safe for you to exercise so you do not put yourself in any danger.

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Learning that you have diabetes can be quite scary and even a little alarming. Diabetes means constant monitoring of blood sugar, painful testing many times each day, worries about your health and circulation, and even death if it is not monitored very carefully. However there is good news, a recent study showed that type two diabetes is highly preventable.

Diet and exercise have been recommended by physicians for years as a way to help ward off and even control diabetes. Medical studies have backed this theory up so strongly that one study concluded a year early because of its staggering results.

Eating right means that your body is ingesting less of the fats, preservatives, and other poisons that make work less efficiently. If you are overweight losing a few pounds can also lower your risk of contracting diabetes, and this is important in our modern world where obesity has become very common within children.

It used to be that type two diabetes didn’t occur until later in life, and would haunt the golden years of family and friends as their bodies simply got too old for everything to work properly. As time progresses, however, younger and younger people are contracting diabetes. This problem does not just affect middle aged Americans. Young children whose lifestyle habits are unhealthy are beginning to contract this late-life disease. Do not let it happen to you, and especially not to your children. Diet and exercise now can ensure you a better quality of life for years to come.

Even better is the news that you do not have to reach an ideal body weight to benefit from a healthy lifestyle. There is no need to starve, and no need to be running the treadmill for hours at a time. Studies reveal that a lifestyle change as small as eating healthier and walking for a half an hour a day, five days a week can make a significant difference in your health and lower your risk by up to fifty-eight percent. Older people in the studies actually cut their risk the most, bringing it down to around seventy percent.

Preventing diabetes is such an important step that it is amazing that people are not more careful to take these few simple actions for themselves. Relying on modern medicine will not do the trick. Instead, try taking up a fun sport like biking with friends, going on nature hikes, or swimming, walking the neighborhood or to a local park with your spouse or children after supper. Diet changes do not have to be big either. Use lemon instead of butter to add flavor to vegetables. Drink low fat milk and eat products with lower fat content. Have grilled chicken instead of fried or fast food. Drink more water and less soda.

Talking to your doctor and keeping up with his concerns are important. If you are in a high-risk category for diabetes, try to keep your healthcare provider abreast of how your lifestyle changes are progressing. Being honest with your doctor and getting a diagnosis, if your lifestyle changes came too late could save your life.

It’s not too late for a lifestyle change, even if you have already been diagnosed with type two Diabetes. Take life into your own hands and get out there and experience it fully. Eat healthier and take a little walk every day, and you could find yourself and your whole family on a path to a healthier and longer life.

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Changing your lifestyle is hard, plain and simple. However, if your doctor has told you that you have pre-diabetes, also known as impaired glucose tolerance, the effort it takes to incorporate healthy foods and a little physical activity into your daily routine is well worth it.

A clinical study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases found that losing a mere 5 to 7 percent of your total body weight can significantly reduce the risk of developing full blown type 2 diabetes. The 2002 study found that a group of patients that followed a low-fat, low-calorie diet and exercised moderately for 150 minutes a week reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent.

The connection between weight and type 2 diabetes is undeniable. Obese people are five times more likely to get diabetes than people who maintain a healthy weight. Of the over 21 million people in America with diabetes, 95 percent of the cases are type 2. Other risk factors include heredity and sedentary lifestyle choices.

So, how can you make the changes to your diet and activity levels? Start off slowly. Swap out a salad for an order of french fries. Do without the ranch dressing though. Instead, try using straight balsamic vinegar or another low-calorie alternative. Then, incorporate a 10-minute walk into your daily routine. Whether it is before lunch, after dinner or first thing in the morning, make sure to make the time and effort every day.

