top of page
Writer's pictureDerek Dean, PharmD, CFMP

What is Diabetes- actually ?

I've come to realize while working in the healthcare system that often those who are diagnosed with diabetes aren't made aware of how their body became ill in the first place or given options on how to treat the root cause.

So, I'd like to share a little background on what diabetes is, what causes it, and how it can be treated and eradicated- naturally.

Let's dive in!

Diabetes is a condition where the body’s ability to regulate and process nutrients properly is impaired. Other health conditions such as metabolic syndrome or PCOS deal with the same underlying issue, it’s just that diabetes is an end result over a longer period of time.

Blood Sugar Spikes/Dysregulations Over Time →Metabolic syndrome, PCOS, Diabetes

Each of these results in abnormal (high) levels of blood glucose — or blood sugar. For people with diabetes, metabolism — the process of breaking down food to be used by the body for energy — isn’t working properly. Sugars are not, or can not, be used by the cells. There are several different root causes for why this can happen, but two of the main reasons are 1) eating too many processed and refined simple carbohydrates (products that are broken down to sugars very easily and quickly) in your diet, and 2) high and prolonged levels of insulin (known as Insulin Resistance (IR)) that attempt to manage the constant sugar excess. Regardless, the resulting blood sugar spikes (HIGH blood sugar) are a symptom of the problem — the body can’t burn its fuel source, sugar.

Diabetes is often treated with medications that reduce blood sugar levels by pushing more sugar into the cells and helping your body produce and release more insulin. However, if you only take medications without changing your eating habits, your body’s ability to handle blood sugar will only worsen with time. Why? The example below will hopefully help you see what’s going on.

Every time our cells use, or “burn” food/sugar for energy, there are natural byproducts of energy & inflammation.

Food/Sugar + Cells → Energy + Inflammation = Normal Blood sugar

Inflammation is kind of like the byproduct we get from burning wood for a fire — smoke. A small amount of inflammation is normal, but a large amount can be a problem. As long as our cells can remove the inflammation created by burning food for energy, you don’t have a problem. BUT, when the inflammation gets to be too much, the cells stop taking in more sugar and it remains in the bloodstream.

Food/Sugar + Cells → Energy + Inflammation = HIGH Blood sugar

Much like we can’t breathe when there is too much smoke from a fire, our cells can’t “breathe” or function properly when there is too much inflammation. If we look at it from our burning wood example — if your fireplace wasn’t removing the smoke properly and it was pouring out into the house, you wouldn’t keep throwing more wood on the fire.

Following a Balanced Blood Sugar food plan is absolutely essential for keeping blood sugar levels steady while allowing your body’s metabolic processes to regain proper function. Diabetes, PCOS, and metabolic syndrome are largely dietary diseases, and in order to reverse or prevent them from continually getting worse, you must make dietary and lifestyle changes.


I'm excited to announce that I will be coming out with a blood sugar balancing food plan that helps address the primary problems behind all these disorders — lowering insulin levels by reducing your intake of simple sugars and refined carbohydrates (a form of sugar). By doing this, you can stop “throwing more wood on a smoking fire” and have a detailed plan that helps you navigate the changes necessary to heal diabetes.



Comments


bottom of page