Diabetes: Balancing Nutrition and Hormones for Better Health

While the media was recently heaping attention on the few people in the United States who had been exposed to or infected by the Ebola virus, a condition which is approaching true epidemic proportions continues to affect more than 20 million Americans. Type 2 diabetes currently affects nearly 8% of the U.S. population and new cases are diagnosed every day. Obesity, which the Centers for Disease Control have identified as an actual epidemic in this country, increases your risk of type 2 diabetes. To make matters worse, type 2 diabetes can lead to additional health complications including congestive heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

A System Out of Balance

Diabetes occurs when the hormone insulin is out of balance.  Many factors can affect insulin imbalance, including perimenopause, stress and poor nutrition. Diabetes is almost always preceded by pre-diabetes, which is a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not as high as those that result in a diagnosis of diabetes. If steps are taken to balance hormones at the pre-diabetes stage or even earlier, it’s possible that diabetes may never be a threat.

Hormonal balance plays an important role in treating diabetes. Each hormone in your body affects the other hormones. When insulin is out of balance, there’s a ripple effect on all your hormones, resulting in a confusing array of health problems. One treatment that can directly address hormone imbalance is bioidentical hormone therapy. In addition to the benefits it has on a variety of health issues, in some cases, bioidentical hormone therapy has been shown to reverse type 2 diabetes. Thyroid dis

Diabetes and Thyroid Disease

Thyroid disease is also commonly correlated with diabetes, as evident in the table below:

Table from: http://journal.diabetes.org/clinicaldiabetes/v18n12000/Pg38.htm

Treatment for hypothyroidism and other thyroid dysfunctions has been found to effectively treat and prevent diabetes. If you haven’t had your thyroid checked, but you’re experiencing symptoms such as:

• Fatigue and low energy
• Depressed, down, or sad
• Skin that becomes dry, scaly, rough, and cold
• Hair that is coarse, brittle, and grows slowly
• Excessive unexplained hair loss
• Sensitivity to cold in a room when others are warm
• Difficulty sweating despite hot weather
• Constipation that is resistant to magnesium supplementation
• Difficulty losing weight
• Unexplained weight gain
• High cholesterol resistant to cholesterol-lowering drugs

You should talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Controlling thyroid disease is essential for living a healthy, balanced life.

The Impact of Nutrition and Weight Management

The direct link between obesity and type 2 diabetes means that weight management also plays an important role in treating and managing diabetes. If you are pre-diabetic, weight management is also the most natural way to prevent the transition to becoming diabetic. When nutritional imbalances are addressed, weight management is much easier. When foods that negatively affect nutritional balance are removed from the diet, foods that have a strong positive effect can do their work, which is to keep you healthy.

Better health is within reach for everyone, but many people are resistant to making the lifestyle changes that are required. Chronic health conditions like diabetes can only be fully managed with comprehensive medical care, a nutritionally balanced diet, and consistent moderate exercise. Caring support as you take steps toward good health is often all the help you need in order to succeed.

Prevent and Control Diabetes by Finding a Path That Leads to Balance

I practice holistic care and promote staying well and maintaining good health instead of treating patients only after they become ill. My concierge medical practice in St. Louis offers Bioidentical Hormone Therapy, Thyroid Hormone Therapy and I am launching a new Medically Supervised Weight Management program.

If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or if you are concerned that you may be at risk, contact our office to learn more about how our personalized care programs can get you on a path that leads to balance.