Once you adapt to these basic changes, step it up a notch. After about a week, you’ll feel ready to make more challenging changes. Replace candy and sugary beverages with fresh fruit and unsweetened iced tea. Better yet, drink only water for a week. You’ll feel great, and your skin will be positively glowing. Also, extend your walks to 30 minutes for five of the seven days of the week. You’ll be amazed at the health benefits a nice walk will bring. You don’t have to run marathons to be physically fit. Walking burns calories and uses lots of muscle groups without putting lots of strain on your joints. It is ideal for weight loss.

Old habits die hard, but losing your vision or a limb to diabetes is much more difficult than eating a salad and taking walks. Being dependent on insulin and blood sugar testing devices is a difficult way to live. When your blood sugar constantly spikes and drops, it is hard on your body, your personality and the other people around you. You can become irritable, moody, aggressive and even manic. Your good health matters to each and every person that loves you. Your friends and family are counting on you to preserve your own health so you can enjoy many more years to come.

If you are a borderline type 2 diabetic, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life on medication if you learn how to change your lifestyle. It is not easy to do, but a life without needles and pills makes all the salads and aerobics worth the effort.

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Read this article to know what type of Diabetes Exercises are useful and how they benefit.

Diabetes mellitus is a condition or metabolic disorder where the body is in problem of taking glucose from the blood and delivering it to the rest of the body so that it can be used as energy.

Type I diabetes is recognized by the pancreas making too little or almost no insulin.

Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to manage glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin.

It is important for a person who has diabetes to consult with a physician before beginning an exercise program. It is not good for people with diabetes to skip meals at all, but particularly not previous to exercise.

While insulin has many functions in the body, four are mainly vital during or after exercise:

1) Stimulation of glucose uptake into most cells of the body

2) Reserve of glucose release from the liver

3) Inhibition of the discharge of fatty acids from storage depots

4) Facilitation of protein synthesis in the body.

The usual decline in blood insulin during exercise in people without diabetes and in those with Type 2 DM allows the two most important fuels for exercise, carbohydrates and fats, to be mobilized and used by muscle.

Exercise is also known as physical movement and includes anything that gets you moving. Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar level.

So the question is what kind of Diabetes Exercise is suitable for diabetes control.

1. Aerobic exercise –

Aerobic exercise helps increases heart and breathing rate. This makes one breathe more sincerely and also makes the heart effort harder. It is fine to plan for a total of about 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. Some of the examples of aerobic exercises: –

Take a fast walk either outside or on a treadmill

- Cycling

- Dance classes

- Swimming

- Jogging

- Tennis or badminton

2. Strength training –

Strength training, done numerous times a week, helps build strong bones and muscles. It can be done in following way

- You can join a gym to do strength training with weights or the alternative is to lift light weights at home

3. Flexibility exercises –

Flexibility exercises or stretching exercises helps keep joints flexible and also reduces the probability of injury during other activities. Gentle stretching for 10 to 15 minutes helps the body to warm up, as well as get prepared for aerobic activities.

4. Be on the move all through the day –

Being energetic helps burns calories. For this you can do following in daily life:

« Walk instead of driving whenever probable.

« Take the stairs in place of the elevator

« Work in the garden

« Park your car ½ kilometer before the market begin and go market by walking.

Exercise is necessary whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Exercise has the potential for diabetes control by non medical means, reduce the severity of the disease, and significantly reduce the risk of long-term complications. Exercise can mean the dissimilarity between “medical management” and “lifestyle management” of Type 2 diabetes.

Exercise will greatly help an individual with type II diabetes because of its helpful effects on insulin sensitivity. Exercise involving heavy weights may be terrible for people with blood pressure, blood vessel, or eye problems.

Diabetes Exercise, along with good nutrition, helps decrease body fat, which helps control glucose metabolism. Exercise and good nutrition provide real physical payoffs–they are essential to controlling diabetes. Exercise can help prolong your life and get better the quality of your added months and years.

Glucose levels should be tested before, and after exercise (but after 3 to 5 hours). Proper Diabetes Exercise and nutrition are the best forms of avoidance for type II diabetics.

