Large Research Study Shows Strong Link Between Air Pollution and the Rate of Diabetes

Hi Guys,

This was a very well designed study covering the entire United States.  The results show a very strong correlation between the level of air pollution in a given area and the incidence of diabetes. Take a look at the maps in the actual published research paper and you'll see what I mean:

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/10/2196.full

If you just want a quick summary of the results, here's the press release by the hospital involved in the study: 

http://www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom/Site1339/mainpageS1339P1sublevel663.html 

And here is one of the many popular press articles:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/10/diabetes-air-pollution/1

I'll be writing some articles on this soon so stay tuned.

Happy Halloween Everyone! Don't let those ghouls get you.

Maxine

Why I Was Banned From Certain Diabetes Forums - and Why That Matters To You!!

Hi Everyone,

I've been debating whether or not to post this . I don't want to use this blog as a place to just vent because I want my blog to be entirely helpful to other people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and to their loved ones looking for useful practical information. HOWEVER, I think I will vent a little here because I think you all need to know about this because there is so much information out on the net that looks good on the surface but it is actually being spun by those who profit from the diabetes epidemic and/or by those that have bought into their propaganda.

I participate in various forums around the net. It is a great way to connect and learn and a great way to share what you know with people who really need it. HOWEVER, there is an ugly dark side: moderation to the extreme to keep certain information off the net that might cut into the multi-billion dollar diabetes business. In the last few months, I have signed up to participate in two of the largest diabetes forums on the net. However, when I attempted to add to the conversation regarding natural ways to reverse diabetes, and in one case just talking about my own personal experience, I was immediately banned and they refused to even communicate with me about it. I was stunned and I began to look around the net only to discover that this has happened to literally dozens (probably hundreds) of others.

It turns out that anyone that talks about any natural way to prevent and/or reverse diabetes automatically gets banned from these sites. Anyone who even shares a personal story or how they reversed their diabetes naturally gets banned permanently and immediately!!! So, I started taking a closer look at who owns these sites, who runs these sites, and how these sites are funded. Guess what? They are closely connected to the multi-billion dollar diabetes "industry." This includes the pharmaceutical companies, traditional medicine specialists, and certain non-profit organizations that are in their camp as well. They are all profiting from the pharmaceuticals that diabetics have to take the rest of their lives, the ongoing testing, the medical checkups, all the diabetic equipment being sold, and all the various jobs in the medical and non-profit sector. These companies and individuals would not prosper if diabetes was cured naturally or prevented naturally. I know this is a dark topic but if we cure the diabetes epidemic naturally, we put these guys out of business and it is BIG business.

I remember watching a YouTube video of a doctor giving a lecture on how to cure diabetes naturally. He was asked to write an article (for money) in a well-known diabetes magazine. However, it was never published because he refused to do what the editor asked: modify his article so it didn't say that diabetes was curable. He was told by the editor that they couldn't publish an article that said that because the advertisers would never stand for it. (I'll look for that link and edit this post to include a link to that later if I can find it - if anyone reading this knows offhand, please post it here).

So, my main message to my readers is this: be very very wary of any information you read on websites, magazines, brochures, etc that include any advertising from the mainstream medical establishment, especially ads for diabetes pharmaceuticals and diabetes supplies. In my opinion, these sources of information are highly suspect and not in any way balanced. They will not tell you the truth, certainly not the full truth, because their advertisers simply won't stand for it.

Consider the source of all information you receive and please understand why there aren't more people like me out there telling you the truth about how to reverse and prevent type 2 diabetes naturally.

Maxine

P.S. As an important side note: I was recently told by the webmaster of a large diabetes site that she could not link to my blog because she did not believe that diabetes could be reversed. She wouldn't even engage in an informed dialog on the issue. There are pharmaceutical ads and diabetes supply ads on her site.

How Much Sugar Do Americans Consume?

The human race did not evolve to consume so much carb as we currently consume and it's bound to reak havoc with our bodies. Some have called sugar the silent killer. So, I wanted to ask just how much sugar do Americans consume?

Several internet sources claim that the average American consumes more than 150 pounds of sugar per year, some, well actually many, consume much much more! I think the original source for this factoid came from a 2002 report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and of course the sugar association disputes it. When my Grandmother was a little girl, the average American only consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year so things have changed considerably. Oh, the same agency reports that many Americans eat almost double this amount per year! Of course, the Sugar Association, founded by members of the sugar industry, strongly disagrees with these stats.


According to the American Heart Association:

The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day (that's simple sugar, not carbs in general). They say the biggest sources come from soda pop (33%) and candy (16.1%), ...hmmm, what about the high fructose corn syrup I read on the ingredient label of almost every condiment package I pick up these days and the vast majority of processed food packages I read... well, first they say cakes, cookies, and pies contribute 12.9%, sweetened fruit drinks 9.7%, sweetened milk products (like icecream and sweetened yogurt) contribute 8.6%, and sweetened grains like cinnamon and honey-nut waffles another 5.8%. Ok, add all that up and you've got 86.1%. I'm betting this is actually an underestimate because things like condiments often don't get counted. I recently went through a drawer of condiments collected from various fast food restaurants. I threw out about 80% of them because they contained high fructose corn syrup.

Looking at high fructose corn syrup specifically (which I believe is even worse than eating plain white sugar): the average American eats about 98 pounds of this stuff a year. I find it really difficult to avoid because so many products contain it. You basically just have to resolve yourself to not eating processed pre-packaged convenient food. One of my solutions is to cook more quantity when I cook up something really good and freeze individual servings in handy dandy microwaveable containers (yes, I know...microwaves aren't good either....working on that one but having to do this one step at a time).

More on this topic later.

Why You Should Eat WILD Salmon If You Are Diabetic (eat it as often as possible)

 Ok, I know wild salmon is darn expensive but remember food is medicine...if you catch a good sale, toss it in the fridge....or alternately, you could marry a salmon fisherman/woman (just a joke, sort of)

Wild Salmon Can Help Make Your Diabetic Cell Membranes Function Properly Again

You may have heard that omega-3 is good but you may not realize how important it is to the healthy functioning of our cell membranes and why that's important to diabetics. Unlike type 1 diabetics, type 2 diabetics usually produce plenty of insulin. In type 2 diabetics, the problem is really more about improperly functioning cell membranes, i.e. type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant.
When we eat, our food is broken down into glucose. This glucose enters the blood stream and the hormone insulin aids the glucose in transport across the cell membrane. The glucose must get inside the cell to fuel our bodies. If the glucose stays in our blood stream and does not get inside our cells, it doesn't do us any good and it causes type 2 diabetes.
It turns out that in order for our bodies to build healthy cell membranes capable of transporting the glucose across them, we have to have the proper building blocks. Omega-3 is one of the key building blocks to creating a healthy cell membrane. American diets are notoriously low in omega-3. To make matters worse, the American diet consists of lots of artificially manufactured trans fats which are unfortunately added to a wide variety of foods. These trans fats get substituted for the omega-3 in our cell membranes when there isn't enough omega-3 around.
Fish in general is rich in omega-3 but fatty cold water fish like salmon, herring, and sardines have by far the highest concentration of omega-3. For this reason, salmon is one of the healthiest foods a diabetic, or anyone at risk to develop diabetes, can eat.

Diabetics Can Not Convert Vegetarian Sources of Omega-3 Into the Right Type of Omega-3 Efficiently

The omega-3 found in vegetarian sources like flax seed, flax oil, and walnuts is a type of omega-3 called ALA. While humans can convert ALA into the more important types of omega-3 called DHA and EPA, it turns out we do not do so very inefficiently. Females convert it better than males. Young people convert it better than older people.However, the very best humans can do (in a young healthy female) is a 25-30% conversion. And most importantly to those with diabetes, some diabetics can't convert much ALA at all.
If you are diabetic, it is extremely important that you get enough DHA and EPA so your body can build new cell membranes and repair old cell membranes with the right type of omega-3. The right type of omega-3 is not found in vegetarian sources except for certain kinds of algae. If you are an omnivore, your best choice for obtaining omega-3 is salmon or a high quality salmon oil supplement. If you are a strict vegetarian, you need to look into taking an algal supplement that contains DHA and EPA.

Wild Salmon Has Less Mercury and Other Toxins Than Farmed Salmon

This fact was counterintuitive when I first learned about it but it makes sense if you know why. Mercury and other toxins like PCB's become more concentrated as they move up the food chain. This is why top predators are always more susceptible to toxins than those lower on the food chain. The classic example of this is DDT making the egg shells of predatory raptors too thin. Wild salmon eat a much wider variety of food than do farmed salmon, including things lower down on the food chain. Farmed salmon basically just get to eat the feed given to them. It turns out that much of this feed contains fish mill made from salmon so the toxins just become that more concentrated.

I like to skillet poach my salmon and either eat with lots of fresh lemon or a mixture of sour cream, lemon, and dill. Yum! If others have more suggestions, please leave a comment and I will post.

