Essential Nutrients for Diabetics

Last Tuesday, March 22nd was Diabetes Alert Day and I wanted to share this with the members of our local Beyond Blindness Institute concerning the statistics on Diabetes. Some of the members found themselves with sight impairments due to their Diabetes and I wanted to focus on ways they could improve their health. Here is just part of what I shared:

• 79 Million Americans are in a pre-diabetic state with 26 million already diagnosed as a diabetic.
• Last year alone, nearly 2 million cases were diagnosed!
• Medical costs for diabetics are 2.3 times higher than non-diabetics
• You can take a diabetes risk test at www.diabetes.org

Diabetes is a result of problems with the pancreatic hormone insulin. Insulin controls the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood and the rate at which the glucose is absorbed into the cells. This hyperglycemia eventually leads to damaged blood vessels, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney failure, macular degeneration, nerve damage which leads to damage to the limbs and internal organs and kidney disease.

Getting the proper amount of sleep and exercise if very important and of course eating properly is vital to the diabetic. We discussed eating whole grains, more raw or steamed vegetables, fruits and cutting out refined white breads and sugars, artificial sweeteners and eating more fiber to help slow down the absorption of glucose in your system

The main discussion was focusing on the nutrients, so here is what we reviewed:

Essential Nutrients for a Diabetic
( which should be verified with your health practitioner)

• Alpha-lipoic Acid – for treatment of peripheral nerve damage and helps to control blood sugar levels ( follow dosage mentioned on bottle)
• Chromium Picolinate – 400 -600 mcg daily – improves insulin’s efficiency which helps lower the blood sugar levels
• Garlic – decreases and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Enhances immunity and improves circulation
• L-Carnitine – 500 mg twice daily – on an empty stomach, taken with water. This helps mobilize fat – add L-glutamine 500 mg twice daily on an empty stomach helps to reduce cravings for sugar – add taurine, 500 mg twice daily on an empty stomach – aids in the release of insulin.
• Quercetin – 100 mg 3 times daily – helps to protect the membranes of the lens of the eye from accumulations of polyols as a result of high glucose levels
• Raw Adrenal Glandular, Raw Pancreas glandular or Thyroid glandular – as directed on label helps to rebuild and nourish these organs
• Vanadium – aids insulin’s ability to move glucose into the cells ( use vanadyl sulfate form)
• Vitamin B complex – 50 mg 3 times daily plus an extra biotin can improve the metabolism of glucose with an extra 50 mg of inositol is important for circulation and for the prevention of arthrosclerosis
• Vitamin B-12 plus folic acid – Needed to prevent diabetic neuropathy
• Zinc – 50-80 mg daily ( do not exceed 100 mg daily) – since zinc deficiency has been associated with diabetes.

These nutrients combined with a good multi-vitamin can help improve the health and well being of a diabetic or pre-diabetic. Of course, everyone is unique and their nutritional needs are unique, but this a good guide that can be adjusted and/or added to as needed.