Aerobic exercise increases insulin sensitivity and, along with proper nutrition, helps reinstate normal glucose metabolism by decreasing body fat. Don’t exercise outdoors on very hot or moist days. To avoid dehydration, drink a cup of cold water before and after you exercise. A personal trainer can help to set up a program for the Type 2 diabetic and help them to exercise properly. People with diabetes must use extra care in preparing for exercise plan because they lack insulin (Type 1 DM) or because the insulin they have is defective in its ability to stimulate glucose uptake (Type 2 DM).

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Diabetes means that your blood sugar or glucose is too high. While your body uses glucose for energy, it’s bad for you to have too much sugar or glucose in your blood. When your glucose is balanced you’ll feel better and your risk will be lower for problems with your kidneys, eyes, teeth, nerves, legs and feet. By taking good care of yourself and avoiding diabetes you’ll also lower your risk for a heart attack or a stroke.

Recently there were two articles written about a new method of dealing with diabetes. Both articles were based on present results from large studies to find out whether aggressively lowering blood sugar improves health. Because they were in the “New England Journal of Medicine” they carried a lot of weight as a possible new treatment for diabetes. Unfortunately things are not always as they seem. Let’s take a look at what I’m talking about.

In one study, the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) trial claimed that a 21% less risk of developing kidney disease was due to the aggressive blood sugar treatment.

Unfortunately in the other article, the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Study Group (ACCORD) trial reported that aggressive blood sugar control not only didn’t lower the risk of heart complications from diabetes, but that it also may have raised the risk of death.

I don’t know about you but that doesn’t seem like a very good treatment to me. Luckily one of the most effective ways to help you deal with diabetes is supplied by nature and available to all, but unfortunately its not used enough. The medicinal benefits are greater than many drugs while improving other risks that often are found with diabetes, such as high blood pressure and excess body fat. Other benefits are that it doesn’t costs much and gives your a better quality of life. What is this great benefit? Exercise!

Everybody gets benefit from exercise as long as it’s done right. Mainly this means exercising on a regular basis. Even if its a very moderate activity, its better that trying to do too much when you’re exercising on a sporadic schedule. Every reasonable treatment program for diabetes includes exercise. For exercise to effectively deal with your diabetes a commitment is essential. While the activity doesn’t have to be intense it does have to be on a regular basis.

While your health, time restraints, income, etc. will have a bearing on what type of exercise you engage in, my favorite is walking. This is something almost everyone can do and it’s free. You can set your own pace and while a brisk walk of an hour is probably the best, many people don’t have that much time so substitution and a number of shorter walks will be almost as beneficial. Remember any exercise is better than none.

Some substitutions for a long walk are:

1. Take a series of short walks, 10 minutes here and there add up.

2. If within reason take the stairs instead of elevator.

3. Park your car as far away you can and walk to work or shop.

4. Take a walk on your lunch hour.

5. While at work walk around as much as you can.

Stretching is another good exercise and is a good way to start your day. Even 5 minutes of stretching will be a benefit. You should always stretch before you go walking or engage in any other type of exercise.

Many times a person will start out by walking and then progress on to a more strenuous and perhaps more beneficial exercises. Everyone who can should be on some type of exercise regimen, no matter how short or easy it may be. It will help if you do have diabetes and might prevent your getting it if you don’t. Always check with your doctor before beginning an exercise regiment, especially if it’s strenuous at all.

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If you are diagnosed with diabetes it can be a daunting experience. However, identifying the diabetes is one of the first positive steps. Once you know you have diabetes you can start treating it. This can largely be achieved by implementing changes into your diet and lifestyle.

First, lets look at diet. If you go and see a qualified dietician they can help create a diabetes meal plan for you which will keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels even. This new diet is likely to be different to your previous one and you need to take the following into consideration:

- You will need to avoid refined sugars because they make your glucose levels spike. However, there are plenty of no sugar food varieties available to you.