If you want to know the other best foods for diabetics and why...and how these foods can not only control but actually REVERSE (i.e. CURE) your diabetes, please check out the reference guide I review at the top of this page. It's MUST HAVE info for all diabetics and those who are at risk to develop diabetes which is more than half of the American population unfortunately. It also tells you what foods you have to avoid at all costs.

Why Don't Doctors Check Insulin Levels BEFORE They Prescribe Drugs That Raise Insulin?

When someone is first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the doctor bases this diagnosis on blood tests that check to see if they have an abnormally high level of glucose in your blood - i.e. high blood sugar. If their blood sugar is just a little above the normal range, the doctor might just call it "pre-diabetes" or "high blood sugar" but if it's too much above the normal range for blood sugar, they'll call it "diabetes." However, the main point I want to make in this article is that even though doctors test for blood sugar levels, they almost NEVER test for insulin levels! It is possible to test for insulin (it is expensive though) but they are just not trained to do so. I don't know of any way to test for insulin levels at home but I really wish there were.

However, insulin levels can be just as important, if not more important, as blood sugar levels! Many type 2 diabetics that have higher than normal insulin levels experience the dawn phenomenon and almost all of them have a build up of fat in the liver. Some type 2 diabetics have normal levels of insulin but most actually have ELEVATED levels of insulin - this means if you are a type 2 diabetic, it is more probably than not that you have elevated insulin levels. This is because what's causing your type 2 diabetes is NOT low insulin or bad insulin but rather insulin resistance in your cell membranes. So you are producing adequate amounts of insulin, it's traveling to your cell membranes, but it can't get through the cell membrane to do it's job and help glucose enter the cell - instead, the glucose builds up in the bloodstream causing the symptom of "high blood sugar."

Now how does the medical community usually address your type 2 diabetes...

People who have been diagnosed with diabetics are encouraged to check their blood sugar regularly - prick their fingers several times a day and use test strips to check instantaneous blood sugar levels. In fact, the more they check their sugar, the more "cooperative" you are seen to be as a patient - they call you a "compliant" patient. When you go back to the doctor, they almost always prick your finger to check your blood sugar right there in the office plus it has become almost standard to draw blood and do a hemoglobin a1c test to determine what your average blood sugar has been for the last 3-6 months. This test is actually far more accurate than the finger prick method, but again, they are almost never testing for insulin levels even though they've already drawn blood for the hemoglobin a1c test! They literally have no way of knowing whether your insulin levels are normal or high!

Why aren't most doctors ordering tests to check for insulin levels? And... why is this important? Read on...

Approximately 95% of all diabetics are type 2 diabetics. The majority of type 2 diabetics still produce a normal amount of insulin - or a surplus of insulin because their bodies are trying to compensate for their cells being "insulin resistant." I know I'm sort of repeating myself here but this is a really important point.  When this happens your pancreas is working over time producing extra insulin. As the cell membranes become even more resistant, the pancreas works even harder producing even more insulin. Eventually, the pancreas can't produce enough insulin and a more severe level of type 2 diabetes develops that requires the injection of insulin just like type 1 diabetics - sometimes doctors will even call type 2 diabetes type 1 diabetes when it reaches this advanced stage.

So, instead of just a surplus of glucose in their blood, many type 2 diabetics also have a surplus of insulin surging through their circulatory system reaping havoc on all their systems!

And... with this situation going on, what do many medical doctors do? They prescribe oral medications that actually encourage your pancreas to produce even more insulin! This doesn't make any sense to me if you view the bigger picture. While it's usually true that this brings the blood sugar down temporarily, it usually ends up taxing your system so much that these patients have to keep increasing their oral medications and eventually go on insulin.

Wouldn't it be better to treat the underlying CAUSE of diabetes - those damaged cell membranes that are so insulin resistant?!? (that's exactly what we do when we reverse diabetes naturally and why this is a CURE, not just a treatment of symptoms!)

Again, several of the most popular oral medications prescribed by doctors for type 2 diabetics work by stimulating the pancreas to produce MORE insulin. These include the sulfonylureas such as Minodiab (generic: glipizide), glyburide (brand names: Diabeta, Glynase, Micronase), and Amaryl (generic: glimepiride). They also include the meglitinides which include Prandin (repaglinide) and Starlix (nateglinide).

Now, I'm not a doctor, but I've got to ask the following important questions:

1. If you are a type 2 diabetic and you are already producing a normal amount of insulin or even a surplus of insulin, why would your doctor prescribe a medication that will actually raise your insulin levels even more - especially when higher than normal insulin levels can damage your body?

2. Why don't most doctors check your insulin level BEFORE they prescribe your type 2 diabetes medication(s)? Shouldn't they know what your insulin levels are BEFORE they prescribe your diabetes medications since many of these drugs stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin when this is not really what you need and is going to be really hard on your pancreas and "burn out" your beta cells?

Elevated levels of insulin are detrimental to the human body. Your system can become so taxed, it basically wears out the cells in the pancreas that produce the insulin and causes your diabetes to progress to a more serious state over time.

I encourage everyone reading this to discuss with their doctor the possibility of ordering an insulin test. If they won't or even if they are hesitant to do so, you may want to shop for a different doctor.

I mentioned above that the natural way we reverse diabetes actually addresses the underlying cause of diabetes - those insulin resistant damaged cell membranes. We work on healing the cell membranes and also on make sure we don't cause undue damage to them again. Much progress can be made in just 3-6 months (this was my personal experience as well - after I QUIT taking medication that caused my pancreas to produce so much insulin I was getting the shakes due to LOW blood sugar and roller coaster highs too) and eventually all your cells will either be replaced by cells with healthy non-insulin-resistant cell membranes or repaired to completely normal functioning. Take a look at this comprehensive guide that shows you how to do this.

Type 2 Diabetes Did Not Exist Before the 1920's - This is a Well-documented Fact

I know it will be hard for you to believe but type 2 diabetes did not exist before 1920. It wasn't fully documented in writing until 1933. I want you to think about what this means. Type 2 diabetes, a disease that is predicted to plague more than 1/3 of the American population by 2050 is LESS THAN 100 years old! People in the 1800's did NOT have type 2 diabetes. People at the turn of the last century did NOT have type 2 diabetes. I don't think this has sunk into the medical community's psyche and the general American population seems oblivious to this well documented fact.

WHY?

Why is no one talking about the fact that type 2 diabetes did not exist 100 years ago and now is rising faster than almost any disease we've ever studied. And.. remember that type 2 diabetes is really part of a larger metabolic syndrome and leads to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, eye disease, damaged nerves and damaged tissues, and an acutely weakened immune system!

Again, why? Why doesn't this story appear on the front page of every major newspaper in the world? Why isn't CNN, FOX news, and cNBC reporting on this daily with panels of experts?

Type 2 diabetes doesn't kill you immediately but it does kill you slowly and the lifespan of those who have it is significantly reduced as well! The quality of life is much lower in most cases.

When doctors first started seeing what we now call "type 2 diabetes" they had no idea what it was. At first, it was so rare it was a medical curiosity. However, this changed very rapidly and there was great buzz about this puzzling disease at medical conferences. If you thoroughly search the old literature, you can find this but it is carefully hidden away from easy access (I should write an article on this as well).

This incidence of this new modern disease rose exponentially during the late 1920s and 1930s, and as it did, doctors became even more baffled. Remember that type 1 diabetes did exist but even though the name is similar now, the underlying causes of the disease are VERY different. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are not the same diseases at all. The names being so similar does confuse things quite a bit.

Let's look at the history of how all this came to be:

In the late 1800s scientists discovered that removing the pancreas from a dog made its blood sugar skyrocket uncontrollably. Thus, scientists knew something was produced by the pancreas that controlled blood sugar. However, it wasn't until 1922 that scientists found a way to isolate insulin from the pancreas of animals and inject it into people who had type 1 diabetes. After a 14 year girl's life was saved by injecting insulin, it was hailed as a medical miracle. In short order, injecting insulin into patients with type 1 diabetes became the standard medical treatment. It worked very well for a while but then along came a totally new seemingly related disease. It was similar in some ways but totally different in other ways.

In the mid to late 1920's, a real medical mystery started developing. Patients were showing up with high blood sugar that didn't respond to insulin in the same way as a type 1 diabetic. These patients were assumed to be diabetics because the way doctors diagnosed this was to test for sugar in the urine that "spilled out" from the blood. If the sugar was high, they were considered to be diabetics and automatically they were immediately put on insulin injections.

This procedure had worked so well on those who had high blood sugar for about a decade that doctors were really mystified when it suddently stopped working!!

It was a head scratcher for sure. At first, there were just a few cases but then the incidence of these mysterious cases of high blood sugar cases not responding to insulin grew exponentially, and by the middle of the 1930's, it was a major topic of discussion in the medical community. No one understood it but some doctors were already figuring out how to treat it successfully with diet. Note, changes in diet did NOT work with the type 1 patients, only with these new type 2 patients. BUT... remember that all patients who had high blood sugar were then simply called "diabetics" and the disease was called "diabetes" with no type 1 or type 2 as a prefix. This is because they did not fully understand at that time they were dealing with a totally different disease that just happen to have the same symptom: high blood sugar.

