Managing Diabetes Naturally

Q:  My husband has Type 2 diabetes and I’m interested in checking out some natural ways to lower his blood sugar.  I know there are a lot of things out there, so I wanted to ask what you’d recommend.
 

A:  The Center for Disease Control has said that currently 8.3% of the American population has diabetes, and that number is expected to rise in the coming years.  While it is important to be under a doctor’s care, there are a number of natural remedies which can help with lowering blood sugar and increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin.  There are many wonderful supplements of benefit to diabetics, but for the sake of space I’ll just list a few below.  

A supplement that many people don’t think of for diabetes is magnesium though there is a growing body of evidence that links magnesium deficiency with Type 2 diabetes and its complications.  A recent Brazilian study scrutinized blood sugar levels in a group of diabetics and found that patients with lower blood glucose levels had higher magnesium levels than those with higher blood sugar levels.   The USDA has determined that 7 out of 10 Americans do not get the recommended amounts of magnesium from diet alone.  Magnesium deficiency has been found to result in a poorer functioning of insulin, which is the body’s main tool for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.  

Chromium is another great supplement for diabetics.  It’s an essential trace mineral that aids in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and also helps cells in the body to properly respond to insulin.  Interestingly, research has found that many diabetics are deficient in chromium.  A review of clinical research studies on chromium and diabetes found significant positive outcomes in nearly every study for blood sugar and diabetes management.  One study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, compared the diabetes medication sulfonylurea taken with 1,000 mcg of chromium to the medication taken with a placebo.  After 6 months, people who did not take chromium had a significant increase in body weight, body fat, and abdominal fat, while people taking the chromium had significant improvements in insulin sensitivity. Those seem like pretty impressive results to me.  I’d really recommend Natural Max’s
Extended Release Chromium Picolinate, it’s a one a day supplement that releases the mineral
throughout the day instead of all at once, which helps to maintain more stable blood sugar levels.

Cinnamon is also a popular for controlling blood sugar levels.  It works by helping to prevent insulin resistance.  Insulin resistance is when cells in the body become resistant to insulin, the substance which helps the body to metabolize foods, especially carbohydrates.  Most of the studies with cinnamon have shown benefits with dosages ranging from 2-6 grams a day.  Supplements of cinnamon capsules are usually at a dose of 500 mg per capsule, so taking 2 cinnamon capsules morning and night, as well as sprinkling cinnamon on your oatmeal or applesauce can be a safe and easy way to improve insulin sensitivity.  Cinnamon is especially nice to take since it has been used for thousands of years in Indian and Chinese medicine.  There have been a number of favorable studies published regarding cinnamon and diabetes, one recently found that cinnamon reduced cholesterol by about eighteen percent and
blood sugar levels by twenty four percent.

Another great supplement for diabetics is the antioxidant alpha lipoic acid.  Alpha lipoic acid works to help prevent and treat diabetic neuropathy, a condition characterized by numbness and pain in the hands and feet that occurs in over twenty percent of diabetics.  Alpha lipoic acid has been used for years in Germany to treat nerve damage and neuropathy and is thankfully becoming more well known in America as an effective supplement for diabetics.  One recent study found that 600mg per day was an effective dosage for helping to relieve pain, burning and numbness in the hands and feet.

Finally, I wanted to mention the importance of diet and exercise in managing Type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise has been shown in study after study to have numerous benefits to everyone, especially diabetics.  Losing weight increases insulin sensitivity, but even exercising without losing weight has been shown to lower blood sugar.    With the beautiful fall weather we’re having, there’s no excuse not to get out in the fresh air and take a walk.  Regular exercise has also been found to boost mood and reduce stress, something everyone can use.  Lake Katherine in Palos Heights has a beautiful walking path around the lake, and there are also many paved walking and bike paths in Palos.  Centennial Park in Orland and the other Centennial Park in Tinley are two other beautiful places to walk.  Making the choice to become more active is one that will help you to both feel better and live longer, and it’s never too late to start. 

Apples on Oak - An Amazing Family Run Orchard Nearby

I found an amazing apple orchard in Lockport that I wanted to share.  We wanted to pick apples, but I didn’t want to have to drive all the way to Michigan to find a good place.  I found an orchard called Apples on Oak by chance, and am so glad I did!  It’s a family owned and operated apple orchard with great prices.  There is no entrance fee or fee to pick like some other places I’ve been to, you only pay for the apples you bring home.  

