Chelation. Chelation is an intravenous therapy that binds to metal ions in the blood, carrying them to the kidneys where they are excreted in the urine. Used for heavy metal poisoning, chelation also improves circulation, which helps alleviate symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). EECP increases blood flow to the extremities and reduces symptoms of diabetic and peripheral neuropathy. During 35 one-hour sessions, pressurized cuffs are placed around the lower extremities. With each beat of the heart, the cuffs contract, squeezing blood up toward the heart and throughout the body, increasing circulation.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). HBOT is administered in a specially designed, pressurized chamber. When 100 percent oxygen is inhaled in this environment, it is easily absorbed, even in areas where blood supply is limited. This infusion helps boost circulation and improves a wide number of conditions, including diabetic neuropathy.

Infrared Light Therapy. Infrared light therapy (brand names Health Light and Anodyne) delivers special wavelengths of infrared light through the skin to the affected tissues, increasing the production of nitric oxide (a signaling molecule in short supply in diabetics). This painless procedure enhances blood flow, improves circulation, and has restored sensation in 93 percent of patients in eight separate clinical trials.

Alpha Lipoic Acid. Also known as lipoic acid or ALA, alpha lipoic acid is my top supplement recommendation for treating diabetic neuropathy. ALA is an extraordinary antioxidant that, in addition to quenching free radicals, has been shown in clinical studies to improve pain, burning, numbness, and other symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. The suggested dose is 600-1,200 mg per day in divided doses.

High-Dose Antioxidants.  Because oxidative damage plays a large role in diabetic neuropathy, high doses of antioxidants are imperative. Aim for 300-800 IU of vitamin E, a minimum of 1,000 mg of vitamin C, and 15,000 IU of vitamin A (as mostly beta-carotene.) A high-quality multi should contain these levels.

B-Complex Vitamins. When it comes to supporting nerve health, B-complex vitamins are essential. Suggested minimum doses are 800 mcg of folic acid, 150 mcg of B12, and 75 mg of B6. Again, a good multivitamin/mineral supplement should contain these doses.

Fish Oil. Inflammation is also a factor in diabetic neuropathy and fish oil is just the supplement to counteract this symptom. For best results, take 2-8 g of high-quality fish oil daily.

Mentioned in Chinese texts dating back to 2700 BC, cinnamon has made appearances in the Bible, graced the tables of ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, and been deemed at one time a gift fit for a king. Today, cinnamon’s medicinal benefits, as well as its culinary uses, keep it in high esteem—and for good reason.

This spice improves insulin sensitivity and has profound effects on blood sugar. German researchers gave patients with type 2 diabetes who were on oral drugs either an aqueous extract of cinnamon (the equivalent of 3 g of cinnamon powder) or a placebo daily. After four months, the group taking cinnamon experienced a 10.3 percent reduction in blood sugar, compared to the placebo group’s drop of 3.4 percent. This effect was even more pronounced in an earlier study, in which blood sugar levels fell 18 to 29 percent with doses of 1 to 3 g of cinnamon per day.

A recent study confirms that cinnamon also lowers blood pressure, a benefit I’ve been hearing about for some time from my patients and readers. Marsha, a Health & Healing subscriber from Memphis, reported that taking a cinnamon extract and drinking cinnamon tea lowered her blood pressure from 215/110 to an average of 125–135/60–70! In addition, it has been shown to drive down triglycerides 23 to 30 percent and LDL cholesterol 7 to 27 percent over a 40-day period.

Cinnamon’s other purported benefits range from curing the common cold and relieving arthritis to improving memory and warding off insects. Although I’m not certain these claims will pan out, the wide-ranging benefits of this spice make it a worthy addition.

But don’t just add ground cinnamon to your food. Research suggests that chemicals in saliva render it ineffective. Furthermore, whole cinnamon contains some undesirable compounds that are eliminated when it is mixed in hot water. Therefore, I recommend taking a water-soluble cinnamon extract, drinking cinnamon tea, or adding cinnamon to ground coffee before brewing. The suggested dose is a quarter to a half teaspoon twice a day.

If you have type 2 diabetes, avoid this drug like the plague. Diet, exercise, weight loss, and targeted nutritional supplements are the best way to control blood sugar. And to protect against diabetic complications, nothing beats nutritional supplements. Approximately 40 percent of people with diabetes have a gene variation (haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 gene) that increases oxidative stress and doubles or triples their risk of cardiovascular disease. Israeli researchers found that when these people took 400 IU of vitamin E daily, their risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, and death fell by 50 percent! Vitamin E’s benefits were so profound the study was terminated early so all study participants could benefit.