In the 1950s, a technique was discovered that allowed insulin levels to be measured. It was discovered that type 2 diabetes, a disease that was now running rampant, was associated with normal or even elevated levels of insulin. This was very different from type 1 diabetics whose bodies could produce little to no insulin.

To emphasize:

Type 1 diabetics: produce NO insulin or very little insulin

Type 2 diabetics: often produce TOO MUCH insulin or produce normal amounts of insulin

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes produce the same symptom of high blood sugar but they are obviously very different!

To recap, in type 1 diabetics, blood sugar was high but insulin levels were low. In type 2 diabetics, blood sugar was also high but insulin levels were either normal or elevated. Moreover, type 2 diabetics did not respond to insulin injections.

By the 1930s, type 2 diabetes had grown 1000%!!

In fact, by the middle of the 1930s, the new type 2 diabetes cases already outnumbered traditional type 1 diabetes. Today, type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 95% of all diabetes cases in the United States.

95 out of 100 diabetics are type 2 today. However, 100 years ago type 2 diabetes did NOT exist.

This is alarming!

What's more alarming is that no one seems to be talking about it!!! Wake up news media... where are you on this issue (hint to my readers: advertising dollars! and handsomely lobbyists who strong arm our politicians making the rules).

Keep this amazing and little known fact in mind:

Type 2 diabetes was a completely NEW disease in the 1920s (less than 100 years ago!).

To me, this fact is astounding. I think this news media should be shouting this from the rooftops and reporting this fact on every news channel.

There must be some reason that type 2 diabetes suddenly appeared in the 1920s and so rapidly escalated in the general American population, right? Diseases don't just appear out of no where with no cause, right?

Here's a big clue: type 2 diabetes appeared at about the same time in some developed countries but was delayed in others by differing amounts of time. Hmmmm.... why?

What caused this mysterious new disease that is so crippling America and other industrialized nations today?

The answer is this type 2 diabetes mystery is widespread introduction of poisonous food into the food supply!

 In the 1920s, hydrogenated oils and fats (trans fat) began to be sold in industrialized nations (well, most of them). Trans fat is an ARTIFICIAL food and not found in nature in a way that human beings would eat it. We now know that trans fat damages cell membranes and causes type 2 diabetes (insulin resistance). The vast majority of type 2 diabetes patients will never hear anything about this though, not even from their doctor!! Very sad. Money does evil things in this world and this is one of them.

Early marketing efforts of this "new and improved" hydrogenated oil totally failed. Products like Crisco (hydrogenated dirt cheap vegetable oil) was not accepted at first. However, given that the Great Depression hit everyone hard, the lower cost eventually made it more acceptable to people who were so strapped for money they were struggling for their very survival. Then, it evenually fully accepted with World War 2 escalated and the Americans go involved. Real butter was rationed so those on the home front were looking for alternatives and that's when margarine (another hydrogenated fat) finally become fully accepted.

Thus, this trans fat, a totally artificial substance posing as "food" began to be eaten by the masses at exactly the same time as we see the appearance and very rapid escalation of a brand new disease: type 2 diabetes.

Remember that "hydrogenated" or "partially-hydrogenated" fat of any kind is just a deceptive way of saying trans fat.

The introduction of hydrogenated oils and fats were motivated entirely by profit and greed. The hydrogenation process could turn REALLY CHEAP fats that are usually liquid at room temperature  into solids at room temperature. Thus products like Crisco and margarine were born. These toxic fats largely replaced animal lard and butter and they were used everyday in a wide variety of food dishes. In other words, they were so ubiquitous, they entered the bodies of almost every citizen in industrial nations.

Hydrogenation also greatly increased the shelf life of food products which meant that mass scale production food and storage could be achieved. Food manufacturers were excited about how much more profit they could make this way and over the decades they protected this profit any way they could and money was no object as it meant making even more money.

Keep in mind that hand and hand with this sudden appearance of hydrogenated oils and new diseases like type 2 diabetes, we get the rapid expansion of Big Pharma and all the profits that go along with this.

For people wanting to reverse type 2 diabetes with diet and other natural means, this is the most important history lesson you've probably every read.

If you really dig deep into the literature of the time, you'll find that many scientists expressed serious concerns over the potential health hazards of these artificial foods. There was an outcry in fact. There is also a record of this as they expressed these concerns at conferences. However, the war effort soon far over-shadowed these concerns and with these distractions that the world was facing at the tiem, the food industry was left relatively alone to experiment in the lab and produce more artificial foods and also launch their marketing campaigns. If one wants to fully understand and appreciate how we as a people could have ever allowed the money-hungry food industry to put so many artificial toxic foods into our food supply, they have to understand how other historical events were over-shadowing any concern for health. When whole nations are fighting for their very survival on this planet, it's hard to be terribly concerned at that moment over your health.

Unfortunately, these artificial and toxic foods were not widely discussed again until the 1970's. By this time, hydrogenated oils were so integrated into our diets that no one really thought much about it. This is exactly what the big food companies wanted. They won and they have been profiting handsomely ever since by our distraction.

Someone has got to pay the piper though and that is what is happening today with our type 2 diabetes rates being higher than they ever have been. For a modern would with all this super science and technology at our fingertips, it is a shame that it has come to this.

However, it is time we step back and get back to basics. Food is a substance we put into our bodies every day. We stuff our faces as the modern expression states 3 or more times a day. What we put into our bodies matters. There is a big difference between putting toxic artificial foods that have been sitting in some warehouse for a year and organic wholesome fresh foods with no artificial ingredients! Big, big, BIG difference!!

Diabetes and all of its complications is also big business for the medical field. Basically, the idea of curing diabetes equals the loss of profit for many. The idea of removing hydrogenated oils and fats entirely from our food supply is a herculean task... BUT it really must be done or we are going to end up with our entire population having diabetes and dying from the complications of it.

This article is already very long so I won't discuss the details of the mechanism by which hydrogenated oils and other artificial toxic foods cause diabetes in detail but you can read about it here and elsewhere on this site such as my article on how trans fat causes diabetes. Briefly, however, the process of hydrogenation creates artificial trans fats and replaces the healthy omega-3 fats in our cell membranes. Trans fats are VERY rare in nature and their chemical structure is quite different than the healthy and natural omega-3 fats they replace. When we ingest trans fat, it becomes incorporated into our cell membranes and interferes with the process of glucose transport across the cell membrane. We become "insulin resistant" (the very definition of type 2 diabetes). So, even if the pancreas is producing adequate amounts of insulin, not enough glucose gets across our trans fat damaged cell membranes, glucose builds up in our bloodstream, our cells don't get the nutrients they need, and we can develop several different medical ailments from this same underlying cause.

Everyone, especially diabetics, pre-diabetics, and those at higher risk to develop diabetes, should stop eating trans fat entirely. You need to keep in mind that eating trans fat (hydrogenated oil of any kind has trans fat) is not like eating ice cream where eating it "in moderation" is okay. Trans fat is poison period. Not even a little should be eaten. PLEASE get busy learning exactly how to reverse your diabetes. Eliminating trans fat is a very important first step but there is much more to the formula and you need to know every step to really do it. To really learn how to reverse diabetes, you need to get this comprehensive guide that will explain every step in detail. It is very possible to reverse type 2 diabetes if you know how.

Please Tell the FDA and Your Representatives You Don't Want Trans Fat In Our Food!

Trans fat is poison, plain and simple. POISON. There should be ZERO tolerance on the part of our government to allow ANY trans fat in our food (or pet food.. check the ingredients). However, they buckle under pressure from all the lobbyists representing the food industries that profit from trans fat. We as the consumers need to ban together and demand that this poison be removed from our food... completely removed, not reduced. Trans fat causes diabetes, heart disease, inflammation, etc, etc. The link between trans fat and type 2 diabetes is quite clear! Here is the direct link to write a personal letter to the FDA:

http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/default.htm

I recommend that you first write out your complaint using their online form, then copy it, and let them know that you are copying it to both your state and federal representatives. I'd then follow up with a phone call about a week later to let them know you mean business and that you would like a direct response from them.

Here's a link to get your federal representative's contact information:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt

and here is a link to find your state representatives:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=L

and it wouldn't hurt to copy the mayor and county commissioners in your area. Some cities are banning trans fat from restaurants... a good step in the right direction.

If you wouldn't mind, could you also post a comment on this site, preferably under this post, to let me (and my readers) know that you have contacted them and feel free to paste a copy here as well. I WILL publish any correspondence you send in.

If we don't stop this source of artificial food/poison in our food, we are going to end up with an entire nation of people with diabetes/heart disease/related metabolic disorders. The statistics are alarming and the evidence is overwhelming at this point. The food companies may have a lot of money but at the end of the day they don't vote!

Thank you,

Maxine

What Causes Type 2 Diabetes? The REAL Answer Will Probably Surprise You

In this article, I am going to focus on what causes diabetes type 2. This is partly because 95% of all diabetics are type 2. More importantly, however, I'm focusing on type 2 diabetes because it is entirely preventable and completely reversible. By telling you what REALLY causes diabetes, you will have more power to do something about it.

