When it comes to type 2 diabetes, an
ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. This disease,
characterized by high levels of blood sugar (glucose), has now
reached epidemic proportions. In fact, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in three
children born in 2000 could develop it if they don't change
their ways. Despite this rise, a series in The New York
Times in early 2006 pointed out that dedicated diabetes
care centers are shutting down -- not because they are
unsuccessful in combating diabetes, but because they are not
making money. So, what's a diabetic to do? If it's not
profitable to stay well, are they forced to get very sick so
that they can then be treated? Or, is it that staying well is
a matter of personal choice and responsibility? It appears
that the economics of wellness may indeed be sending the
message of "do it yourself" health.
MEGABUCKS
FOR CRISIS CARE, PENNIES FOR PREVENTION
The problem is that American health-care
dollars flow mainly toward acute, last-minute, lifesaving
crises, rather than toward primary care and prevention. While
it is not profitable for the health-care industry to provide
preventive care for chronic diseases such as diabetes, it is
hugely profitable to treat their acute complications. It has
been reported that diabetes care centers lose tens of
thousands of dollars per year teaching patients to monitor
their sugar levels, follow a healthy diet and get regular
exercise -- strategies that would keep diabetes under control
and prevent complications. Conversely, $30,000 amputations --
which occur when diabetes spirals out of control -- are very
profitable for hospitals.
According to Ray D. Strand, MD, author
of Healthy for Life (Real Life), the US health-care
system relies too heavily on money-making high-tech and
pharmaceutical interventions. Conventional medicine is great
at opening up an artery with a stent or curing a raging
infection with penicillin... but when there's no operation or
pill to cure a disease, individuals are left scrambling. When
it comes to diabetes, he believes that modern medicine focuses
too much on drugs and procedures to address its consequences,
and pays too little (and sometimes no) attention to one of the
underlying problems -- insulin resistance.
INSULIN
RESISTANCE: A PRODUCT OF POOR LIFESTYLE CHOICES
Insulin resistance -- in which the body
can no longer make proper use of insulin and correctly process
glucose and fat stores -- is the precursor of diabetes, when
blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough to
be diagnosed as diabetes. This condition is the result of poor
lifestyle choices, primarily a diet of fast and processed
foods, a lack of exercise and obesity. If you do nothing to
make better choices, Dr. Strand warns that the scales will
eventually tip and you will develop metabolic syndrome -- a
devastating combination of prediabetes, abdominal obesity and
high triglyceride levels, high LDL and low HDL cholesterol
levels, and high blood pressure. It affects 25% of American
adults.
There is no Food and Drug
Administration-approved pill to cure insulin resistance, notes
Dr. Strand. This may be why modern medicine largely ignores it
-- it's the "where there's no pill, there's no
disease" way of thinking. However, he stresses that in
most cases you can reverse insulin resistance and prevent
diabetes by changing your lifestyle and consistently making
healthier choices. Even if you already have diabetes, positive
strategies such as a proper diet and regular exercise will
help you manage it more effectively and prevent complications.
THREE STEPS TO A
HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE
Type 2 diabetes doesn't develop overnight,
observes Dr. Strand. It is the product of years and years of
unhealthful lifestyle choices. The sooner you address and
correct lifestyle issues, the better chance you have of
reversing or avoiding insulin resistance and diabetes. Dr.
Strand recommends...
- A healthful diet that does
not spike blood sugar. Conventional doctors don't
appreciate the science of the glycemic index, and feel
that a carb is a carb is a carb, explains Dr. Strand. Not
so. The glycemic index is a ranking of foods according to
how rapidly there is a rise in blood sugar. Dr. Strand
recommends that you choose low-glycemic index foods, such
as many fresh fruits and vegetables, lentils and oatmeal,
which trigger only a modest rise in blood sugar and enter
the bloodstream slowly. Likewise, avoid high-glycemic
foods (potatoes, cornflakes, white bread, doughnuts, etc.)
that send blood sugar soaring.
- A moderate, consistent
exercise program. To get started, just dust off
your walking shoes and take a walk around the
neighborhood. Over time, work your way up to 30 to 40
minutes of aerobic exercise (for example, brisk walking or
bicycling) five days a week. For consistency and
accountability, it helps to buddy up with a friend or join
an exercise group.
- High-quality nutritional
supplements. According to Dr. Strand, most
conventional physicians do not appreciate the use of
nutritional supplementation, which has a great benefit in
pre-clinical diabetes and diabetes. To boost cellular
nutrition, he advises that you take a high-quality
antioxidant (vitamins C and E are among his favorites)
with each meal. Other helpful supplements include
chromium, magnesium and selenium.
Note: Read
more about Dr. Strand's program to reverse insulin resistance
at www.firststeptherapy.com.
He has just completed a clinical trial in which all 25
pre-clinical diabetic participants were able to reverse their
insulin resistance within 12 weeks.
DO THE RIGHT THING
Instead of offering patients an
opportunity to address their health with lifestyle changes,
physicians are too quick to simply write a prescription, notes
Dr. Strand. The bottom line is there's not much profit for the
health-care industry with changes in diet and exercise.
However, these lifestyle changes can return your body to
health -- turning around insulin resistance, holding diabetes
at bay and reducing or even eliminating the need for drugs and
other interventions. As I have written about many times, the
same holds true for many health challenges, from arthritis to
allergy, and gastritis to heart conditions. Medical science
has done many great things for the health of our nation, but
they are missing the mark when it comes to simple preventive
measures. Individuals must take control of their own lives.
Prevention and lifestyle changes are still cheaper no matter
what, even if insurance doesn't cover them. And, while it's
easy to get mad at the insurance companies for not covering
some of those measures, keep in mind that insurance is really
for "the big stuff" -- you don't need insurance to
pay for you to eat right and take a walk each day.
Be well,
Carole Jackson
Bottom Line's Daily Health News
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