Natural Supplements for Diabetes , livre ebook

N ATURAL S UPPLEMENTS FOR D IABETES
Practical and Proven Health Suggestions for Types 1 and 2 Diabetes R EVISED & U PDATED
FRANK MURRAY Foreword by Len Saputo, M.D.
The information contained in this book is based upon the research and personal and professional experiences of the author. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a healthcare professional.

The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in this book should be available to the public. The publisher and author are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any procedures or preparation mentioned, the author and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.

Basic Health Publications, Inc.
28812 Top of the World Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-715-7327 •  www.basichealthpub.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Murray, Frank.
Natural supplements for diabetes : practical and proven health suggestions for types 1 and 2 diabetes / Frank Murray. —Rev. ed.
    p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-59120-538-8
1. Diabetes—Alternative treatment. 2. Dietary supplements. I. Title.

RC661.A47M87 2007
616.4'62—dc22
2007019851

Copyright © 2007 by Frank Murray

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.

Editor: John Anderson
Typesetting/Book design: Gary A. Rosenberg
Cover design: Mike Stromberg

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents

Foreword by Len Saputo, M.D.

PART ONE

Diabetes—An Epidemic in the Making

1. What Is Diabetes?

2. What Causes Diabetes?

3. The Way Forward

PART TWO

Therapies for Diabetes

4. Why a Healthful Diet Is Important

5. Vitamin A and the Carotenoids

6. The B-Complex Vitamins

7. Vitamin C

8. Vitamin D

9. Vitamin E

10. Minerals of Importance to Diabetics

11. Other Nutrients to Help Diabetics

12. Herbs

13. Why You Need to Exercise

14. Treating Diabetes in Women and Children

PART THREE

Treating the Complications of Diabetes

15. High Blood Pressure

16. The Complications of Cardiovascular Disease

17. High Cholesterol

18. High Triglycerides

19. Eye Problems

20. Foot Problems

21. Kidney Disease

22. Thyroid Gland Complications

23. Impotence

Glossary

References

About the Author
Foreword
There is an alarming increase in the incidence of diabetes. Neither the billions of dollars spent on medical research nor the arsenal of pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices that have subsequently emerged have been able to curb this epidemic. Too many people are suffering, and we cannot sustain the skyrocketing costs that support these therapies. Fortunately, there is a better way.
Americans are becoming proactive about their health. We are also entering an exciting integrative era that is blending the best of conventional and alternative medicine with the ancient wisdom of indigenous healing systems. Never before in our history have we had the opportunities that are possible today. We are in the process of changing from a “disease care” into a “health care” medical model, shifting our focus to optimizing health by preventing disease and promoting wellness. Lifestyle enhancement and the use of natural therapies are emerging as powerful tools that can achieve these goals.
While we all recognize and highly value the achievements of modern technology, we are becoming less dependent on the “miracles” of hightech medicine. Despite its technological brilliance, modern medicine has not solved the epidemic of chronic diseases; its lack of safety has become a frightening reality, and it has become unaffordable for too many of us. There are just too many health problems and too few solutions.
Natural Supplements for Diabetes is a rich compendium of extensively referenced information that is practical, effective, safe, and affordable. Put simply, you can use it. Frank Murray’s commonsense wisdom inspires confidence so that you can take responsibility and realistically expect to optimally manage, or even prevent, diabetes for yourself and for your loved ones.
The book begins by providing an easy to understand view of what diabetes is and highlights the importance of identifying risk factors that predispose one to its development or progression. For example, more than fifty million Americans suffer from the so-called Syndrome X, or “metabolic syndrome,” which many experts feel is the prelude to the development of overt diabetes. There are also sections on obesity, hypertension, cholesterol, smoking, diet, and exercise and diabetes. Valuable information will help you protect the target organs that are particularly vulnerable to the complications of diabetes—heart, brain, eyes, feet, kidneys, and thyroid gland.
The book goes far beyond mainstream medical approaches to help reverse the underlying problems leading to the development of diabetes. Natural therapies that promote healing and allow the body to help restore normal physiology are offered. As they reverse the severity of the diabetic state, these insights also enhance overall health. Although these simple and effective tools are fully compatible with pharmacological drugs, typically, dosages can be dramatically reduced or, in some instances, entirely eliminated.
The value of specific vitamins, minerals, and supplements is also addressed in this book. The science behind their use is thoroughly documented, and a strong rational basis for using them is established. There is an enormous database of modern, cutting-edge biochemical research supporting the concept that many complications of diabetes are related to increased oxidative stress—the chemical damage of vital structures within the cell that result in premature aging. Reducing oxidative stress is certainly one of the major keys that can not only slow the development of aging, but also improve health and vitality. Simple and powerful natural substances can be used to prevent and repair oxidative stress.
While it is wise to include your health-care practitioner in the decision-making process when considering changes in therapy, Natural Supplements for Diabetes makes it possible for you to begin the process of creating your own program to minimize the manifestations of diabetes and maximize health. Today’s health care is transforming into a collaborative process in which dialogue between patients and physicians is the norm. We are learning that the best way to ensure good health comes from taking responsibility for making decisions about our individual health-care needs while considering the advice of our health-care practitioners. Now that information is so readily available from the news, books, magazines, and the Internet, it is realistic to partner with your practitioner and contribute the potentially important information that emerges from your research.

Len Saputo, M.D.
Co-founder and Medical Director
Health Medicine Institute
Lafayette, California
PART ONE

Diabetes—An Epidemic in the Making
CHAPTER 1

What Is Diabetes?
D
iabetes develops when there is too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. The body’s cells require glucose for fuel, but when glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into the cells, the cells are starved for energy. High blood sugar levels can eventually harm your eyes, nerves, kidneys, and heart.
The nature of diabetes is still being investigated today, but we know that the disease is a disorder of metabolism—that is, the way our bodies use digested food for energy. Most of the food we ingest is broken down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood and the main source of fuel for the body. After food is digested, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is needed by cells for growth and energy. However, in order for glucose to enter the cells, it must have insulin, which is a hormone produced by the pancreas.
The pancreas is located behind the lower part of the stomach and is about the size of a human hand. It makes insulin so that the body can use glucose for energy and it also makes enzymes that help the body digest food. Spread over the pancreas are areas called the islets of Langerhans. The cells in these areas have a special purpose: alpha cells make glucagon, which raises the level of glucose in the blood, beta cells make insulin, and delta cells make somatostatin, a hormone that is thought to control the release of insulin and glucagons.
After we eat, the pancreas should automatically produce the correct amount of insulin to move glucose from the blood into the body’s cells. In people with diabetes, the pancreas either manufactures little or no insulin or the cells of the body do not respond to the insulin produced. When this occurs, glucose accumulates in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body. The body loses its main source of fuel, even though the blood still has large amounts of glucose. 1
Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst and urination, blurred vision, weight loss, fatigue, and other conditions. Out-of-control diabetes can lead to blindness, heart and blood vessel diseases, strokes, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage. Regular monitoring is essential.
Types of Diabetes
The three main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes (formerly called insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes), type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insuli