A lot has been said and warned about diabetes, an epidemic that seems to be heading for the worse.
The global number of diabetics has ballooned to 350 million, the latest figure reported by the World Health Organisation in June 2011, with type 2 being the most common form of diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is when your body is unable to use the hormone insulin which helps regulate blood sugar level.
Scientific studies have revealed that you can cut the risk or totally reverse the condition if you already have diabetes or prediabetes with simple lifestyle shifts and changes.
Here are 5 actions to take: 1.
Exercise There is good reason why exercise is included here - it helps lower insulin and leptin resistance.
Leptin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.
2.
Eliminate Grains and Sugars Grains and sugars are largely responsible for your body's adverse insulin reactions.
You will want to eliminate all grains that also include wholegrains and sprouted grains.
This means pasta, breads, cereals, corn, potatoes and rice.
All sweeteners and sugars, such as artificial sweeteners, pasteurized honey, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and molasses should be avoided too.
Drinking fruit juices should be stopped until your blood sugar is under control.
Even the "diabetic-friendly sugar" fructose should not be consumed.
3.
Monitor Your Fasting Insulin Level This is not the same test as fasting blood sugar.
A fasting insulin test checks the amount of insulin present.
The higher the reading, the worse your insulin sensitivity stands, indicating that you have to stop taking foods that are over stimulating insulin release from the pancreas.
4.
Optimise Your Vitamin D Vitamin D, also known as Sunshine vitamin plays a role controlling insulin resistance (or insensitivity).
Various studies are pointing to a risk for diabetes if there is a vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D regulates insulin synthesis and secretion by regulating calcium levels in the blood.
It is produced when ultraviolet rays from sunlight on the skin triggers vitamin D synthesis.
Depending on your geographical location and the season, a fair-skinned person in the northern hemisphere needs 20 minutes of sunlight, at least three times a week, in bright sunlight between 10am to 2 pm.
A darker skin person can take two to up to an hour or two.
An even longer time will be required at off-peak times.
If getting natural sunlight is not possible, taking oral supplements is an alternative.
The Vitamin D council recommends that those with type 2 should have their vitamin D blood levels above 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L).
Before taking supplements, it is important to have your vitamin D levels measured first.
5.
Optimise Your Probiotics Having good bacteria in the gut strengthens your immune system and help the body absorb nutrients.
Probiotics are live microorganisms found in fermented foods, such as natto, kimchi, kefir, miso, sauerkraut and tempeh.
When buying these products off the shelves, avoid those that are pasteurized/homogenized or with flavourings.
Another alternative to consume probiotics is to choose a high-quality supplement.