Diabetes

Diabetes and Dysglycemia

All types of diabetes are responsive to naturopathic treatment, as is dysglycemia, also known as abnormal glucose levels. Treatment is approached from several different angles including diet, exercise and botanical (herbal) therapy. Since stress plays a big role in many cases of type 2 diabetes and dysglycemia, Dr. Deisering may prescribe hormone and nutrient supplementation to help the body deal with stress more effectively. Stress management techniques may also be employed for long-term healing.

More Information

Diet, blood sugar and insulin are hot topics in a lot of medical journals these days. It has always been thought that insulin’s only role in the body was to shuttle sugar into cells to that it could be used for energy. Now it look like it is also key in cell-cell communication. NEED MORE HERE

Many hormones that we wouldn’t normally consider are involved in blood sugar control. Thyroid hormone, growth hormone, testosterone, estrogen and cortisol (the stress hormone) and several others play a role in normal blood sugar levels. As such, normal blood sugar control is dependent upon not only good nutrition but good overall health, including healthy liver function, healthy thyroid function and effective ways of dealing with stress.

Blood sugar dysregulation is not typically diagnosed until it has progressed to type 2 diabetes. There does seem to be a pre-diabetic stage that if caught early enough can prevent the onset of diabetes. The most effective intervention is restriction of refined carbohydrates, exercise (which sensitizes tissue to insulin) and treating the associated stress. Cortisol, a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland is considered one of the markers of the stress response. Finding appropriate outlets for stress and using botanical medicines to bring cortisol levels down and balance the rest of the body are important for treatment.

Chronic health problems associated with abnormal blood sugar levels include hypertension, sleep apnea, obesity, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, cardiovascular disease and lipid disorders. The good news is that stabilizing blood sugar long-term can make dramatic improvements in these conditions and go a long way to restore health and vitality. Overcoming such health problems can be an extremely rewarding experience.