Type 2 diabetes affects 10% of the global population and is currently the 8th most common cause of death worldwide. That’s a staggering number considering it’s preventable and reversible! Simple lifestyle modifications that you can implement slowly each day will inch you that much closer to being free from Type 2 Diabetes and on to living a healthy life.
Feeling Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired?
There are a variety of reasons why someone would develop Type 2 Diabetes, but the most common is stress which is abundant in most of us today. When stress builds on the body day after day and week after week it causes inflammation in the body which weakens the immune system and suppresses your ability to fight off illness. It also compromises your Adrenal Glands causing Adrenal Fatigue which then manifests itself in the form of disease sending you on a cyclone of sick and tired.
When we feel sick and tired, our bodies crave comfort foods usually in the form of sugar and carbs. Those nutrients are broken down quickly and turn the foods into glucose which then spikes your sugar and energy for a short period. When that sugar is depleted, you’re then looking for more of that energy and lean on the sugar and carbs that feed that cycle gaining weight and keeping you feeling sick and tired. Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, impatience, nervousness, heart palpitations, excess sweating, light headedness, nausea, fatigue, and mood swings are all reactions of unbalanced blood sugar. Sound like you or someone you know?
3 Simple Changes
Here are a few really simple lifestyle modifications you can make toward beating Type 2 Diabetes. They’re probably not new information to you, but if they could change your life would you do them?
- Drink More Water! So that’s a no brainer right?! Drinking water is essential to our health right down to a cellular level, yet most people don’t drink nearly enough- including me! However, it’s a vital first step in lowering blood sugar. Opting for water with your meal over a soda can also save you 240 calories!
Drinking more water decreases your cravings and increases your energy level because it’s working to carry nutrients to your cells and flushing toxins from the body. It also cushions your joints and prevents muscle cramping. Best of all it reduces inflammation which is the source of most major illness in the body.
You should be drinking half of your body weight in water daily. If you don’t drink much water, I probably just lost you. However, take heart there are easy ways to help you drink more water daily without really putting much effort into it. A Health Coach can help guide you in those methods. If you’re drinking enough, you’re generally going to the restroom every 2-3 hours and urine is light in color. If you’re not drinking enough water, you could experience symptoms like dizziness, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, very dry skin and mouth, fatigue, and mental fog.
2. Balance Protein…Hmm, bet you didn’t think of that one. Everyone has a unique chemical makeup, therefore everyone requires different amounts of nutrients from various sources.
Specifically in patients with Type 2 Diabetes you want protein sources that are complex and take the body longer to digest. This slows down the digestion and absorption process of any carbohydrates you ate with your meal- in turn lessening the pattern of blood sugar readings being all over the map.
When you have too little protein, you can have crazy intense sugar cravings, have feelings of weakness or fatigue, be lethargic, experience hair loss, and changes in hair color and texture. Feelings of being jittery or anxious are also common symptoms. While having too little protein is most common, you could also have too much protein in your diet. Symptoms of too much protein in your diet are constipation, kidney disfunction, extreme bad breath, body odor, weight gain, and feeling tight or stiff in the body. Balancing protein and the right KINDS of protein are essential for balancing blood sugar levels and in turn reduces insulin resistance.
3. Physical Activity. Most people who are Type 2 Diabetic are overweight and the thought of physical activity doesn’t appeal to them or they just feel too weak and tired to move. Alternately, physical activity independent of weight loss has been shown to improve glycemic control and lower insulin resistance. Physical activity also improves cardiovascular function, lipid profile, and general mental wellbeing. It’s the trifecta of health!
You don’t have to join a gym or hire a personal trainer, although that would be great accountability. Simply moving for 30 minutes a day walking, jogging, or biking will do the trick. Work your way up from there and see how this small step is the right one in a healthy direction!
Results Of Uncontrolled Diabetes
So if you’re still not convinced that taking steps toward preventing or reversing Type 2 Diabetes is worth changing a few habits, maybe seeing what the result of uncontrolled Diabetes is.
-Diabetic Ketoacidosis, High Blood Pressure leading to Heart Disease, Kidney Disease & Renal Failure, and HHNS (which is fatal in 20% of people who fall victim to its complications) are all outcomes of uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes.
There is a better way! If you’ve been told you are Pre-Diabetic or have Type 2 Diabetes and need help with finding a direction to overcome it, a Health Coach is a great way to go. I’m currently in training to be a Health Coach after successfully overseeing my mother’s care and reversing her Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and Neuropathy through proper nutrition and physical activity. I’ve seen this work first hand and I’d love to help you too!
Health & Harmony 