Advanced Wellness Solutions

Diabetes is all about your blood glucose (sugar) levels and unless you’ve been poked by a needle recently, you may have diabetes and not even KNOW you have it.

Blood sugar is regulated in the body by INSULIN.  In type I Diabetes, the body isn’t producing insulin.  In type II Diabetes, the body isn’t responding properly to the insulin the body is producing.  In either case, your blood glucose levels will rise and this will trigger the symptoms of diabetes.

So, what are the signs of diabetes?

Excessive Thirst- When your blood glucose levels are high, your kidneys have to work overtime to dilute the blood glucose levels.  (It’s one of jobs assigned by the body to the kidneys!)   The kidneys try to do this by asking for lots and lots of extra fluids-  which leads to the 2nd symptom of diabetes.

Tiny Tank Syndrome- It’s one thing when your kids have to stop at every utility pole on a family vacation, but when you find yourself having to “go” all the time, it may be a sign of diabetes.

Weight Loss - If you jump on the scale and start seeing the numbers plunge, even though you haven’t changed the way you eat OR increased the amount of exercise you do, it may be a sign that you have diabetes.

This is more common with Type I Diabetes beause the body begins breaking down tissue in a desperate attempt for energy.  (Blood glucose in the right amounts provides ENERGY to your cells!)

Since the onset of Type II Diabetes occurs over a longer period of time, this is not usually seen in Type II Diabetes.

Fatique - Blood glucose is now your body gets energy.  With both type I and type II Diabetes, the body isn’t able to access blood glucose for use in the cells.  As a result, you’ll feel tired and run down.

Sores that are slow to heal - High blood glucose levels affect the body’s ability to fight infection and heal wounds and sores.

Dry and itchy skin - Dry, itchy skin is yet another sign of high blood glucose levels

Tingling in your feet, legs or hands- This is a sign of nerve damage and can happen when blood glucose levels have been out of control for an extended period of time.

If you have ANY of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor and ask for a glucose tolerance test.

Diabetes will NOT “magically” go away and MUST be treated.  The quicker you diagnose your diabetes, the better you will be able to control it!

If you’re hooked on the sweet stuff, you know it!  Sugar of some form is frequently hiding in most commercially prepared foods.

What you may not know is that consuming too much sugar, even healthy “natural” sugars found in fruits, can lead to fructose malabsorption.

According to Food Intol:

Hereditary Fructose Intolerance is quite rare (less than one in 10,000). It is inherited and lasts for life.

It should not be confused with Fructose Malabsorption which is quite common. Up to one in three people* has some level of sugar sensitivity - most commonly to Fructose. However around half of these people show no symptoms at all.

Sensitivity to sugars like lactose, fructose and sorbitol is largely undiagnosed, but responsible for stomach bloating and intestinal distress in millions. These substances are used extensively in manufactured foods due to sweetening power and low cost.

So while it’s unlikely that you are suffering from Hereditary Fructose Intolerance, it appears the odds are 1 in 3 that your digestive distress may be the result of Fructose Malabsorption.

According to the Boston University Website the treatment for Hereditary Fructose Intolerance is a fructose free diet.

People on this diet live normal and healthy lives, although the danger of inadvertent fructose ingestion remain. Furthermore, it is unclear what long-term effects there might be on liver function from prolonged neonatal encounter with fructose. In extreme cases of life-threatening liver damage, liver transplants have been performed.

However, if you’re part of the larger group who suffer from Fructose Malabsorption, you may be able to treat your symptoms as easily as adding mint to your tea!  According to Natural Medicine:

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) has a long history of use for intestinal problems including indigestion, cramping, bloating, infection, inflammation and pain. Mint tea is useful for tummy upsets, but the essential oil of peppermint is better for IBS. Take 1 - 2 capsules containing 0.2 ml of enteric-coated peppermint oil 2 - 3 times a day as needed, or dilute a few drops of the oil in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and rub over the area of discomfort. Do not use peppermint oil internally when there’s heartburn or oesophageal reflux.

According to an article in Woman’s World, you should also avoid the low calorie sweetener sorbitol.  Sorbitol is converted into fructose during the digestion process and fructose is the cause of the symptoms of gas and bloating.

Breaking an addiction to the sweet stuff - sugar, fructose and other sweeteners - is a tough challenge but the results could remove 2 inches of bloat from your wasitline!