Here Is How Functional Medicine Can Address the Root Cause of Diabetics

Do you know that type 2 diabetes was once considered a disease of affluence? But right now, we are seeing explosive growth in type 2 diabetes in low and middle-income countries as a result of the consumption of nutrient-deficient meals. Type 2 diabetes which was diagnosed in middle-aged and older adults only is increasingly being noticed in children and young people. This could also increase the risk of other chronic diseases as they grow older. I noticed that the conventional approach to treating type 2 diabetes was not focused on addressing the root cause of the disease, it was simply a “wait and see” method with little or no emphasis on preventive strategies.

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What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the way the body metabolizes sugar. It is characterized by a progressive loss of sensitivity to insulin, the pancreatic hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. In the early stages of type 2 diabetes, the body produces more insulin to try to overcome reduced insulin sensitivity; however, in the long run, the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to maintain blood sugar levels, resulting in high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress which, in turn, contributes to many of the complications of type 2 diabetes, such as kidney, nerve, retinal, and vascular damage.

In recent years, I understand that there have been researches conducted on functional nutrition and its bioactive compounds due to their biological properties and beneficial effect in managing type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. (1) However, for consumers to benefit from the important cultural and scientific innovation, the health effects of foods should be identified and communicated. In this regard, food can be considered as functional food if it shows to affect beneficially on one or more target functions in the body, ‘beyond adequate nutritional effects’, but in a way relevant to an improved state of health and well-being. (2)

Relationship Between Type 2 Diabetes and Blood Sugar Level

To manage diabetes easily, I will highly recommend that you have a basic understanding of the relationship between diabetes and blood sugar levels. When you consume a food that contains carbohydrates, the carbohydrate, would be broken down in your intestine into monosaccharides or simple sugars, which are the most basic unit of carbohydrates. Glucose which is one of the monosaccharides would then be absorbed from your guts into your bloodstream where it is moved to your cells by insulin.

For someone that has type 2 diabetes, so many factors could make the cells in the body less sensitive to insulin, which would cause excess glucose to accumulate in the bloodstream (this is known as the state of hyperglycemia or high blood sugar). (3) It’s important to constantly measure your blood sugar level to assess the level of sugar in your bloodstream early enough. Ready to learn more? CONTACT me today to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation.

 

 

Why Mor's Nutrition & More?

Too often, people think of “wellness” in temporary terms. They want to work with doctors and take short-term steps, like medication, to improve annoying symptoms but never deal with unhealthy routines and lifestyle choices that created the illness in the first place.

After years of seeing this happen with individuals like you, Chen Ben Asher opened a functional and integrative nutritional clinic that not only helps people improve their overall wellness and health, but also give them the tools and coaching to successfully continue their journey for the rest of their lives.​

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Ways You Could Manage Type 2 Diabetes

As opposed to the conventional way of managing diabetes, I strongly recommend an adjustment in the diet and lifestyle of a client, which is in line with the functional medicine approach. Here are some suggestions:

Modify Your Carb Intake

It is well established that a high-starch, low-fiber diet increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Even with this fact, conventional health experts continue to recommend a high-carbohydrate diet for type 2 diabetics to achieve better results. Despite such foot-dragging, a growing body of scientific research indicates that low-carbohydrate diets are superior to high-carbohydrate diets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Importantly, the definition of a “low-carbohydrate diet” varied across the studies included in the review; had the definition been stricter, a greater beneficial effect might have been observed. Several large-scale studies have compared the effectiveness of low-carb diets with high-carb diets to treat diabetes. In these studies, low-carb diets consistently outperform high-carb diets for the management of type 2 diabetes. Low-carb diets produce more significant improvements in blood sugar stability and lipid profiles and significantly reduce the need for medications. (4)

You might ask, how much do you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake to effectively manage type 2 diabetes? While the answer to this question would vary for different individuals, I generally advise that those with blood sugar regulation problems benefit from limiting carb intake to 10 to 15 percent of total calories. Beyond modifying the quantity of carb you take, you also need to change the quality of the carb you consume. Instead of consuming more refined carbohydrates such as bread and pasta, you should replace this with a moderate amount of starchy tubers (such as beets, sweet potatoes, and rutabaga), whole fruits, plantains, and a little bit of full-fat dairy if your body can handle it. (5)

