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.