- You will have to start eating more often during the day to keep your blood sugar levels even.

- You will need to keep an eye on your intake of triglycerides and fats. This can be achieved through a low fat eating plan.

- You will need to increase your intake of complex carbohydrates (wheat, barley and rice) because they are processed at a slower rate than simple carbohydrates (e.g. refined sugars).

- You will need to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to keep your glucose levels even.

- You will need to keep a check on the amount of alcohol you drink. If your diabetes is not fully under control you should avoid alcohol completely. If it is under control then; a diabetic man can safely consume 1-2 alcoholic beverages a day, a diabetic woman can consume 1 alcoholic beverage per day and a diabetic who is 65 or over can consume 1 alcoholic beverage per day.

Modifying your diet is a very effective way to keep your glucose levels even and control your diabetes. However, you may also which to try naturopathy (natural remedies to treat diabetes). If you decide to experiment with a naturopathic approach it is essential you consult your doctor first. If your doctor is OK with it try the following:

- Consume more Fish Oil, Borage Oil and Omega 3 Oil. Studies have shown that fatty acids can help you regulate the metabolism of your faulty fatty acids, reduce cardiovascular complications and help combat diabetes.

- Try hydrotherapy. Water both conducts and absorbs heat so it is a great way to reduce glucose levels.

- Try Massage and Reflexology. A proper massage helps you relax which in turn controls your diabetes.

Hopefully, this article has opened your eyes towards the ways you can manage your diabetes. Changing your diet is an excellent way to manage your condition and naturopathy offers some unique alternatives for you to consider. Whatever you do choose it is important that you consult a qualified diabetes doctor and a trained dietician before you make any extreme changes.

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Regardless if you have diabetes exercise is helpful for all individuals. Even if you have had diabetic complications you can definitely benefit from exercise.

If you have diabetes exercise is important for your heart health as well as weight loss; it will lower your high blood pressure, and, in some cases, improve blood sugar control as well as leading to an overall sense of well-being. If you are pre-diabetic or have risk factors it can even help prevent type 2 diabetes in some people.

Please remember that it’s important to have both enthusiasm and common sense when you are starting an exercise program. If you are diabetic it is important to practice these precautions in order to stay safe and ensure that your exercise program is productive.

Wear well-fitting, protective footwear. Drink plenty of liquids before, during, and after exercise to prevent dehydration, which can upset blood sugar levels.

If you use insulin you should also:

Monitor your blood sugar before, during, and after exercise to determine your body’s typical response to exercise. If you have a reading of 250 mg/dL (13.9 mmol/L) or higher you should wait until your levels are under control before you exercise. Talk with your physician about the possibility of decreasing your insulin dose by about 30 percent during exercise. Choose an insulin injection site away from exercising muscles (for example, avoid the legs if running) Keeping rapidly absorbed carbohydrates on hand (glucose tablets, hard candies, or juice). Eat a snack 15 to 30 minutes before exercise, and again every 30 minutes during exercise. Eat a source of slowly absorbed carbohydrates (dried fruit, fruit jerky, granola bars, or trail mix) immediately after exercise. This should counteract a possible post-exercise drop in your blood sugar levels.

It is important to select an exercise program that is enjoyable to you and can be done comfortably, this will make it easier to stay motivated and stick with a program over time. If you have had a sedentary lifestyle you might find it difficult to start and continue with an exercise program.

If you have diabetic eye complications (proliferative retinopathy) I recommend you avoid high-impact activities and strenuous weight-lifting, which may increase your blood pressure and cause bleeding in the eye. If you have neurologic complications (peripheral neuropathy) it is recommended that you avoid running which may lead to foot ulcers and stress fractures.

Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play The Diabetes Diet Game And Win. With this proven system you to can lower your blood sugar level and retake control of your health and your life.Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit Your Diabetes Cure. http://www.yourdiabetescure.com/Diabetes_Exercise/Diabetes_Exercise.html

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