How would you answer the following question: "What causes diabetes?"

Would you give one or more of the following answers:

1. Too much sugar and other carbs in diet
2. Genetics - it runs in the family - it's inherited
3. Being overweight - obesity - eating too much
4. Lack of exercise - being a couch potato
5. Not enough sleep and poor quality of sleep
6. Too much stress and anxiety

Okay, I'm about to tell you something that will likely surprise you.

The truth is the 6 factors above are NOT the underlying cause of diabetes. They do put you at a much higher risk of being susceptible to the underlying cause. They also make diabetes worse if you already have it. However, and I want to really emphasize this to you, these factors are NOT the cause of the disease.

More than 99% of all people I have talked with on this subject have no idea what really causes diabetes. I am about to tell you what REALLY causes diabetes and I hope you will help spread the word. If more people knew about this, we could lower the rates of diabetes and even reverse it on a mass scale.

The real cause lies in a radical change that took place in our food supply in the early 1900's. In fact, type 2 diabetes did not even exist before the 1920's! When I first learned this fact (and went to great lengths to verify it), it totally boggled my mind! This major change in the food supply was the introduction of hydrogenated vegetable oils to replace oils and fats derived from animals and natural vegetable oils like lard, coconut oil, flaxseed oil (all very popular in the 1800's and into the early 1900's). Shortening, a hydrogenated oil, replaced lard. Margarine, another hydrogenated oil, replaced real butter. Cooking oils for frying in large part became hydrogenated vegetable oil that stayed liquid at room temperature. Hydrogenation creates trans fat and trans fat causes diabetes! Butter is better for you than margarine - assuming it's organic. Lard is better for you than shortening - again, assuming it's organic.


Like many things in life, the change to hydrogenated oil was profit-driven. I want to emphasize that companies were not originally trying to create a healthier food substitute when they introduced shortening and margarine, as many people who don't know the history assume. In fact, there was a raging debate over the safety of hydrogenated oils during the 1920's and 1930's. People were very slow to accept the new chemically altered oils. In fact, Procter and Gamble was so desperate at one point to get consumers to accept Crisco, they were giving away 2 1/2 gallon containers of it. Even when it was free, people were reluctant to take it.

If it hadn't been for the Great Depression and then World War 2, consumers may never have accepted hydrogenated oils. The depression hit people so hard it made people do things they wouldn't normally do. Hydrogenated oils like margarine and Crisco were significantly cheaper than real butter and pig lard. The low price helped finally win over people.

When Americans got involved in World War 2, certain food items were rationed at home because they were needed for the troops overseas putting their lives on the line. Americans were asked to be patriotic and take rationing in stride. Butter was strictly rationed and it was during this time that margarine finally became widely accepted.

Americans (and Europeans) were so pre-occupied with the war effort and then in rebuilding our lives after the war, the health concerns over hydrogenated oils were largely forgotten, at least in the minds of the general public at large. Hydrogenated oils got another big boost in 1957 when the American Heart Association suggested that Americans needed to cut back on saturated fats like butter and beef. By the late 1970's, about 60% of the oils and fats consumed in the US diet were partially hydrogenated. This meant that our consumption of trans fat was at an all time high.

Ironically, hydrogenated oils which contain large amounts of the extremely unhealthy trans fats, were touted as "healthy" alternatives. Margarine was considered a "healthy" alternative to real butter. Beef fat and tropical oils used for frying in fast food restaurants were replaced by supposed "healthy" hydrogenated cooking oils in the mid-1980's.

Hydrogenation solved two major problems for profit-driven food companies. First, hydrogenation can turn a really cheap oil that is normally liquid at room temperature into a solid at room temperature. So, a super cheap liquid fat can be turned into shortening and margarine which are solids at room temperature. Second, hydrogenation can dramatically improve shelf life which means higher profits. Products made with animal fats and vegetable oils high in omega-3 go rancid quite quickly without refrigeration.

What does all this have to do with diabetes you may be asking. Well, it turns out that the trans fat created by hydrogenation is responsible for making our cell membranes more resistant to insulin. When trans fat gets incorporated into our cell membranes, they become impaired. They become less flexible and that means they are less capable of transporting glucose circulating in our bloodstream into our cells, i.e trans fat causes type 2 diabetes.

Before the 1920's, type 2 diabetes was unknown to the medical community. In fact, doctors of that time were completely baffled by it and didn't even know what to call it. The sudden emergence and subsequent rapid rise in type 2 diabetes correlates perfectly with the introduction of hydrogenated fats into our diet. In other words, the underlying mechanism of type 2 diabetes was artificially created by hydrogenation.

To learn exactly how to reverse diabetes and do so permanently, check out this resource which is the best one I've seen - comprehensive, easy to follow, and well written.

Trans Fat Causes Type 2 Diabetes and Trans Fat Exacerabates Diabetes If You Already Have It

What Is Trans Fat?

First and foremost, trans fat is poison to the human body and causes diabetes. Second, it is an artificial human-engineered oil that your body is not designed to handle. Third, it was invented to make food companies more money, not because it provided any health benefit to the consumer. Companies have many economic incentives to keep using trans fat even though there is overwhelming evidence to show it is deleterious to the human body.

Trans fat is created by an industrial process called hydrogenation. Hydrogen gas is forced through a polyunsaturated oil in the presence of metal catalysts. This process takes place at very high temperatures and the purpose is to break the chemical bonds of the polyunsaturated oil molecules and then put them back together in a different artificial way. Structurally, it takes naturally crooked molecules and turns them into artificially straight molecules. Healthy omega-3 molecules are replaced by unhealthy trans fat molecules during this process.

Why Trans Fat Causes Diabetes

Type 2 diabetics have damaged cell membranes that interfere with the transport of glucose from the blood stream into the cell for nourishment. A normal healthy cell membrane has lots of omega-3 fatty acids as a major part of its structure. If you have lots of trans fats and not enough omega-3 in your diet, the trans fats will replace some of the omega-3's. This spells trouble for glucose metabolism and once it gets worse enough you will develop diabetes. Unfortunately, most Americans get way more than they realize and even a small amount isn't good. Moreover, the modern American diet doesn't get anywhere near enough omega-3 fatty acids. The modern American diet is a recipe for a diabetes epidemic which is exactly what we are seeing.

The Type 2 Diabetes Epidemic Started When Hydrogenated Oils Were Introduced

We can learn a lot from epidemiology studies which take into account large amounts of population data and looks for trends. When we look at the data for type 2 diabetes over the last century, an interesting almost shocking fact jumps out. There were virtually no cases of type 2 diabetes before the late 1920's! Then, in the 30's and 40's, there was a massive rapid increase. Doctors had never seen it before and were baffled. They didn't even have a name for the disease. This sudden appearance and rapid escalation of diabetes in industrialized nations very tightly correlates with the introduction of hydrogenated oils into the food supply. This information should be shouted from the rooftops but the food industry and certain elements of the medical industry have suppressed it.

Contact The FDA and Your Elected Representatives

The food lobbies are very powerful indeed and they have spent millions upon millions hiding the fact that many food products contain trans fat. They have spent millions trying to hide how dangerous it really is. However, at the end of the day, food lobbies don't get to vote but you do. Speaking out really does help. Trans fat is in so many products it has gotten very difficult to avoid it even if you really want to. It is in frozen food, can food, deli food, baked goods, snack food, restaurant food, etc. Chances are if you eat at an office party or partake of the refreshments at a PTA meeting, you're eating trans fat. It is so prevalent in our food it is literally difficult to escape. It has become a major health crisis. We all need to let the FDA and our elected officials know that we do not want ANY trans fat in our food because it is dangerous to our health and to our family, friends, and neighbors. We need to let them know that it is not enough to reduce it, we need to eliminate it. We need to tell them that we want all food containing ANY amount of trans fat, no matter how little, clearly labeled with a warning.

How To Know If Trans Fat Is In the Food Even If It Isn't Listed On the Package or Even If the Package Says "No Trans Fat"

The food companies are sneaky with labeling and you need to know the tricks on how to tell if there's trans fat in a food product. Look on the "Nutrition Facts" label under "Total Fat" and see if trans fat is listed. If you don't see trans fat listed there, it doesn't necessarily mean there isn't trans fat because there are tricky ways food companies get around listing it. You need to next check out the list of ingredients. If there is hydrogenated oil of any kind, and that includes "partially hydrogenated oil," then there is trans fat - even if the package says there isn't as they can say this if the amount PER SERVING is less that 0.5 grams - but how many servings are in that package. Hydrogenation creates trans fat period. If you see the word "shortening" or the word "mono-diglycerides" that means there's trans fat. I know it takes time to read food labels but it is well worth the effort given the health benefit to you and your family. Remember also that eating whole foods which are healthier for you don't reading reading a food label!

Eliminate ALL Trans Fat From Your Diet and Your Family's Diet Immediately

All people should do this. However, if you have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or you are at risk for diabetes, it is absolutely critical that you do this as soon as possible and be strict about it. There is no "safe" level of trans fat. Even a little can do serious harm to your cell membranes. Don't let cost sway you or anything else prevent you from the important mission of eliminating it from your diet. Your life and your quality of life depends on it.