Their prices were so reasonable.  They sell by the bag or “peck”.  A half peck bag is roughly 5 lbs and is $8, and a peck, which is about 10 pounds of apples, is $14.  They also sell in larger quantities as well if you have a giant apple baking project planned.  We bought the $14 bag of apples, and I couldn't' see wanting much more than that- it really was a huge amount of apples!

They have two separate orchards, one where there are individual rows of a specific type of tree, which ripen successively through the season (from early August to late October), and then an “Adventure Orchard” where a variety of different trees are planted.  In the Adventure Orchard, trees that are ripe are marked so you know which you can pick from.  They also have maps of which apple trees are ripe with a list describing the different varieties of apples on the back (a really neat feature). 

Something else I loved was that they have made a decision not to spray their trees with fungicide.  Some of the apples have spotting because of it, which easily comes off with washing (I used a washcloth and it was easily removed).  The owners of the orchard said they made the decision to reduce the amount of chemicals used on the apples since the spotting is not harmful, and that they’d rather that than having a chemically laden product- a sentiment I can really get behind!

If you’re looking for a place to pick apples this fall, I would very much recommend Apples on Oak!  You won’t be disappointed!  They have a listing of what apple varieties ripen at what times on their website, and then their facebook page also has more information on what is available to pick each week.

Free Celiac Screening and Gluten Free Care Packages from the Univesity of Chicago

The University of Chicago Medical Center is offering free blood screenings for Celiac Disease on October 17, 2015.   The test is offered for free, but registration is mandatory to qualify. Registration for the test opens on September 14th on the University of Chicago's Celiac Website.

If interested, I would recommend signing up as soon as possible once registration opens.

The University of Chicago also is offering Free Gluten Free Care Packages for people diagnosed with Celiac within the last 12 months.  See this link for more information and to fill out a questionnaire in order to receive a care package.

Healthy Q & A: Lipitor Raising Blood Sugar Levels and Natural Alternatives for Loweing Cholesterol

Q: Does Lipitor raise blood sugar levels? I have a friend who was prescribed Lipitor for cholesterol. The next time he went to the doctor, they wanted to check his blood sugar levels, and it turned out that out of nowhere his blood sugar levels were out of control! Now the doctor wants to put him on medication for diabetes too! I’ve never heard of this, so I wanted to ask if it was a common thing. Also, my cholesterol is on the higher side, so I wondered if there was anything natural for cholesterol which really worked (I’m a little nervous about the doctor now). Thanks.

A: First, I would say if your friend is unhappy about his physician, he should seek out another one.  There are many physicians who are more open to natural alternatives, Dr. John Principe is one we’d recommend who is based in Palos Heights.

Lipitor is a statin drug which is very commonly prescribed to lower high cholesterol.  It is not without side effects however, including increased blood sugar levels.  It is not as common as muscle pain (the most reported side effect of Lipitor), but is serious enough that the FDA has issued a warning on statin labels about the possible side effects of blood sugar levels and diabetes. Mayo clinic reports that Lipitor may increase blood glucose levels enough that a person may develop type II diabetes as a result of taking the medication.

There are a number of effective natural supplements for lowering cholesterol, which I would definitely recommend for people who have cholesterol problems.  High cholesterol is a serious issue that cannot be ignored since it can dramatically raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

One popular alternative is red yeast rice.  Red yeast rice actually works in the same way in the body as a statin, but naturally and with fewer side effects.  Since it has the same mechanism as a statin, when supplementing with red yeast rice, it’s important to also supplement with the nutrient CoQ10 since production of that crucial nutrient is blocked by both statins and red yeast rice to a lesser extent (CoQ10 is an important supplement for heart health, as is known for its benefits for heart attack prevention).

The interesting thing about red yeast rice is that unlike Lipitor’s side effect of raising blood sugar, red yeast rice has been demonstrated to actually lower blood sugar, so it’s suitable for diabetics or anyone else with blood sugar issues.

If you’re interested in taking red yeast rice, I would recommend the extended release formula made by Nature’s Plus.  I know numerous people who have taken that specific formula and have had success in lowering their cholesterol levels. By using extended release technology, the body is able to absorb more of the supplement, since it is released slowly over a number of hours instead of all at once.  Red yeast rice should be taken at night for maximum effectiveness.

