Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
This is Part 3 of Living A Healthy Life with Diabetes, where Amanda discusses specific omega-3 fatty acids and herbal extracts and how they provide additional support to enhance insulin sensitivity and regulate blood glucose levels.
In Episode 2 of Living A Healthy Life with Diabetes, Amanda Williams, MPH breaks down the difference between prediabetes and metabolic syndrome. Plus, essential nutrients to help counteract the impact of the SAD diet.
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This is the Invite Health Podcast, and I am your host, Amanda Williams! On today’s episode, I am going to be delving into diabetes. This is such a complex disease and there is so much misinformation out there. I really want to be able to break this down for you into completely understandable terms, as well as provide you with a foundational understanding as to what you can be doing with your diet, as well as nutrients that can be very beneficial. I will be breaking this down into multiple episodes to better help you understand all of the components of diabetes.
I take a lot of pride in this area of nutrition; I have a specialized certification in diabetes self management, and a Master’s degree in public health. I actually worked in the disease state management program at a local hospital, working directly with diabetics. Let’s get started!
What is Diabetes?
When you breakdown diabetes, you have type 1 diabetics and type 2 diabetics. Now, type 1 diabetes is oftentimes called juvenile diabetes because the onset is, generally speaking, at a much younger age due to a lack of insulin that the pancreas could not produce. This is more autoimmune driven, as opposed to type 2 diabetics where, overtime, the insulin response (or insulin sensitivity) becomes less and less. This is also known as developing insulin resistance.
Now, because of the misinformation and mismanagement of diabetes, many times type 2 diabetes will present itself as type 1, getting to the point where the pancreas is no longer producing insulin, becoming insulin dependent. The majority of diabetics in the US are of the type 2 nature.
Pre-diabetics are marching down the pathway of becoming a type 2 diabetic. This represents approximately 85 – 90 million Americans. This is truly a public health epidemic. There are many long term complications when individuals with diabetes do not take action, which includes lifestyle and dietary modifications.
Many times, there seems to be a reactive approach to diabetes, with individuals waiting until their numbers are so bad that they require medication, as opposed to being proactive. I always recommend a proactive approach with type 2 diabetes, because I have seen the impact of taking control of your own health.
Take A Deeper Look Into Your Body
Many times, when you think of an individual with diabetes, you may think that they are eating nothing but sugar and unhealthy foods (which can definitely be the case). But what about looking into the way your body is working on an everyday basis? What actually is happening when you eat?
This is truly a public health epidemic.
– Amanda Williams, MPH
Go back into your childhood and picture a teeter-tooter – one person sits on a side, another person sits on the opposite side and goes up and down. When you eat, there is a release of glucose – the glucose is going up and our insulin is down low. What should happen, is the pancreas responds with insulin to help lower the glucose levels. When you have insulin resistance, you have a very delayed response in the release of insulin from your beta cells. This causes access glucose to circulate the body for a long period of time. This is why it is so important to pay attention to what you are eating – in order to address which foods are ideal, which foods spike glucose too fast, which are slower, and more.
When you are in a fasting state, like overnight, oftentimes your liver overproduces glucose, which is why you may have a really elevated blood glucose level if you test first thing in the morning.
Every body is different so there are some lifestyle changes that others will react well to, whereas some do not. But there are some general rules you can follow in terms of the right nutrients – like Magnesium and Vitamin D. These are the basic necessities for individuals with diabetes.
You must understand that there is an essential role for important nutrients and vitamins in our body. When our diets are lacking these essential vitamins and minerals, you start to see long term implications. In part 2 of The Tools You Need to Lead a Healthy Lifestyle with Diabetes, I will take you into the world of essential vitamins and nutrients when managing Diabetes.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast!
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In Episode 8, Jerry Hickey, Ph., discusses how to improve the odds of not getting the flu this winter and what you can do nutritionally for your immune system.
Creatine is not just for your muscles and it’s not just for gym lovers! Research explained in Episode 7 takes a deep dive into it’s brain health benefits.