Make Sure You and Your Family Eat Foods That Contain Good Quantities of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The vast majority of modern Americans do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids. Our hunter and gatherer ancestors got lots of omega-3 when they ate wild game, insects, fish, seafood, and wild greens. Before the 1920's Americans got a decent amount of omega-3. Flax oil and fish oils were very popular then. However, in the 1920's hydrogenated oils largely replaced these omega-3 rich oils. People also eat less fish today. Farmed fish today contain less omega-3 than wild fish and the eggs and meat from chickens that are not allowed to forage for insects and greens do not contain as much omega-3.

You must make sure you provide your body with plenty of omega-3. Fish, beef, seafood, algae, walnuts, flax seed oil, fish oil, and walnut oil are very high in omega-3. Chicken, turkey, and pork do not have as much but do have some. Wild game such as deer and elk have a good amount of omega-3. Greens such as mustard greens, spinach, and kale also have omega-3 in decent quantity but not enough to depend on that as your main source. If you can't get enough omega-3 from food, which of course is always the best way, you can add a fish oil or algae supplement.

Be Sure To Check Out the Reverse Diabetes Red Button At the Top of the Page!

You really do need the detail that is in the guide if you are serious about reversing your diabetes. I want you to know there is a cure for diabetes. I am living proof of this and this is the same information I followed to cure my diabetes.

How To Lower Blood Sugar Naturally

Fellow diabetics (and those who love them), before I get to my list and tell you what you must know to lower blood sugar naturally, I need to first set the stage. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and my blood sugar registered just under 200 that first day. Yikes! When I was initially informed of the diagnosis, the implications of the fact that I had diabetes didn't fully register. In fact, it took more than a week for this life changing news to fully sink in. I was scared to face the truth. I think I went through a period of denial at some level. Finally, when the bad news did fully click, I knew what I needed to do. I knew deep down in my soul that I had the power to change things. No matter how good the doctors were, I knew that the person that had the most power to help me was me.

For a long time, I have been a fan of natural remedies and it is a frequent habit of mine to delve deep into the science journals looking for the scientific proof that these natural methods do actually work. I also learned from the wisdom of my Grandmother and others. Even before my diagnosis, I was quite aware of the fact that diabetes can be reversed by eating the right foods and by other natural means. I knew there were natural ways to lower blood sugar and I knew they really worked. With all the extra sugar circulating through my veins, that old expression, "When life gives you lemons, make lemon-aid!" never had more meaning. I became motivated to turn a negative into a positive.

With my doctors still talking about adding additional diabetes medications to lower my blood sugar, I made the decision to radically change my diet, make certain lifestyle changes, and try to beat my diabetes by natural means. I told my doctors what I wanted to do and I found one doctor who was willing to work with me, although even he seemed a tad skeptical. I assured him I was very serious and hard headed enough to make it work. He laughed at that and said, "we'll see." Most modern doctors are trained to think of medications first and natural methods a far distant second if at all. If you want to see the very best source I have found for natural methods to lower blood sugar naturally and reverse diabetes completely, get this guide! I have not seen a better resource since I began my research.

I've been reading the online diabetes discussion boards and I'm sometimes really struck by what other people say. One person said his diabetes was actually a blessing in disguise because more than anything else ever had, it motivated him to get a whole lot more healthy. At first, his statement hit a nerve with me that made me feel uneasy. However, the more I thought about what he said, the more I agreed with him. Nothing has ever motivated me more in my entire life to follow what I already knew to be true. The first step is knowledge but without the motivation to go along with it, you won't reverse your diabetes.

So, without further ado, I give you my list of 5 things you must understand if you want to know how to lower your blood sugar naturally but I give you this list with the caveat that in order to make it work, you must be properly motivated:

Food Is Medicine To the Diabetic

You literally have the power to reverse or make worse your diabetes by the foods you put into your body. You have to learn which foods to avoid and have the will power to do so. If you have diabetes, this means your glucose metabolism is all screwed up. You need to start eating the foods that will heal your body and make your cells more receptive to insulin and you have to learn what those foods are. You need to eat foods that naturally lower blood sugar. This does not mean your diet has to boring or bland. Quite the contrary, my menu has gotten much more delicious and nutritious since I was diagnosed with diabetes and decided to reverse it by eating the right things.

Losing Weight Can Drastically Lower Blood Sugar

Approximately 90% of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are over-weight, many to the point of being obese. Losing just 5-10% of your total body weight can dramatically lower your blood sugar. If you need to lose more than that, remember every journey starts with a single step. Many diabetics say losing weight helped them more than any other change they made. Of course, if you are eating the right foods, avoiding the wrong foods, and controlling portion sizes, exercising more, sleeping more, and lowering stress, you will find it easier to lose weight.

Daily Exercise Helps Keep Your Blood Sugar From Going On Roller Coaster Rides

You need to get 30 minutes or more exercise a day. Daily exercise will not only lower your blood sugar but will also level out your blood sugar levels. This doesn't mean you have to be a marathon runner or even join the local gym. Exercising can be as simple as walking around your neighborhood or in a local park. It is helpful if you can develop new interests or renew old interests that will motivate you to be a more active person. So turn that computer off for a while and go walk the dog, or go bird watching, berry picking, sight seeing, treasure hunting, travel, photography, beach combing, gardening, volunteer work, helping seniors and the disabled, etc, etc. These activities can all be a fun way to become more active in lieu of formal exercise which many people view as a chore.

Sleep Can Make or Break You

This is an area that needs more research but recent studies have shown very conclusively that diabetics who get more sleep have lower blood sugar levels. The quality of sleep also seems to make a significant difference. If you're like most Americans, you need to schedule more time for sleep and create an environment where you can sleep well without being interrupted. Just as I said earlier that food is medicine, sleep is medicine too. So, instead of popping a pill, try getting an hour or two more sleep each night.

Stress Is One of the Primary Causes of Diabetes and Can Prevent the Healing Process

The effect of stress on diabetes is another area that needs more research but it is has already been demonstrated through research studies that stress can bring on diabetes and make it worse. We know that when you are stressed the body produces more of a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is intricately involved in glucose metabolism. It increases blood sugar and counteracts insulin, which of course is not good for a diabetic. Decreasing stress can lower cortisol levels and thus lower blood sugar and make your cells more responsive to insulin. You should think of lowering stress as a natural medication for your diabetes and not only will it improve your health and extend your life, your quality of life with go up. There are many ways to reduce stress and the best method(s) vary by person and you are the best judge of what will work for you. Music therapy, message, hydrotherapy, gardening, getting better organized, taking care of your financial obligations, making more of an effort to bond with other people, getting a pet, soaking in beautiful sunsets, volunteering, aromatherapy, cooking up healthy comfort food, getting more sleep, helping others, doing things that make you laugh, spending more time with your kids, spending more time with your partner, and taking time to smell the roses are all things that work to lower stress in some people. Certain foods also lower cortisol.

Don't Forget To Click On the Red Button At the Top Of the Page!

You'll learn step by step exactly what to do to reverse diabetes.

What's Your Favorite Diabetic Snacks? Here are My Faves and Why...

For diabetic snacks to qualify as "perfect" to me, they need to meet the following criteria:

• Quick and Easy - I'm very busy and I guess I'm lazy too.
• Low Carb - All carbs raise blood sugar so I like to pick diabetic snacks that are very low carb. In fact, the lower the better. I also like low carb balanced with high protein as this is less likely to elevate blood sugar.
• Low Glycemic Index - Some carbs, like those found in some veggies and fruits, take longer to break down. These types of carbs don't raise blood sugar as much.
• Healthy & Nutritious - I don't want empty calories. As a diabetic, I want every calorie to count and I want good nutrients from natural sources in my body.
• Filling - I can't concentrate as well if my stomach is talking and I don't want to have to snack all the time. I want the snack to keep the tummy growls away until the next meal-time.
• Less Processed - The less additives, artificial ingredients, and preservatives the better. An increasing number of studies show that processed food brings on diabetes and makes it worse.
• Tasty - After all, it is a snack! Diabetic snacks don't have to be dull and boring. They can be delicious too.

While there are lots of good options, these are my personal top 5 picks that meet all the criteria above making them absolutely perfect diabetic snacks:

• Nuts & Seeds - Overall, this is my very favorite diabetic snack. I like the fact that these don't have to be refrigerated. You can even keep a can of these at work or in the car.
• Cottage Cheese - 1/2 cup of Knudsen Cottage Cheese (made from cows not treated with hormones) has 13 grams of protein, a good dose of calcium, and only 5 grams of carb. Cottage cheese is a versatile food. If you have a sweet tooth, you can add a small amount of lower carb fresh fruit like blueberries. You can also add herbs, nuts, olives, and peppers. I like to add fresh dill.
• Raw Veggies & Low Carb Dressing/Dip - Radishes, cucumbers, celery, red peppers, yellow peppers, and green peppers are all excellent low carb choices. Sometimes I crave raw veggies and I try to keep them on hand in the fridge for when this happens. These days it is easy to find low carb dressings at the store but if you look around the net, you'll find many home-made recipes for low carb high protein dressing which lasts for more than a week and tastes fabulous.
• Hard Boiled Eggs/Deviled Eggs - I usually keep hard boiled eggs on hand in the fridge. I like them with just a bit of salt and pepper or I devil them up.
• Low Carb Yogurt - This is easy to get these days in a variety of natural flavors and is a really convenient diabetic snack. Be sure to pick one with active cultures to help the good bacteria win out over the bad bacteria in your body.

