I’ve got good news and bad news about diabetes today.

Let’s get the bad of out the way first:  Right now, half of all Americans are either diabetic or knocking on diabetes’ door (known as “pre-diabetic”). 

Between 1990 and 2013, US diabetes rates skyrocketed by 71 percent.  And even diabetes in children rose 30 percent from 2001 to 2009.

And unfortunately, the typical go-to treatments like insulin only address the symptoms—not the cause.

But the good news is in the vast majority of cases, type 2 diabetes can be prevented and even REVERSED!

Here’s how:

Nature’s perfect plan for blood sugar and appetite control 

To understand why type 2 diabetes occurs, it’s important to know the hormonal players involved—insulin and leptin—and how things are supposed to work:

Insulin is secreted by your pancreas after you eat and it tells your cells to absorb excess glucose from your foods that are floating around in your bloodstream. 

Leptin, on the other hand, tells your brain when to eat, how much to eat, and when you are full.

When everything is working according to Nature’s perfect plan, your blood sugar is maintained at a proper level, you eat when your body needs food and you feel full when you’ve had enough.

When things go wrong--meet type 2 diabetes

Most people think type 2 diabetes is a blood sugar problem, but that’s not true.

It is the result of hormonal issues—specifically, insulin resistance and poor leptin signaling.

Insulin resistance occurs when your cells become saturated with glucose and can’t anymore—they start ignoring the insulin as if to say, “We’ve got enough glucose already!  Leave us alone!”

So glucose builds up in your bloodstream…and you know the rest of the story.

Leptin resistance occurs when all that glucose inside of you turns to fat.  Leptin is produced in your fat cells, so the more fat you have, the more leptin you’re cranking out.

Eventually, your brain can get to the point where it doesn’t recognize leptin’s signals anymore—creating constant hunger, overeating, and obesity…then, typically insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes will follow.

Why insulin is not necessarily the answer

Treating insulin resistance with insulin is like dumping water on a saturated sponge and expecting it to absorb more water.

It ain’t gonna happen.

Plus taking insulin does nothing for leptin resistance…so you could STILL have feelings of constant hunger, overeat, send surges of even more glucose in your bloodstream and need even MORE insulin.

And a vicious cycle is created.

Break free—you CAN do it!

The happy ending to this story is that you CAN break free of insulin resistance and poor leptin signaling, and get on a path of much better health without type 2 diabetes in your world!

And I am pleased to tell you how!

First, take care of your diet.  It’s crucial to avoid sugars, sweets, grains and starches as much as possible.  Foods like these create a tremendous influx of glucose into your bloodstream and that’s not something you want to do!  Instead concentrate on proteins, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables (all vegetables except potatoes and corn).

Beef up your body’s supply of omega-3 essential fatty acids.  Omega-3 EFAs provide crucial support to your metabolism including maintaining proper insulin levels. A top-quality fish oil formula can help ensure your body has a proper supply of these vital nutrients.

Support your immune system.  Colds, flu and other infections can send your blood glucose soaring through the roof, and your best protection against illnesses like these is to have a strong and sharp immune system.  When it comes to supporting strong immune health, nothing beats probiotic supplementation. 

Get enough sleep. Studies suggest lacking sleep can raise stress and blood sugar levels, encouraging insulin and leptin resistance.

Get your heart pumping.  Exercise has been shown to help increase insulin sensitivity in your cells, which is exactly what you need to fight and reverse insulin resistance!  Now don’t worry, you don’t have to run a marathon—pick the activity that’s right for you and one that you will enjoy!

Put these measures to work for you and I’m sure you will see a difference in your blood glucose levels.

And when you do, please write and tell me about it.  I want to hear your stories of success!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

The information in our articles are NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and are not intended as medical advice.