Does your current diet consist of sugary snacks and sodas? If so, you could be “pre-diabetic” and/or have type 2 diabetes. Sugar and insulin are two key components that ultimately determine whether or not you’re diabetic.
Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. This hormone takes the sugar from the carbs in the food you eat and turns it into energy for your body’s various cells. What’s not needed right away gets stored for future use. Insulin is the great regulator– it helps your body keep a good blood sugar level, ideally. However, suppose you eat a very sugary diet, consistently. Over time, your blood sugar level will rise, causing your pancreas to secrete more insulin. High blood sugar often leads to type 2 diabetes, because cells in your body become resistant to the effects of insulin. You’ve over-sugared your body and it just can’t deal with it all in a proper way anymore. Then, when you’ve got type 2 diabetes, it leads to numerous other health complications– you could even go blind!
People with type 2 diabetes typically need insulin shots in order to help them process sugar and to minimize associated problems. Also, they’re typically asked to make lifestyle changes, so instead of fries and Pepsi, they need to switch over to leafy greens and water… nutritionally, a person can, in time, get rid of their diabetes, thankfully.
If you were to visit a chiropractor and talk about your blood sugar/diabetes/insulin problem, he or she would likely advise you to make changes in your life to improve your health. For instance, some common tips include avoiding alcohol, refined sugars (like packaged products with the dreaded ‘high-fructose corn syrup’), and junk foods. Instead, a diet should have complex carbs (rather than simple), raw foods (rather than processed), and foods that introduce sugars into the bloodstream more slowly, rather than giving person a “jolt” like most colas do, for example. In addition to changes in the food and drinks a person consumes, a chiropractor would also recommend an exercise regimen to complement the other positive changes the patient can make. For those who want to sit around, living a sedentary lifestyle, eating potato chips and drinking Coke on the couch all day, every day, there’s a very real likelihood you will develop diabetes. However, by moving your body more, losing weight, and eating healthier, you can avoid or reverse the problems associated with this dreaded disease.
How can a chiropractor help a person with diabetes, besides offering diet and exercise advice? Well, the upper neck and the middle of the back are key spots that deal with supplying nerve signals to the brain and various organs like the pancreas. In order to ensure the spine and nerves are working to the best of their ability, a chiropractor can correct misalignments of the
spine. By realigning the spine, a person’s immune system, digestion, and hormone functions all improve. Why not meet with Dr. Justin Bergin to discuss a plan to avoid and/or get rid of your diabetes? Call 863-940-3444 for an appointment.
type 2 diabetes