Another supplement I would very much recommend for lowering cholesterol is Sytrinol.  I like it because it works in an entirely different way than statins, and is free of their side effects.  Sytrinol is a patented extract from citrus fruits.  Studies have shown a 300mg dose to be remarkably effective for high cholesterol.  Research has found that Sytrinol supplementation produced a 30% drop in total cholesterol, 27% in LDL cholesterol, and a 34% drop in triglycerides. In addition, HDL levels increased by 4%, resulting in a significant 29% improvement in the LDL:HDL ratio.  Another study had the following results after just one month: total cholesterol was lowered by 25%, bad LDL cholesterol by 19%, and triglycerides by 24%.

Additionally, Sytrinol helps to prevent oxidation of bad cholesterol and can also aid in reducing arterial inflammation.

For a Sytrinol supplement, I’d recommend the one by NOW Foods.  Is it a two a day formula which combines the researched dose of 300mg of Sytrinol with other nutrients that have shown helpful for lowering cholesterol and promoting liver health.

 

Supplement Spotlight: Adrenasense for Reducing Night Wakening and Daytime Fatigue

My daughter started kindergarten a few weeks ago- talk about an emotional time!  Due to the stress and anxiety about school, I wasn’t sleeping well.  I would go to sleep fine, but wake in the night unable to get back to sleep, which would lead to being exhausted during the day- then the cycle would begin again each night.

At the health food store, I was talking, or rather, complaining to Sarah (another one of our employees).  She mentioned Adrenasense by Natural Factors as a supplement she has been taking for nearly a year for the same issues.  She said she used to have horrible problems of waking in the night and then not being able to get back to sleep, which would then ruin the next day since she was so tired.  She said that she started using Adrenasense and that it had literally changed her life, and that of all the things we have at the store, it was her favorite.

After such a glowing recommendation, I thought I had to try it.  The directions say to take 2 capsules at mid-day, up to a maximum of four pills per day.  She said she started taking two in the morning and then two more after lunch, so that’s what I did as well.  I’ve only just started taking it, but I feel like I’m already seeing benefits- better sleep in the night and being less tired during the day.

Adrenasense is a formula made up of five different adaptogenic herbs.  Adaptogens are supplements which help the body to adapt to stress and bring it back into balance.  The herbs in the blend help to energize the body gently while promoting calm and reducing anxiety.  It’s quite a blend, so I thought I’d list the five herbs below along with a few of their benefits (a list which only scratches the surface of the many benefits of each herb, all of which I could write about forever).

Rhodiola
Rhodiola is best known for its ability to reduce cortisol in the body, also known as the “stress hormone”.  Seven different peer reviewed studies have reported its ability to reduce fatigue, and other studies have found it to have benefits for mood, stress, and for improving overall well being.   Many people also find rhodiola to be beneficial for improving concentration and reducing “brain fog”.  Other studies found that it helped to reduce depression and anxiety.

Suma
Suma is best known for enhancing athletic performance by giving the body an energy boost.  Research has also reported anti aging benefits for suma as well as immune boosting properties.

Eleuthero
Eleuthero is also known as Siberian ginseng. It has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine for increasing energy, reducing fatigue, and boosting the immune system. Interestingly, some research has even linked eleuthero as a therapy for reducing cold symptoms and severity.  Eleuthero is also known for its use in aiding in concentration and mental focus.

Schisandra
Schisandra is a superfruit which has been long used for its anti aging and fatigue fighting effects.   Schisandra has also been researched for its benefits for liver detoxification and improving liver function.  It also has been demonstrated to help with lowering and normalizing both blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Ashwaganda
Ashwaganda is an herb which has been gaining much notoriety of late for its impressive list of benefits which include stress relief, a reduction in anxiety and depression, and reducing cancer risk.  Ashwaganda also has a protective and healing effects on the brain and has even been suggested as a possible therapy for neurodegenerative diseases life Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Many of the herbs listed above have benefits for hormonal balance as well, for women of all stages, which only add to its effectiveness.

I would very much recommend giving Adrenasense a try if you’re dealing with stress, sleeplessness, and night waking.

