Nutritional links to diabetes

Nearly 80 million Americans—about one in four—has diabetes or pre-diabetes. Diabetes among children and teens is also growing at a rapid rate. The most recent data reveals that, between 2001 and 2009, type 2 diabetes among children aged 10-19 rose by 30 percent. The evidence points to a faulty diet, with the main culprit being carbohydrates. Complex carbs, the kind that come from pasta, bread, cereal and even healthy sources like potatoes and whole grains break down in the body into sugar. Refined and processed foods (man-made or altered), especially processed carbohydrates have become a staple of our culture. Sugar, naturally so, has been the bane of a diabetic’s existence. Most people think of sugar as candy, ice cream and table sugar. A diabetic seen eating these foods is quickly chastised. One would never give a diabetic a second glance if they were eating a sandwich or pasta. The sad truth is that these carbs are just as bad as straight sugar because the end result is exactly the same. Once digested the carbohydrates breakdown into sugar. The result being sugar in the bloodstream causing a release of the blood sugar lowering hormone insulin. The greater quantity of foods that you eat that breakdown into sugar, the more your body secretes. Excess insulin creates body fat. Increased levels of body fat, cause the insulin to work less effectively, creating insulin resistance and in turn the blood sugar levels continue to rise. New research in the diabetic field (and in the health field in general) is pointing to a diet that contains less carbohydrates (including fruit, because of the fruit sugar), a moderate amount of protein and as much healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, fish oil, coconut oil) as you would like. Science is saying that since type 2 diabetes involves loss of insulin sensitivity, it's easily preventable and nearly 100 percent reversible without drugs. One of the primary driving forces behind type 2 diabetes is eating excessive amounts of grains, refined sugar, and processed fructose (corn syrup) in particular. Here are the recommendations according Dr. Joe Mercola of the Mercola Wellness Center in Chicago to lower your risk of diabetes and actually reverse diabetes if you have it. Swap out processed foods, all forms of sugar—particularly fructose—as well as all grains, for REAL FOOD (whole, fresh food). Eat Low-to-moderate amount of high quality protein. Eat as much high quality healthy fat as you want. Good sources include coconut and coconut oil, avocados, butter, nuts, and animal fats. (Remember, fat is high in calories while being small in terms of volume. So when you look at your plate, the largest portion would be vegetables. As many non-starchy vegetables as you want!

Chiropractic Thought for The Week: How do you know if your spine is out of alignment?

1. Chronic headaches.

2. Stiff neck, sore shoulders.

3. Pain throughout your back such as sore muscles, pinched nerves or chronic ache.

4. Tight hips or difficulty walking.

5. Joint pain throughout your body.

6. Chronic illness.

7. Fatigue