Stress and Diabetes - 7 Fun Ways a Diabetic Can Relieve Stress and Why They Should

Although we don't completely understand the mechanisms, there is definitely a link between stress and diabetes. Research studies have proven this. When we are stressed, our bodies produce more cortisol which is involved in glucose metabolism and is known to interfere with insulin.

Given the importance of stress to diabetes, reducing stress is one of the most under-appreciated, largely ignored natural remedies for this serious ailment. If you already have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or you are at high risk to develop diabetes, please do yourself a favor and find ways to reduce your stress now.

If you search the net for ways to reduce stress, you will likely run into the following methods many times over: meditation, sleep more, exercise more, music therapy, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, bubble baths, chamomile tea, etc... These are all excellent methods to reduce stress but I'd like to offer you some additional super fun ways:

Hand Drum Circles... or Is the Ukulele More Your Style?

Therapeutic rhythm is an ancient healing form and different forms of it have been used by a wide variety of cultures. When you're playing in a drum circle, the connection you feel with other people in the circle transcends language. You literally feel rhythmic sounds resonate throughout your entire body. This is an experience that is very for difficult for me to describe in words.

Rhythmic drumming induces altered states. It can increase alpha wave activity by several fold. It basically changes the mode in which the brain normally operates from Beta waves where you have a focused concentration on something to Alpha waves where you are tranquil and relaxed.

Drumming is often used with meditation to induce a trance state. It is also being used more and more in the corporate world to reduce stress and foster cooperation. Workers in high stress jobs like health care givers and executives benefit a great deal. More than 3000 Toyota employees have participated in drum circles and the Toyota American Headquarters has a special drumming room for its executives full of hand drums like djembes and ashikos.

Network With Other Diabetics

Human beings need social support. This is especially true when dealing with a stressful disease like diabetes. Luckily there is lots of support out there. Besides local groups in your own community, there are hundreds of online boards and email discussion groups devoted to diabetics communicating with other diabetics.

One day recently, I saw a younger diabetic post a message about the longevity of diabetics. She was worried about having a shorter lifespan. This was followed by an outpouring of support, particularly from older diabetics who gladly told her about how they had been a diabetic and what a high quality of life they led. It's important to connect with people who truly understand what you're going through.

Adopt a Furry Friend From Your Local Animal Shelter

Pet owners (or should I say people who are owned by pets) are happier, healthier, and live longer. If you are looking for proof, several studies have shown that having a pet reduces the harmful stress hormone cortisol and raises the "feel good" hormone oxytocin.

Pets give unconditional love and are non-judgmental. Some doctors actually prescribe pets to their patients. No kidding. Even people just being around pets for a while can lower blood pressure and stress levels. Animals can work wonders in nursing homes and in hospitals. In the case of dogs, you can think of it as "wet nose therapy" or in the case of cats, "purr therapy."

If you're allergic to fur/dander, you might try setting up an aquarium. Studies have been done to show that just watching the animals in an aquarium lowers blood pressure. I can personally attest to how relaxing this activity (or basically "non-activity) can be.

A Therapeutic Visit To the Ocean

If you live within driving distance of the ocean or you can take a quick vacation, a day at the beach can work wonders. It's an experience that fills all 5 senses simultaneously. The rhythmic sound of the surf and seagulls, the smell of the salty air, the feel of the wind and sun against your face, and the beautiful scenery is enough to rid anyone of stress.

If you want to try something really different, write your troubles in the sand and then watch the incoming tide wash your troubles away.

Watch a Bird Pick Berries From a Tree, Take a Walk Through a Meadow of Wildflowers, Gaze Upon a Glorious Sunset, Lay on Your Back and Star Gaze, Watch the Wind Blow Patterns Through the Leaves, Take In Majestic Mountain Scenery, etc, etc...

Basically, I'm suggesting to find ways to re-connect with nature. It's often the simple joys in life that make us the happiest and nature is full of these. When we're happy, stress just seems to melt away. I personally love doing things that lets you "see" the wind like watching those kinetic sculptures or watching a storm roll in off the ocean.

One of the nicest things about communing with nature is there is always something different and interesting. There are seasons, migrations, and changes in color and texture and what animals you'll see in a given spot. So, even if you go back to the same spot over and over, it will always be a different experience but still familiar and comfortable.

Find Ways To Sing More and You'll Probably Find More To Sing About

The health benefits of singing are very well documented. Although most people don't realize it, singing is actually an aerobic exercise. It promotes deep breathing which is the basis for most styles of meditation. It exercises your face, your heart, and your lungs and delivers an elevated level of oxygen to your entire body. As you sing, your body releases endorphins and stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain. In doing all of this, singing reduces stress, reduces blood pressure, and makes you happier.

So, depending on your style and preference, you might consider joining a chorus group or you might want to go on down to the karaoke bar and belt out a few tunes with your friends. Sing along with the radio every chance you get. Remember Murphy Brown and her motown tunes. I sometimes like to sing or whistle catchy jingles in the store. It must be contagious because often times people start singing along with me and you can just see the stress melt away.

Remember, you don't have to have a good voice to reap the health benefits of singing. So, the next time you're in the shower let lose and sing your heart out and I guarantee the stress will fade away.

Have Multiple Wonderful Orgasms

Whoa hoo! Yes, I saved the best stress reducing tip for last. Scientific studies have shown that having regular orgasms (at least 1-2 times a week) reduces stress more than almost any other natural means. Whether you're dancing solo or with a partner, your oxytocin levels will rise more than 5 times. This in turn triggers the release of endodorphins that reduce stress and give you an overall feeling of well-being. They will also help you blissfully sleep which is a powerful stress reducer.

I have to keep this article G-rated so that's about as much detail as I can give for now... but I'm quite confident you will figure out how to make this work.

Why All Diabetics Should Go Berry Picking This Weekend! No kidding, there are really good reasons you should.

1. Berries Are Overall the Best Fruit Choice For Diabetics

Berries have fewer carbs and higher fiber than almost all other fruits which make them one of the best diabetic food choices. These colorful delectable morsels are packed with nutrients such as manganese and vitamin K. They have an exceptionally high concentration of antioxidants. Blueberries, blackberries, and other berries contain a high level of the antioxidant pterostilbene which has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in a way similar to metformin, one of the most popular diabetes medications. Berries are also heart healthy, anti-inflammatory, and are known to slow down the aging process.

2. Wild Berries Have More Fiber and Are Lower In Net Carbs

Wild berries contain more fiber and are significantly lower in net carbs than their commercially grown counterparts. So, wild berries are an even better diabetic food choice than the berries you buy at the grocery store. Commercial berry cultivators actually select for higher sugar content, and in doing so, they genetically zap some of the fiber out of the berry. You can freeze fresh wild berries and they will retain their fiber and nutrients. However, cooking, canning, and jamming them will significantly lower the valuable antioxidants and fiber.

3. Hunters & Gatherers Got More Exercise

Modern Americans get far less exercise than our ancestors that had to work hard for their food. Our ancestors didn't have to go to the gym because their day to day activities provided all the exercise they needed to stay healthy. While I enjoy the modern conveniences, I know we pay dearly for them in terms of our overall health. Diabetics can certainly benefit from increasing their daily activity level. I am a strong advocate for finding fun and interesting ways to do this. So, I encourage you to go out and enjoy the pre-historic foraging exercise of berry picking.

4. Berry Picking Lowers Stress

Mother Nature has a wonderful way of nurturing us all and one of the best ways to reduce stress is to get outside and connect with the natural world. Every time I go berry picking, I come back feeling rejuvenated. I notice that my berry picking companions have smiles on their faces and are full of laughter. It's just a really fun thing to do. Researchers are becoming increasingly aware that stress is one of the primary factors that causes diabetes and exacerbates the disease. You can literally lower your blood sugar just by reducing stress. Finding ways to lower stress is therefore extremely important for those of us interested in reversing diabetes via natural means.

5. Quality Time With Friends & Family

The day to day management of diabetes combined with concerns about common health complications brings on bouts of depression in many diabetics. One of the best natural remedies for this is connecting in a meaningful way with those we care most about - our friends and family. Berry picking is an activity that can be easily shared with everyone from toddlers to seniors. It's also a great bonding experience.

6. Wild Berries Increase the Variety in Diabetic Food Choices

There are many edible berries that are not available in the grocery stores. The main reason for this is limited shelf life. For example, the wild thimbleberry, a member of the raspberry family, is highly prized by berry pickers for its superior taste but they are much too fragile to be commercially packed without damaging them. Diabetics frustrated with their food choices being limited may take great pleasure in exploring the exotic flavors and textures of wild berries. There are many varieties and species of wild blueberries, wild raspberries, and wild blackberries. Other wild edible berries include thimbleberries (aka salmonberries), crowberries, bearberries, salal berries, serviceberries (aka juneberries), chokecherries, dewberries, huckleberries, currents, elderberries, gooseberries, mullberries, and bilberries (a berry found in Europe closely related to blueberries).