Genetic tests are available, but my recommendation to anyone with diabetes is to take at least 400 IU of natural vitamin E every day. In fact, because other studies suggest that this vitamin protects against the onset of diabetes, I encourage everyone, regardless of health status, to take natural vitamin E.

This 10-year follow-up study revealed that high-risk adults following a program of lifestyle changes were able to reduce their risk of developing full-blown diabetes by 58 percent. In contrast, in a comparable group given the oral diabetes drug metformin, incidence of diabetes was reduced by 31 percent.

Though conventional medicine relies heavily on oral diabetes drugs, these medications are replete with serious side effects including cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke as well as substantial weight gain. To find out that they aren’t even all that effective–on top of these risks–makes you question why such medications are ever prescribed. But that’s another story.

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute we focus on the following natural diabetes treatments to get blood sugar under control once and for all.

• Weight Loss: Hands down, losing weight is the best therapy for type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet for weight loss. It requires diet changes, an exercise program, and determination.
• Diet: The most therapeutic diet for diabetes is a low-glycemic, Mediterranean-style menu with lots of vegetables and lean protein, such as fish and poultry; modest amounts of fruit (one serving per day); and healthful fats like olive oil. Stay away from sugar and starches—pasta, cereals, and other grain-based foods drive up blood sugar and increase appetite.
• Exercise: I recommend a brisk 10-minute walk after meals and several sessions of resistance exercise weekly. Walking and other forms of aerobic exercise lower blood sugar and burn calories, while resistance exercise such as weightlifting builds muscle and improves long-term insulin sensitivity.
• Nutritional Supplements: To guard against complications of the blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys, take a potent, antioxidant-rich daily multivitamin to replace the nutrients that are inevitably lost as a result of the diabetic condition. To lower blood sugar, take vanadyl sulfate 100 mg, alpha lipoic acid 600 mg, chromium 200 mcg, cinnamon 500–1,000 mg, and Gymnema sylvestre 400 mg daily. They may be taken individually or in combination formulas.

Losing weight and getting in shape can be difficult, especially if you turn to starvation diets, insane workout regimens, or other drastic measures. But we’ve recently instituted a program at the Whitaker Wellness Institute that helps patients shed pounds, get their diabetes under control, lower blood pressure, and improve health overall. It’s a mini-fast coupled with exercise and it’s so easy, just about anyone can do it.

• When you wake up in the morning, drink a glass of water or a cup of coffee or tea. It’s okay to sweeten your AM beverage with a little low-calorie sweetener such as xylitol or stevia and to add a small amount of creamer but don’t drink or eat anything else.
• Next, get out and exercise moderately for 20-45 minutes. You can walk, cycle, or jog—anything aerobic.
• After your workout, continue on with your day but do not eat or drink anything other than water, coffee, or tea until lunchtime. (You may also take your nutritional supplements if they don’t upset your stomach.) You will probably have to try it to believe it but the combination of exercise and fasting actually blunts your appetite, and the caffeine in tea and coffee helps to put the brakes on hunger as well.
• Your mini-fast ends at lunch. You should eat sensibly for the rest of the day, focusing on lean protein sources such as turkey, chicken, fish, and eggs, and low-glycemic carbohydrates like beans and legumes, fiber-rich veggies, and a little fruit.

Skipping your morning meal not only cuts down on the calories you take in but adding exercise burns additional calories and helps kick-start fat burning in a process called ketosis.

In a recent study of obese individuals, participants who followed this mini-fast protocol for 12 weeks lost 16 pounds of fat (25 percent of their initial fat mass) plus three inches around the waist. The biggest losers were a man and woman who respectively lost an astonishing 44 and 31 pounds of fat! Additionally, the group’s fasting insulin fell by one-quarter, into the normal range.

Try the mini-fast/exercise combo yourself and let me know how it works for you. Don’t be surprised if you see improvements in all aspects of your health—from lower blood sugar readings and better blood pressure to improvements in energy, weight, and so much more. Good luck to you and here’s to starting 2010 off right.

Apples may come to mind when you’re thinking high-fiber foods. And with 5 grams in each medium-sized piece of fruit, they’re not a bad choice. (Don’t forget to eat the skin!) However, there are a number of other delicious and healthy high-fiber foods out there. Here’s a list of some of my favorites. 