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Consider Eliminating Gluten Completely

Lately, a lot of research has been carried out on the effect of gluten on type 2 diabetes. From this, I noticed that celiac disease is more common in individuals with poorly controlled diabetes than in the general population; this information suggests that gluten may contribute to the development and progression of diabetes. Furthermore, models of type 2 diabetes indicate that a gluten-free diet increases the functional capacity of beta cells, the pancreatic cells responsible for making insulin, and improves glucose tolerance. (6)

Do you that gluten contributes to diabetes? This is as a result of the damaging effects of gluten on the intestinal barrier. With the fact that gluten increases intestinal permeability, this could lead to leaky gut and systemic inflammation, which are two factors that precede the emergence of type 2 diabetes. Removing gluten from the diet restores intestinal barrier integrity and reduces inflammation, thereby improving insulin resistance and potentially reversing the course of diabetes. (7)

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Include More Protein in Your Diet

Do you know that protein is a powerful tool that can help manage type 2 diabetes? You should increase the quality and quantity of protein you consume to improve your blood sugar level and the feeling of fullness and preserve lean body mass in diabetes. From a study conducted, I strongly recommend that protein intake of about 20 to 30 percent of total calories to optimally manage type 2 diabetes. There are still some concerns that high protein intake can cause diabetic kidney disease. However, this myth has been disproven multiple times; a high protein intake does not compromise kidney function in people without preexisting kidney disease. (8)

Summary

With the information above, it could be seen that foods can have health-promoting properties that can go beyond their traditional nutritional value. Thus with my experience, I would advise that clients with diabetics should consume a variety of fiber-containing foods. In conclusion, you could add different and varied functional foods and natural health products to your diet to help manage blood glucose.

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Take The Next Step and Schedule Today

Would you like to learn how functional foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains products which are rich in physiologically active components such as fibre, beta carotene, and lycopene can effectively manage diabetes? Please CONTACT me to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation if you or your loved ones are seeking relief from autoimmune-related issues. With the fact that I understand the biological processes associated with the root cause of diabetes, we will discuss your unique autoimmune challenges and how functional nutrition can support your path to healing.

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Working With A Functional Nutritionist

Functional Nutrition provides a personalized, holistic, and integrative approach towards better health, healing, relief, and well-being.

The process typically starts with a comprehensive initial evaluation that includes a review of your individual medical history as well as any necessary lab work such as food allergy testing. We also learn your current eating and lifestyle habits so we can optimize them and reduce any negative impact these choices might have on your health.

Once your needs and current nutritional support and lifestyle are understood, the process of nutritional consulting includes everything from food and cooking recommendations to education on why certain foods and nutrients are helpful or harmful. We also discuss functional and targeted supplementation where needed.

We take a practical approach to our work. It does not help you to give you recommendations that don’t work for you or aren’t realistic with your schedule and obligations.

We offer a coaching component to make sure you have all the emotional support and encouragement you need to believe in and make the choices that will promote health and healing within your body.

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Take The First Step On Your Journey & Win Your Health


Perhaps you have questions you’d like to ask before you make a decision to become a client. Our client coordinator is standing by, happy to answer any questions you have to determine if Mor’s Nutrition & More is right for you.

If you or your loved ones might be suffering from gut related issues, please contact me to schedule a complimentary 20-minute phone consultation. I can help you find relief—even if you've tried most traditional solutions.

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Services

  • Initial Nutritional Evaluation
  • Comprehensive Personal Nutrition Consultation & Coaching
  • Personalized Therapeutic Nutritional Consulting
  • Nutritional Supplements & Supplement Guidance
  • Testing Guidance
  • Educational Workshops & Groups

Sample Program

Every program is different, but a typical client might expect the following:

  • Comprehensive Intake
  • Diet & Nutritional Evaluation 
  • Medical History & Family History Review
  • Medication & Food Supplements Review
  • Blood Test Analysis Guidance
  • Comprehensive Nutritional Recommendations
  • Food Shopping Guidance
  • Cooking & Food Preparation Guidance
  • Herbs & Food Supplements
  • Weekly or Bi-Weekly Sessions
  • Educational Materials & Resources
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