Food Is Medicine For the Diabetic

Hippocrates of Cos, an ancient Greek (half Phoenician) physician who is recognized as the father of medicine, is famous for saying: "Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be food." This ancient wisdom is a deceptively simple statement that has a PROFOUND meaning - and a meaning that we seem to have lost sight of in our modern day society. We tend to associate food with personal pleasure, festivities, comfort, and socializing. We treat food as a source of entertainment and will go to great lengths to pleasure our palate with our favorite foods. Through all of this, we sometimes forget that the food we consume is really nothing more than organic chemicals mixed today unfortunately with industrial toxins. When we eat, food interacts chemically with our bodies, as do the industrial toxins, at both the cellular and molecular level. This is why food is medicine, or at least it has the potential to be if we eat the right foods. If we eat the wrong foods, and the wrong industrial toxins, we create diseases like diabetes and cancer inside our bodies.

Do you want to know how to cure diabetes? Mostly, it comes down to what food we eat -- and what food we do NOT eat. If you want the best information available, researched by scientists and proven to work, click on the big red button above.

Let's boil our feeding habits down to the underlying basics. Food is basically composed of organic chemicals (if you know how to eliminate the industrial toxins and that doesn't mean just eating organically, although that helps a lot). Our bodies are made of organic chemicals. When chemicals combine, they react with each other. When the chemicals from the food we eat combine with the chemicals in our bodies, they react like any other chemicals would do.

Glucose metabolism is a good example of a complicated chemical reaction that takes place between the chemicals in the food we eat and the chemicals in our bodies. A malfunction can occur at any point during glucose metabolism. If the chemicals in our cell membranes don't react properly with insulin, the chemicals in our body responsible for helping our cells accept glucose from our food, we develop what we call type 2 diabetes. When this happens, the nutrients from our food can not enter our cells properly and we get an increase in blood sugar as a symptom because it isn't being taken up by our cells properly.

Food has the ability to make radical changes in our physical bodies. This can be both good and bad, depending on what we eat. Food can affect our brain functioning, our mood, our ability to recall stored memories, our propensity to develop cancerous tumors, how well our cell membranes respond to insulin, and many more bodily functions we seem to take for granted until they don't work well anymore. After all, we tend to think of food as just a way to fill our bellies and stomp out those hungry pains. However, it's important to remember that when we eat we start chemical reactions inside our bodies. The chemical reactions we start today when we eat can affect our bodies for literally for years to come... although there are ways to jump start reversing these ill effects... keep reading...

Unfortunately, food science in not taught in medical school. Moreover, the study of nutrition is not stressed in required coursework either. The focus of modern medicine is on pharmaceuticals and surgery. The focus is not on the effect of food on our bodies. Things are beginning to change in this regard but this change is "slow as molasses" as the old saying goes. If are hoping to cure your diabetes, you will have far more success using alternative medicine to reverse diabetes.

You can think of food as very powerful chemicals that have the ability to reverse serious illnesses such as diabetes. In this sense, food really is medicine. It really is that simple. However, you should also keep in mind that food can poison your body if you eat the wrong food, the wrong industrial toxins, especially if you do so on a continual basis over a long period of time.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes, my doctor immediately started talking about the various medications he could give me and how those medications might combine and interact. He then asked a nurse to talk with me about how to check my blood sugar. Neither of them talked to me about diet! Almost as an afterthought, the nurse did mention there were some free "diabetes nutrition classes" at the hospital I might be interested in taking. That's it. That's all they said about food. That is all that was said regarding food from my primary health care givers. In retrospect, knowing what I now know, this is absolutely alarming!

Okay call me bias here but maybe we should be listening to research scientists with serious data to back up their claims rather than doctors whose education in medical school is partially funded by BIG PHARMA. If you want to know about the latest in diabetes research that proves it can indeed by reversed, click on the red button at the top if this page.

Modern medicine is "miraculous" in some ways, especially if you land in the emergency room after a bad car accident, but both doctors and patients alike could learn from the ancient wisdom of Hippocrates when it comes to curing diabetes and other major disease. If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes, it is very important for you to be pro-active in your own health care. For many people, it is possible to reverse diabetes by eating the right food and eliminating the industrial toxins that are in our modern food supply. In fact, this can happen in a very short amount of time -- the latest evidence points to THREE WEEKS. For most people with type 2 diabetes, it takes just a few weeks to cure diabetes at least 90 percent of the way.

Please note that I am not advocating for anyone with diabetes to stop seeing their doctor, although I do suggest shopping for a new doctor if he/she doesn't fully support your effort to reverse your diabetes naturally. Modern medicine most definitely doesn't have all the answers and if your doctor is too narrowly focused to see that and/or support you in your efforts, it may be time for a switch.

I know from my own personal experience and from what I've seen with close family members and friends, food plays a very critical role, perhaps the most important role of all, in what happens after you are diagnosed with diabetes. You can use food as medicine to reverse your diabetes - and I do mean this quite literally. Alternately, you can poison your body with the wrong foods and make your diabetes even worse. I've seen no one reverse diabetes with prescription drugs -- have you?

If I followed the diet that the doctor's office gave me, endorsed by the American Diabetes Association, I know I would not have been able to cure my diabetes. How do I know this? Well, because everyone I know with diabetes who follows the modern medicine approach gets progressively worse but when they switch to a diet that follows this plan to reverse diabetes naturally, they get better and most cure their own diabetes. What makes it even more evident is when these people (including me) go back to their doctor a few months later and they run an HgA1C test (the glycated hemoglobin blood test) and it comes back normal. The doctors all seem so shocked and amazed like it has never happened before but in reality it is happening more and more.

Please let me take this opportunity to send my fellow diabetics and their loved ones my personal message which builds a little on the ancient wisdom of Hippocrates:

"Let food be thy medicine, not thy poison."

Update: It was my intention when I started this personal blog to turn it into a comprehensive guide on how to cure diabetes but that task is too much for me to take on as my time to spend on this blog is limited. However, I am always happy to share what I can when I have the time to do so. While I am proud to share a lot of information with others searching for a natural cure for diabetes, I do need to tell you that I believe that in order to be truly successful at reversing diabetes, you need a comprehensive well-researched and well-organized reverse diabetes guide. As a science researcher and as a person who has cured my own diabetes, I have reviewed literally hundreds of sources of information and it is the best resource I have found thus far. I truly wish you all the best and I would love to hear from you.

Natural Ways To Control the Dawn Phenomenon

What Is the Dawn Phenomenon?

If you check your blood sugar first thing in the morning after fasting all night and it is significantly higher than when you went to bed, you are probably experiencing what is known as the "dawn phenomenon." This is also known as the "dawn effect" and it is one of the most difficult challenges diabetics face.

At night when we sleep, it is natural for our bodies to release cortisol, glucagon, and epinephrine. These regulatory hormones stimulate the liver to produce extra glucose and at the same time increase insulin resistance. In this way, the body builds up a little extra glucose in the bloodstream just before we get up so we'll have the energy needed to start the day. However, in diabetics blood sugar often goes up way too much during this process.

Some diabetics try to control the dawn phenomenon by adjusting their oral medication or insulin. Unfortunately, this often doesn't work and it is a constant struggle. The good news is that there are several natural methods that have been discovered that seem to work well for many diabetics. Here is a list:

Eat a Small Snack Just Before Bedtime

Some diabetics say that eating almost anything just before bedtime helps control their early morning blood sugar levels. However, most diabetics that have experimented with different bedtime snacks have found that eating something high in protein and healthy fat works better than eating something containing significant quantities of carbohydrate. Many diabetics swear by a small handful of nuts or a spoonful of all natural peanut butter or another nut butter (be sure not to get the kind without sugar added). Nuts are slow to digest and contain just enough carbs to prevent the liver from being triggered to release more glucose. Eating a piece of cheese or some low carb yogurt is also popular. Bedtime is probably not the best time to eat fruit as there is just too much carb.

Take Apple Cider Vinegar Just Before Bedtime

Apple cider vinegar is well known to lower blood sugar and it seems to be effective in controlling the dawn phenomenon as well. Many diabetics mix a tablespoon or two in water and drink it down. You can also buy vinegar tablets. To get this to work, you may need to experiment a bit with different quantities of apple cider vinegar to see what works best for you. Some diabetics require less than others. Also, be sure to protect your teeth as apple cider vinegar can eat your enamel. You can either sip the apple cider vinegar through a straw to bypass the teeth and/or dilute it with water.

Take Milk Thistle Just Before Bedtime

The use of milk thistle looks very promising for diabetics. It has been shown to significantly lower fasting blood sugar levels in one small scale study involving 51 diabetics. Milk thistle is actually an ancient natural remedy and has been used to treat liver and gall bladder problems for many centuries. The active ingredient is silymarin which is a powerful antioxidant. It is thought to reduce the oxidative stresses associated with both the development of diabetes and the continued aggravation of the disease.