Written by Matthew Gines, MS, CNS
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Nutritional Consultant – Palisades Center • West Nyack, New York Matthew Gines holds a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition from The University of Bridgeport. He has over 15 years’ experience working with clients on developing and implementing lifestyle protocols, including healthy eating, stress management and detoxification. He has also obtained a PN Level 1 Exercise and Nutrition Certification and has extensive knowledge on supplements and healthy lifestyle coaching, as well as behavior modification. Recently, Matthew has qualified as a Certified Nutrition Specialist. Through motivational and accountability techniques, as well as focusing on prevention of chronic disease, Matthew is confident he can help you achieve your health and wellness goals. Email Matthew: MGines@invitehealth.com |
During the winter months, it becomes harder to obtain the essential vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. That being said, it would be wise to protect yourself and your family with safe and effective nutrients that have been studied to support your immune and respiratory system.
To keep yourself healthy during the cold, dry winter, you’ll want to focus on nutrients that support your respiratory system, as it is one of the key entry points for bacteria and viruses. When a person infected with a virus coughs or sneezes, the particles travel through the air and can enter into another person via the eyes, nose and throat. Once inside, the virus takes control of the protein-making compartments of our cells, creating its own viral proteins, and then attempts to replicate them to infect the other parts of the body. Let’s take a look at some important nutrients that can help you support your respiratory tract and keep your body running effectively.
There are many immune-boosting nutrients which are traditional plants that help to support the respiratory tract, as well as with overall wellness.
Black Seed, Nigella Sativa
Medicinal plants have been used for centuries all over the world. Nigella Sativa, more commonly known as Black Cumin Seed, is one of them. This herb belongs to the Ranunculacea family of herbs and holds many medicinal properties. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the most abundant property and is the main source to which the properties of this herb are attributed. A 2017 study published in The Journal of Pharmacopuncture using data from three different databases set out to identify therapeutic effects of this herb. Results showed that Black seed and its constituent TQ possess multiple benefits for ‘inflammatory and auto-immune disorders’. Other advantages noted in the study include antimicrobial properties – the killing or hindering growth of microorganisms like bacteria – as well as metabolic syndrome. The ability of Black seed to support respiratory tract health and overall wellness is why it is known as such a renowned herb.†
Rosemary
Rosemary is another powerhouse traditional plant that contains very beneficial antioxidants, especially the phenolic compounds which are what its’ main medicinal properties are attributed to. Phenolic compounds are plant-derived compounds and have long been associated with their many biochemical and medicinal properties, such as being anti-viral, an antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. Rosemary is from the Lamiaceae family (along with Thyme and Sage) and has been noted in several studies for its antioxidant properties; Rosemary has been shown to be a superior scavenger of free radicals, according to a study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.†
Cordyceps
You may think that fungus is something you’d want to steer clear of during the winter months, but Cordyceps is a superior fungus that contains some very unique and highly beneficial health properties, particularly for the support of the upper respiratory tract and overall immune system, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The study shows evidence that Cordyceps contains very potent properties that benefit the immune system, the liver, the kidneys and the heart, as well as the sexual organs.†
Mushrooms
One of my personal favorite recommendations for immune and respiratory support is mushrooms. The health benefits of mushrooms, especially for the immune system, have been well known for quite some time. This can be attributed to the relationship between glucan found in mushrooms and the body’s immune reactions. A review published in The International Journal of Molecular Sciences has demonstrated considerable immune defense benefits with the combination of Maitake and Shiitake mushrooms. These powerhouse immune-boosters strongly stimulate both the cellular and humoral parts of the immune reactions. Humoral immunity is the part of the immune system that is mediated by very small molecules found in the fluid outside of cells like secreted antibodies, proteins, and specific antimicrobials. Humoral immunity gets its’ name because it involves substances found in the humors, or body fluids.†
Immune reactions have been shown to greatly increase with the use of these mushrooms, thereby increasing the number of “killer cells” and phagocytosis, the process in which certain cells called phagocytes ingest other cells. One such example of a phagocyte is an amoeba or a white blood cell. This process may come in handy when fighting off viruses and bacteria. There is also some very impressive research on Reishi, Chaga and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, due to their activation of immune effector cells like lymphocytes, macrophages, and natural killer cells.†
It’s important to speak with a certified healthcare professional about the specific nutrients that can be most effective for your needs, especially during the winter season. One last suggestion? I would advise to begin taking a safe, reliably-made, high-quality multivitamin mineral formula on a daily basis to fill in for the nutritional deficiencies in your diet. When you provide the body with the necessary nutrients it needs, your body can work at optimal levels to keep you healthy.
For a full list of references, click here.