Healthy Q & A: Natural Help for Diverticulitis

Q:  Where does diverticulitis come from and what can one do to help it?
 
 
A:  Diverticulitis happens when pouches known as diverticula form in the wall of the colon and then get inflamed or infected.   Diverticulitis can happen as a result of eating a low fiber diet, constipation and straining for bowel movements, or having a weakness in the colon or large intestine wall.  It is estimated that that half of all Americans age 60 to 80, and almost everyone over age 80, have diverticulitis.  It is a very common disease in developed nations like America, England, and Australia due to unhealthy processed food diets.

Studies have shown that a balanced, high fiber diet can help regulate the bowels and protect against a variety of health problems such as diverticulosis and diverticulitis.  There are also a number of supplements that have shown to be effective in treating and managing diverticulitis.  

Aloe vera juice can be especially helpful for diverticulitis since it has a healing and anti-inflammatory effect on the bowels.  Aloe vera is also effective at reducing constipation, a common problem and cause of diverticulitis.  

Another idea would be peppermint oil softgels.   Enteric coated peppermint oil (an enteric coating on a capsule or softgel is a special coating which prevents the softgel from opening until it reaches the intestines) is effective against diverticulitis in several ways.  Peppermint oil is soothing and calming to the intestines and colon, and can help relieve the stomach cramping that can come with diverticulitis.  Peppermint oil also helps to reduce inflammation and kill bacteria, both problems people with diverticulitis face.

Finally I would recommend a fiber supplement in addition to a high fiber diet.  Fibers like psyllium husk or flaxseed meal add bulk to the stool and can work almost like a brush, keeping the intestines clear.  Drinking lots of water is also important to help to keep the small pockets or diverticula clear of waste deposits.

Healthy Q & A: Liver Health and Medications

Q:  I wonder if you can give me some advice.  My dad is in his early seventies and has taken a whole bunch of medications for years for cholesterol, blood pressure, and pain.  I know that he has to be so toxic from taking those medications for so long and that they have to be hurting his liver.  I’d really like to be able to give him something to take to protect his liver, but I’m worried about things interacting with his medications.  Do you have any ideas?

A: I understand your worry.  Often prescription medications are necessary, but they can take a toll on the body- often the most on the liver (which processes everything put into the body).  The best supplement I can recommend is milk thistle.  Milk thistle is probably the very best supplement that exists for supporting, cleansing, and healing the liver.  It’s very safe to take, and no drug interactions have ever been reported from it.  In fact, in the book A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions by Alan Gaby, milk thistle is mentioned quite a few times as an herb to take with medications known to damage the liver.  

Milk thistle has been the subject of numerous clinical trials due to its potent liver protecting qualities.  It’s one of the few herbs that really have no pharmaceutical equivalent, and has been shown useful in treating liver diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver poisoning, vital hepatitis, fatty liver, acne, and more.  Not only can it protect the liver against further damage, studies have documented its ability to regenerate the liver.

The liver performs so many important functions, and keeping the liver clean makes a huge impact in health, so I think it would be a great choice for your dad.

Back to School Health Roundup

Kids are going back to school at the end of the month- I can’t believe summer has flown by so fast!  We have a number of fantastic articles on helpful supplements and recommendations for back to school on our web site; I’ll link a few below.

Back to School Supplements
 

Improving Children’s Concentration in School
 

Keeping Kids Healthy
 

This month, we’re having a back to school sale on Carlson’s Bubblegum Flavored Cod Liver Oil for Kids.  It’ll be on sale for 25% off during the month of August and with its purchase we’ll be offering a free insulated lunch bag (while supplies last- they’re really great).  I particularly like the Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil for Kids because the serving size is so small, just half a teaspoon to get 450mg of omega 3 fatty acids.  My daughter loves the taste of it.  If you'd like to have your kids try their cod liver oil, we will be having our Carlson Representative in the store on Saturday, August 8th from 10-1.

We also will have KAL’s Relax-a-Saurus on sale this month, which is featured in the Back to School Supplements article linked above.  It’s a wonderful supplement to help with reducing children’s anxiety while also improving focus.  It can be used during the day, or before bed to help with sleep (which can be helpful for kids who can’t seem to wind down at night).