Control What You Eat At Dinner

There does seem to be a correlation between what you eat at your evening meal and your morning blood sugar levels. You may want to try limiting the total number of carbs you eat at diner as well as choosing carbs that have a lower glycemic index, i.e. high fiber carb foods like greens and broccoli. Some diabetics find it helpful to eat the bulk of their carbs earlier in the day. For example, if you want to eat fruit, you may try doing so at breakfast and lunch only and see if that makes a difference in your morning blood sugar levels.

5-10 Minutes of Vigorous Exercise Just Before Bedtime

Jump on the treadmill just before bedtime and do a short vigorous workout (or another vigorous exercise that also lowers cortisol - wink wink). As with the other natural methods described here, you will need to do some testing to see if this works for you and to determine just how much exercise you need.

To Learn How To Reverse Diabetes Completely, Get This Comprehensive Guide

You can search all over the net and you'll not find a better resource for reversing diabetes. All the information you need in one place and very well researched. This information is backed by real science.

An Easy Way To Control Portion Size

Let's all face this inconvenient truth together: plain and simple, most type 2 diabetics are over-weight. In fact, many of us are down right obese. It is also a well documented fact that one of the most effective ways to significantly lower blood sugar is to lose weight. Keeping the weight off keeps the blood sugar down. So, what is the obvious solution? Most diabetics need to lose weight and all diabetics need to control their weight. How do we do this? Exercising on a regular basis definitely helps but learning how to control portion size is also key. Controlling portion sizes will likely take some re-training of old habits but it is definitely worth the effort if we can significantly lower our blood sugar and perhaps in some cases even reverse our diabetes.

I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes so I almost immediately bought some healthy low carb snacks to have on hand. This included some lightly salted roasted mixed nuts. Of course, nuts are a very nutritious low carb snack but the problem is I tend to over-indulge. For a can that contains about 10 portions (1/4 cup or a small handful), I can go through half a can in one siting. Roasted nuts are delectable little morsels, each one of them an exceptional gift from Mother Nature. Once I start eating them, I find it really hard to stop sometimes. When I finally do stop, I feel guilty for having over-indulged. Does this sound familiar?

To control portion size, I recently thought of something my Grandma told me a long time ago. It was very simple yet very sage advice. She said to take out what I wanted to eat and put it in a separate bowl or plate -- then put the container away -- out of reach. I was very young then with that invincible spirit that most young people possess and wasn't so concerned about my health. Yes, I was young and stupid as they say. I didn't follow my Grandma's advice then but I have been following it lately and it has made a world of difference. Not only have I re-trained myself to control portion size, I have been surprised that I actually enjoy my meals and snacks more. You want to know why? It's because I've eliminated the guilt because I now know in advance that I'm not going to eat too much.

This same simple technique works with other foods too of course. I no longer allow myself to eat the cottage cheese right out of the container. Instead, I put a portion into a separate bowl. When I allow myself some crackers (high carb) with a meal, I take out a few and put the package away -- completely away and out of reach. I basically make it inconvenient to go for more which of course gives me time to make a conscience decision not to go for more for the sake of my health, i.e. it is no longer an impulse decision. I also sometimes put away the left-overs before I eat dinner so I'm not tempted to go back for seconds.

I hope anyone reading this takes my Grandma's advice. She was very wise indeed. And I also hope for the sake of your health, you review the diabetes reversal guide that I and so many others have found so helpful in curing diabetes. Yes, I said curing - see my latest hemoglobin test (A1C) for diabetes. You can also check out my blood sugar experiment to see if I've really cured my diabetes (I'm very proud of these results!)

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Quinoa - One of My New Favorite Foods!

Giving up the high carb junk food is one thing but giving up rice is quite another. Before I was diagnosed as a diabetic, I used rice in many meals, especially since I do a lot of stir frying. Brown rice does have fewer net carbs than white rice but not by much so I started searching for a better substitute. Wow, did I find a winner.

I have gleefully discovered quinoa. It is "grain" that looks like a grain, tastes like a grain, and cooks like a grain, but it isn't really a grain at all. Quinoa is actually a seed from a plant that is related to spinach plants. It was a food staple for the Inca Indians that lived in the Andes. However, when the Spaniards came in they burned the quinoa fields and forced the Incas not to grow it anymore. It barely survived total extinction because it was grown by peasant farmers in the country.

It turns out that this "grain" has more protein than any other grain AND the protein is a complete protein, having all 9 essential amino acids. Not only that, it has all 9 amino acids in high quantities. It is considered such a perfect high quality food that NASA is seriously considering using it for long-flight space travel. Don't be surprised if Quinoa is cultivated on Mars in our lifetime.

In addition to being high in protein, Quinoa is much lower carb than every other grain known. For comparison, a cup of dry white rice has about 150 grams of carb (short grain has a little more than long grain) and brown rice abut 138 grams of carb. By contract, dry quinoa has only 97 grams of net carbs per cup. That's about a third less carb.

You cook quinoa just like rice. You put one part quinoa in 2 parts water with a little salt, bring to a boil, and then let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. To me, texture wise, it seems most like medium ground bulgar wheat which I also love. In fact, I made a tabouli salad with some left-over quinoa today and added a few shrimp. It was delicious. Yesterday, I used quinoa like you would a bed of rice or couscous with white fish I had poached in coconut milk and other goodies on topI'll post these recipes later on my Diabetic Recipes 123 blog. . I am really excited about all the possibilities with quinoa.

Quinoa has the lowest glycemic index of any grain coming in at 35. For comparison, the glycemic index for white rice is 58 and for bulgar wheat it is 48.

Quinoa still has a high enough carb content that you can't eat mountains of it if you are sticking to a really low carb diet. However, I think it is about to become one of my favorite foods as a lower carb and highly nutritious substitute for one of the high carb foods I miss the most. I encourage all diabetics to give it a try. I got it from one of the bulk bins at my local supermarket so it's not just in health food stores and is beginning to hit the mainstream food market.

Update: Reading back over this article made me remember how hard it was in the beginning to not just change my eating habits but more importantly even know what I needed to eat. You don't have to go through that because I have pointed out one incredible and comprehensive reference which will give you all the information you need to know what to eat to reverse diabetes.

The "Egg Song" & Why I'm So Happy About Breakfast

These days I find myself humming, singing, and whistling the "Egg Song" as I make breakfast. Why am I so chipper this early in the morning? Well, first the "Egg Song" is an incredibly catchy and contagious tune that just seems to jump in my head when I cook eggs. I've been cooking eggs in one fashion or another most mornings since I started my low carb high protein diet to help reverse my diabetes so this tune has been rolling around in my head a lot. Second, I have seen a huge improvement in my overall energy level for the last few weeks of being on this diet. I want to emphasize it's not a minor improvement but a very noticeable BIG improvement. I'm not usually a morning person but lately I've been waking up earlier. I have way more energy and I'm more mentally alert. I attribute this to the diet I'm on and other life style changes that have put my blood sugar levels back in the normal range in a short amount of time.

My Grandma used to say that if you eat something sweet at breakfast, you'll be hungry the rest of the day. From my own personal experience, I think she was right. I'll also add that if I eat a high protein really low carb breakfast, my blood sugar will be more stable the rest of the day. Even if I throw a little extra carb in later in the day, this seems to be true. By the way, I don't mean I can go crazy on carbs but I do mean that starting the day off with mostly protein does seem to have a lasting effect when I eat carbs later in the day. There are many others who have tested this and have found it to be true as well. For me, that usually means two eggs cooked one of my favorite ways prepared to the tune of the "Egg Song." Sometimes I add other stuff like cottage cheese, low carb yogurt, or a breakfast meat if I make my eggs plain. Other times I keep it really simple and just eat the eggs.

Eggs are the perfect food for the diabetic. Each egg is 6-8 grams of the highest quality protein found in nature with only a trace of carb. They are one of the most versatile foods on Earth and even the most expensive highest quality eggs are a relatively cheap source of protein. In other words, you get a big bang for your buck. I've long been a fan of the egg and always thought they got a bad rap due to the anti-cholesterol craze.

By the way, the "Incredible Edible Egg," dubbed the "Egg Song" by many, was a jingle created by the American Egg Board as a public relations campaign to combat the negative publicity eggs had received by the medical establishment and those companies marketing low cholesterol products. However, at the same time, the American Egg Board also funded several research studies on the health benefits of eggs. Unlike the studies funded by many trade organizations, these studies turned out to be very legitimate and earned the respect of the scientific community and the medical community. Even the American Heart Association became convinced that eggs were not as evil as originally thought and ended up increasing their recommendation on how many eggs would be healthy to eat per week which I believe is 4 now, yolk included. I obviously eat more than they recommend. I've always been a rebel :-)

I for one will be happy to start my day off with some incredible edible eggs and singing the "Egg Song." Remember food is medicine. It can change your life. It can improve your mood, give you more energy, reverse your diabetes, and just make you happier overall.