Healing diabetes naturally

Diabetes is a disease of the modern diet. The simple truth is that we eat too much sugar and too many refined carbohydrates.

by Kathleen Gould — 

According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 23 million people in the United States suffer from diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells are resistant to insulin’s effects, causing a buildup of glucose in the blood, which can deprive the cells of energy and eventually damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and/or heart.

Diabetes is a disease of the modern diet. The simple truth is that we eat too much sugar and too many refined carbohydrates. Millions of Americans drink multiple servings of soft drinks every day. If we use the 12-ounce can as the unit of measure, each contains 39 grams of sugar or about eight teaspoons and has virtually no nutritional value. Processed foods also not only contain a lot of sugar, but offer little or no nutritional value.

So if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and want to heal your body naturally, what can you do?

Mike’s story provides an excellent example of what can be done to expedite the healing process. Initially, when Mike’s blood was drawn, his glucose was almost at 300 (normal is under 100). In just five months, however, his blood sugar went down to 100 and his weight dropped from 245 to 210 pounds. Following are the steps Mike took to heal his body so effectively in such a short period of time.

Diet

• Mike cut out all sugar and gluten. If he wanted something sweet, he would add stevia (a sweet herb) to his food or drink.

• Breakfast consisted of a smoothie with berries, yogurt, milk thistle seeds (whole seeds ground daily) and other herbs.

• Lunch was usually a salad with only olive oil and vinegar for dressing. If he felt hungry for protein, he added a small amount of chicken.

• For snacks, he ate fresh vegetables (or sometimes fruit) like zucchini, jicama, bell pepper slices, apple, etc., and a handful of raw organic nuts.

• Mike drank herbal teas throughout the day to hydrate and nourish his body with vitamins and minerals. (Fill a sports bottle with a good-quality whole herb tea blend, sweetened with stevia.)

• He changed his dinner hour from between 7 and 8 p.m., to earlier, around 6 p.m. He usually ate a small piece of fish or chicken (about four ounces) and a larger portion of fresh vegetables, lightly steamed with a little real butter or olive oil and some natural seasoning salt. He drank herbal tea or water with fresh lemon.

• He consumed nothing after dinner except (for the first two weeks) a liver and immune powder blend of herbs mixed with a bit of organic apple juice and water at bedtime to flush his liver.

Exercise

• Mike took a 30-minute walk each night after dinner.

• Four to five times per week he exercised for 45 minutes, lifting weights two to three times a week and walking the other days (in addition to his evening walks).

Mike tested his blood every morning and began to see an immediate drop in his sugar levels. Within two weeks of beginning these simple life changes, his blood sugar dropped over 30 points and by the end of the first month was down to 200. A wonderful but unexpected bonus was the steady drop in weight.

He continues to exercise about four times a week and quit his stressful job, which opened the door to a new career working in a caring environment. Mike is turning 60 this year and has never felt so healthy and vibrant.

Kathleen Gould is a registered herbalist and a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild. Proprietor of SW Herb Co. in Gilbert, Ariz., she conducts private consultations and herbal healing classes and an herbal certification course. 480-694-9931, kathyswherbco@yahoo.com or www.swherbco.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 28, Number 5, Oct/Nov 2009.