Healthy Q & A: Natural Deodorant

Q: My sister has breast cancer and was advised that she may want to stop using antiperspirant deodorant.  I’ve been reading about the aluminum in antiperspirants and how they could be harmful, so I wondered what you thought and if you had any recommendations on a natural deodorant (I know there are a lot of different ones available).
 

A:  Sometimes women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer are advised to discontinue using conventional antiperspirant deodorant due to possible skin reactions or irritation. 

Many women are concerned about the possible dangers of using aluminum-based antiperspirants.  There are a number of arguments against conventional antiperspirants.  One would be the idea that sweating is beneficial and is used by the body to excrete toxins, and by stopping underarm perspiration a person is blocking toxins in the underarm area.  Another thought is that aluminum is a metal and it is harmful to be smearing it in a person’s underarm pores.  Research has found elevated levels of aluminum in the underarm area and surrounding areas of people who used conventional antiperspirants.

I certainly don’t want to be alarmist about antiperspirants, since the research on it is mostly inconclusive.  Nevertheless, I don’t think putting aluminum on your body every day is a great idea, not to mention always having one’s sweat glands plugged up.

No matter how bad conventional antiperspirants may be, no one wants to smell bad. Thankfully there are a number of very effective natural deodorants available.  I wanted to specifically mention one I’ve use called LifeStinks.

I love LifeStinks deodorant for a number of reasons, foremost I guess would be that it is one of the most effective ones I’ve used of the many I’ve tried.  They’re also a local company, and owned and operated by a group of sisters in Beverly.

I used LifeStinks on numerous hot summer days and didn’t have an odor problem- which I thought was really impressive because I’ve used natural deodorants before that would work for a while but then seemed to get lazy on the job.  One recommendation is not to apply LifeStinks deodorant directly after shaving under the arms, to avoid irritation.

Also, be sure to check out our DIY Health & Beauty section this month below for a homemade deodorant recipe made with essential oils!

Supplement Spotlight: Solgar's New Full Spectrum Curcumin (It's pretty much the best thing ever)

We have a new curcumin extract from Solgar that I wanted to feature, since it’s really amazing, almost unbelievably so.  Curcumin is the extract, or beneficial component, of the spice turmeric.  Curcumin has been found to be a fantastic supplement for joint pain and reducing inflammation in the body, but unfortunately, it’s very difficult for the body to absorb.

While curcumin is most well known for it's benefits for joint pain, research has also found the benefits of curcumin supplementation to extend to lower risks for heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease, and is also considered a potent anti-aging supplement. 

Unfortunately, many people found they would need to take rather high doses of curcumin to find joint pain relief.  Occasionally when people would take those high dosages of turmeric extract, they would experience stomach upset or irritation.  In the past, the high dosages of curcumin were necessary, since the body was only able to absorb a small fraction of the herb.

With the popularity of turmeric extracts growing, due to many people finally finding relief from joint problems after taking the supplement, researchers have been working on ways to help curcumin to be better absorbed, with smaller doses.

Previously, all of us at Pass Health Foods would recommend curcumin phytosome as the best form of turmeric extract to take.  Studies showed that curcumin phytosome (also known as the branded name, Meriva), was absorbed twenty times more than standard turmeric extract- a really impressive discovery!

At the store, we always make a point to be on top of the latest supplements being developed and their research.  When I first heard of the brand Solgar coming out with a new water soluble curcumin that was said to be absorbed 185 times more than standard curcumin, I was skeptical, since that number sounded almost unbelievable.  Research has confirmed their claim however (you can read more about the study here)!  They have really discovered a way to make curcumin’s absorption rate to be so much better absorbed!  The researchers even were quoted as saying that this new extract of curcumin was truly “unrivaled” in absorption.  

Because of the science behind it, we really have no reason to ever suggest a different turmeric extract that this new one by Solgar.  Even at a small, one a day dosage, the absorption rate should be significantly better absorbed than any other curcumin supplement on the market.  One other benefit of Solgar’s Full Spectrum Curcumin is that it stays in the body for a full 24 hours from one single pill dose.

Another nice thing is that since Solgar’s Full Spectrum Curcumin is so well absorbed, only a small amount is required, so it should be tolerated well for people with stomach issues who may not have been able to take standard turmeric supplements due to irritation.

For more information on how exactly this new extract is made and absorbed, there's a good article here.