Recent Research On Diabetes

I have gone through my database on diabetes, and have come up with some interesting new research.

The first article looks at the failure of pharmaceuticals, and the intriguing possibility of a short-term “fast” to “recalibrate” one’s system. Plus good caveats on who might benefit from this approach. Read about it HERE .

This short article looks at the connection between food allergies and diabetes.

And here is an article on recent research on green tea and cocoa to help control the effects of high blood sugar on longevity.

Next week we’ll look at acid/alkaline balance in the diet and body.

Type II Diabetes

For the single best article I have read in my research concerning Type II Diabetes, I urge you to check out Dr. Cowan’s article (found on the Weston Price Foundation website) HERE where he describes in elegant prose the following: Type I and Type II, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, diet, herbs, and supplements.

The following is an excellent synopsis of Pre-Diabetes from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse:

Pre-diabetes

Pre-diabetes among People Ages 20 Years or Older, United States, 2010

• Pre-diabetes is a condition in which   individuals have blood glucose, also called  blood sugar, or A1C levels higher than  normal but not high enough to be classified  as diabetes. People with pre-diabetes  have an increased risk of developing  type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
• Studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and in some cases return their blood glucose levels to normal.
• In 2005–2008, based on fasting glucose  or A1C levels, 35 percent of U.S. adults  ages 20 years or older had pre-diabetes—50 percent of those ages 65 years or older.  Applying this percentage to the entire  U.S. population in 2010 yields an estimated  79 million Americans ages 20 years  or older with pre-diabetes.
• On the basis of fasting glucose or A1C levels, and after adjusting for population age differences, the percentage of U.S. adults ages 20 years or older with pre-diabetes in  2005–2008 was similar for non-Hispanic  whites, 35 percent; non-Hispanic blacks, 35 percent; and Mexican Americans, 36 percent.
• Using a different data source than for other race/ethnicity groups, a different age group, and a different definition on        the basis of fasting glucose levels only, and  after adjusting for population age differences,  20 percent of American Indians   ages 15 years or older had pre-diabetes in  2001–2004.

As for the current number of diabetics in the USA: current prevalence rate:                                                                                            approx 1 in 17 or 5.88% or 16 million people in USA [Source statistic for
calculation: “16 million Americans (NWHIC, includes undiagnosed); 7.2 million
(actually diagnosed)”

In other words, this disease of civilization is increasing, is currently the sixth most common cause of death (from complications), and  is best understood from an alternative viewpoint. And yes, the article I cite above is 9 pages long, and every one of them is worth reading.

PS: Respond to the Raw Milk Raid

The recent state and federal raid on a private food buying club in California that was selling raw milk is explained more thoroughly HERE where you can also respond by contacting your Senators and Representative. Please help support the right of every American to participate in a private food club that sells raw milk (or other natural farm grown food regardless of whether the mainstream finds the food strange or supposedly dangerous).

More on Mercury; Dealing With the Big Picture

Heavy metals, including mercury, cause havoc in various bodily systems. Regularly decreasing the toxic burden on the body is a positive move toward greater health. There are now many products and protocols available for doing this. I and my clients have used several with good results. My favorite, however, is a product called HMD (Heavy Metal Detox) which is backed by a 3 year double-blind placebo study. You can read about this liquid chelator HERE . And by the way, Iris Herbal Products sells this 4 oz. tincture cheaper than Amazon. At present, you need to call toll-free 877-286-2970 to order it.

Thinking about mercury pollution as we in the Southwest are experiencing a massive drought, and a big chunk of the country is dealing with record-breaking high temps, and the Tea Party wing of the radical right is explaining how they intend to shut down the EPA (after they successfully played “Chicken” with the national debt), I am led to my strength and curse: seeing clearly the Big Picture. So here are a few “exposes” that have crossed my computer desk today that eloquently describe in part or in whole our current “reality.”

For those who wish to confront their fears about environmental decline and how to adequately address the current situation of global warming, here is an article from AlterNet that is sobering in that it gets real about power, corporate control (of everything), privilege (of those of us living in industrialized states), and what has worked (and not worked) in social change movements.

If you don’t believe the corporate greed machine is really that insidious, then check out this wonderfully scathing indictment of the Supreme Court by Hightower, that can be read here. 

Oh no, you say, we have freedom of the press, look at all you’ve shown us courtesy of the alternative media…and that is my point. Mainstream media (except National Geographic and a few other bolder entities) is not giving us important news about anything alternative unless it has already been co-opted by a multinational. Here is an article about the recent intergovernmental raid against a buying club that dared to sell raw milk.

Next week I’ll start exploring the many and fascinating alternative views to Type II Diabetes and its treatment and prevention.

Mercury: A Common Heavy Metal That Is Not Your Friend

Heavy metal exposure and toxicity is a complicated political and health care hot potato. After doing a bit of research, and bringing to bear my experience, I am putting forth the idea that even if relatively few people present with outright mercury (or other heavy metal) poisoning, most folks carry a burden of mercury and other heavy metals in their body, and reducing that amount is good common sense and active preventative medicine. Also, not everyone is equally sensitive, or equally able to excrete toxicity.

Radiation is a source of heavy metal exposure, and with the melt-through in Japan, and leakages from numerous nuclear facilities, we are adding to our exposure daily, even if in tiny amounts. Industrial accidents are also a source, and since some heavy metals are retained more  (and for longer periods) than others in the body, even exposures from years ago may still be having an effect

For a comprehensive list of symptoms, and the experience of a woman who experienced mercury poisoning go  HERE .

Where do we find mercury?

Mercury is used in the agricultural, paper, coal burning, petrochemical production, fishery and dental industries.

Common items that contain mercury:

1. Dental mercury amalgams

2. Contaminated fish, especially tuna and swordfish

3. Preparation H

4. Vegetables (especially carrots & lettuce) contaminated with pesticide and fungicide sprays

5. Hair dyes

6. Contact lens solutions

7. Laxatives

8. Calamine lotion

9. Vaginal gels, especially contraceptives

10. Mascara

11. Afrin nasal spray

12. Certain perfumes

13. Fungicides for lawns, shrubs and trees

14. Latex paint solvents

15. Fabric softeners

16. Oil paints

17. Pottery glazes

The last two items are the source of heavy metal toxicity which I and several artist friends in the Taos area have experienced first hand, and it was not a pretty picture. All of us found relief using HMD (Heavy Metal Detox) which I’ll talk about more next week.

Tune in next week for detoxification strategies.