1 cup beans (12-15 grams, depending on variety)
1 medium-sized avocado (11.84 grams)
1 cup raspberries (8.34 grams)
1 cup soybeans (7.62 grams)
1 cup cooked kale (7.20 grams)
½ medium grapefruit (6.12 grams)
1 cup cooked sweet potato (5.94 grams)

Source: Common Sense Health Web site

While all of these foods contain appreciable amounts of fiber, my number one recommendation is freshly ground flax seed. In addition to providing 11 grams of fiber per quarter-cup, flax is also a great source of protective lignans and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It has impressive cholesterol-lowering benefits as well.

A few years ago, Beverly M. had a cholesterol level of 307. She read about my recommendations for lowering cholesterol in my newsletter, Health & Healing, and began taking flax seed. Within six months, her cholesterol fell to 206. As she says, “It sure beats Pravachol [a statin drug] with all its side effects at over a hundred dollars a prescription.”

Just buy a cheap coffee grinder , and grind up ¼-cup of flax seeds a day. Mix  in water and drink quickly (it thickens upon standing), or sprinkle on salads, soups, or other foods. You’re bound to notice the benefits soon after adopting this healthy practice.

For instance, if you aren’t using your readings to adjust your medication dosages or to identify and eliminate problems foods from your diet, then what’s the point?

Last year, two studies published in the esteemed British Medical Journal found that regular self-monitoring of glucose levels was associated with lower quality of life, increased costs, and higher rates of depression. What’s worse is that this obsessive testing did not result in better glycemic control. (For study details, click on the links below.)

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/336/7654/1174
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/336/7654/1139

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, instead of regular self-testing, we monitor our patients’ A1C levels. Unlike finger-stick glucose tests, A1C reveals an average of blood sugar over the past few months. This test gives us a broader picture and allows us to determine if the diet and supplement regimens we prescribe are working effectively to keep blood sugar under control.

Instead of oral drugs or insulin, we treat our patients who have diabetes with targeted nutritional supplements and lifestyle modifications (more exercise, fewer carbohydrates, weight loss, etc.). This natural approach has helped tens of thousands of our patients say goodbye to diabetes and its debilitating complications and hello to a healthier, more vital life.

Walking tones the largest muscles of your body and helps keep off excess weight. It gets your heart rate up and enhances circulation. It strengthens your bones and heart, improves mood and sleep, and lowers blood sugar and triglycerides—all at minimal risk of injury.

At the clinic, we take our patients on a 10-minute walk after each meal. This is particularly important for people with diabetes because it helps clear glucose out of the bloodstream. We also encourage everyone to walk on their own whenever possible.

In order to track their progress and help motivate them, we use pedometers. Researchers from Stanford and the University of Minnesota recently found that these step-counting devices are a real benefit when it comes to losing weight, lowering blood pressure, and increasing activity levels. 

The scientists reviewed data from 26 studies involving more than 2,700 mostly female participants who were fairly inactive and overweight. Over 18 weeks, those who wore a pedometer took approximately 2,000 more steps every day (that’s almost a mile!), lowered their systolic blood pressure an average of 3.8 points, and decreased their body mass index by 0.4 points. These findings led researchers to conclude that if just 10 percent of Americans started walking on a regular basis, $5.6 billion could be saved each year in heart disease costs.

Walking is one of the easiest—not to mention least expensive—forms of exercise out there. Better still, most anyone can do it. Pedometers, which run about $10–$25 can be purchased in most retail stores or ordered by calling (800) 810-6655. Get yourself one ASAP and gradually work your way up to 10,000 steps per day.

After four years, the participants on the Mediterranean diet required fewer drugs to control blood sugar and they experienced improved insulin sensitivity, greater weight loss, and a reduction in coronary risk factors. http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/151/5/306

This study doesn’t surprise me in the least. I’ve been using diet and other lifestyle modifications to treat—even reverse—diabetes for more than 30 years with excellent results.

Here at the Whitaker Wellness Institute we help patients with diabetes control their blood sugar levels with a lower-carbohydrate version of the Mediterranean diet. Meals are centered around lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, legumes), plenty of fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds, healthful fats, and a small amount of low-glycemic fruit. Exercise, at least 30 minutes most days of the week, a targeted nutritional supplement program, and weight loss (if appropriate), round out our natural diabetes treatments.

Before consenting to a drug regimen that your conventional doc will likely say you’ll have to be on for the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to give these natural diabetes treatments a try.