There has been a 500% increase in Type 2 Diabetes in the last generation with the cause being Insulin Resistance in over 90% of these cases. In the United States we are experiencing an Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes. In 2004 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) made a forecast that children in the US, born after 2000, would have a 30% likelihood of developing Diabetes during their lifetime.The likelihood of becoming diabetic increases to 50% in children that happened to be Black, Hispanic or Native American. This trend will cause a catastrophic affect on our nation’s health and on our healthcare system. To illustrate this point one has to take into consideration the effects on an individual’s health as a result of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes is the Leading Cause of:
- Adult blindness
- Amputations
- Kidney Failure
- Neuropathy – nerve damage in the extremities
- Cardiovascular disease
- Premature death
Is prevention or even reversal of Diabetes possible?
People who develop diabetes have a 90% chance of developing type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes mellitus. This does not happen overnight, in fact it takes decades for this condition to develop. Due to poor lifestyle choices: improper eating habits, lack of aerobic exercise and poor nutrition, we become less and less sensitive to our own insulin. Next we develop Insulin Resistance which in turn develops into Diabetes and if left uncontrolled will develop into Type 2 Diabetes. In fact, 90% of the individuals that develop Type 2 Diabetes did so because they had a lifestyle that caused them to become Insulin Resistant. The effects of this progression is devastating to our health and will hasten several degenerative diseases, destroy our quality of life and will result in premature death. That’s the BAD NEWS, now for the GOOD NEWS.
It is important to note that Type 2 Diabetes is also the most preventable of any type of diabetes. Not only is it preventable but it can be naturally controlled and even reversed. More Good News is that the lifestyle choices that caused this condition to occur, can be reversed and the body will respond naturally to your new lifestyle changes. More of the Good News is that this devastating process is reversible at just about any stage in this process, even if the individual is already diabetic.
Dr. Ray Strand author of Healthy for Life, calls these lifestyle changes the Triad of Healthy Lifestyle:
1. Heathy eating (diet) – not a starvation diet but health eating choices,
2. Modest and consistent aerobic exercise,
3. Nutritional Supplements – what is referred to as Cellular Nutrition,
Note: The Triad of Healthy Lifestyle will be covered in detail in a future article or you could purchase and read Dr. Strand’s book, Healthy for Life.
Dr. Strand along with many other medical professional and nutritional advisors have all experienced the same results when these lifestyle changes as they are put into practice by their patients and clients. Over a period of 18 to 24 months there is a huge improvement in the quality of life and health. Everybody experienced an improvement in the conditions and effects of their diabetes. Many individuals were even able to reverse the insulin resistance, thereby reversing their diabetes.
Understanding Insulin Resistance
It is critical that you have a clear understanding about Insulin Resistance: what causes it, the results from developing it, how it is linked to Diabetes and can it be reversed. There is much to understand about this subject and it needs to be addressed in another article to do it justice. I will be submitting an article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. The Good News is yes, it can be reversed.
Summary:
Well, that’s the Bad News and the Good News when it comes to Insulin Resistance and Diabetes. It is my goal to increase your understanding on this critical healthcare issue. I urge you to continue your research and increase your knowledge on these subjects. Then with your new found knowledge I hope you will make lifestyle choices that will have a positive impact on your health and well-being.
Remember that this article was an overview on this subject. I will be submitting a followup to this article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. This article will go into more detail on understanding Insulin Resistance and how it is linked to Diabetes. I also will be writing more articles in the near future that will go