Diabetes
What is Diabetes?
According to the most recent statistics from the CDC, nearly 30 million Americans have diabetes. And research from the American Diabetes Association indicates that almost 80 million (25 percent of the population) have prediabetes. While these statistics may seem disheartening, the good news is that type II diabetes can be controlled.
Diabetes has two classifications: Type I and Type II. Both of these are characterized by permanent resistance to insulin or the lack of insulin production. Insulin is the hormone in the body that delivers sugar to the cells. This sugar provides the cells with energy. When insulin production is compromised, sugar levels fluctuate. While some may define diabetes as people who have high blood sugar, this is not accurate because what is being described is actually a symptom, as opposed to the underlying cause of the disease. Furthermore, while obesity can lead to the development of diabetes, it is a misconception that diabetes is always associated with obesity. Some people develop Latent Autoimmune Diabetes, which occurs when insulin production stops because of pancreatic deterioration.
Causes of diabetes
Type I diabetes occurs when the immune system begins attacking the beta cells in the pancreas. These beta cells produce the insulin necessary to deliver sugar to the cells throughout the body. The damage the immune system causes to the beta cells reduces their ability to create insulin. In some instances, the beta cells lose their ability to produce insulin altogether. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means that it can be triggered when the immune system is responding to a virus, vaccines, GMO organisms, specific foods (cow’s milk, soy, wheat, etc.) and/or heavy metals.
Cow’s milk and wheat have been linked to the development of diabetes because these foods contain A1 casein and gluten. These proteins have the potential to cause a condition known as leaky gut syndrome: This syndrome has been linked to the onset of inflammation throughout the entire body and, left untreated, leaky gut syndrome can lead to the development of an autoimmune disease, like diabetes. Type I diabetes has been linked to toxins and genetics.
How diabetes develops:
Insulin resistance is the precursor to the development of diabetes. During this stage of the disease process, the cells need increased levels of insulin to process sugar. The insulin receptors become saturated and sugar is unable to enter the cells to be used by the body as an energy source: Since the sugar cannot be used as an energy source, the body converts it into triglycerides (a type of fat). During the early stages of diabetes, the blood sugar levels may appear normal; however, this is because the pancreas produces additional insulin as a means to compensate for the problem. As time passes, the pancreas wears out and stops functioning, this is the point when individuals with diabetes must use insulin injections to stabilize their sugar levels.
Major factors that contribute to the early stage of this disease include:
- Alcoholism
- Excessive sugar and/or carbohydrate consumption
- Obesity
- A sedentary lifestyle
Another factor that can affect diabetes is hormone imbalances. For example, excess cortisol in the blood could indicate increased blood sugar.
Type II diabetes becoming prevalent among children
Type II diabetes has become an epidemic among children. Previously, diabetes type II was termed ‘Adult onset diabetes’ as a means to distinguish it from type I diabetes, which, until recently, typically occurs in children. However, 'Adult onset diabetes' can no longer be used because the number of children being diagnosed with type II diabetes is on the rise.Although children may be developing type II diabetes due to a lack of exercise and poor diets, new research suggests that toxins are also to blame for the growing number of children developing type II diabetes. Unfortunately, this link to toxins not being recognized and treated, even in the world of alternative medicine.
Symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes has the ability to cause numerous destructive symptoms. The most common symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, and mental lapses.
However, there are some other symptoms that are not widely known, these symptoms include:
- Increased cell oxidation (causes the body to age faster than average).
- Increased blood pressure.
- Brain shrinkage (two times the normal rate).
- Break down of various tissues throughout the body that can lead to nerve damage, destruction of blood vessels, kidney failure, and even blindness.
- Inflammation that causes pain, fluid retention, heart disease and weight gain.
- Elevated cholesterol levels.
- The risks of developing colon and breast cancer increases.
- Fat is more difficult to burn off because of excess fat storage.
- Men with diabetes produce more estrogen, which can lead to prostate problems, gynecomastia (enlarged breasts) and sterility.
- Women who have diabetes produce excess testosterone, which may lead to increased body hair, weight gain and thinning hair (on their heads).
- Eventually, the body becomes unable to detoxify itself; therefore, other problems may develop on top of the typical symptoms seen with diabetes.
Some of the complications associated with diabetes include:
- Stroke
- Foot damage, possibly leading to amputation
- A variety of skin conditions (including fungal and bacterial infections)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Hearing impairment
Diagnosing diabetes
Diabetes is typically diagnosed through laboratory tests that measure the amount of glucose in the blood. While some tests require that the patient fast for 10-12 hours, others do not require fasting.
Tests and results that indicate an individual has diabetes:
- Non-fasting blood glucose level of 200 or higher
- Hemoglobin A1C of 6.5 percent or greater
- A fasting blood glucose level of greater than 125 on two separate occasions
Once a patient is diagnosed with diabetes, he or she will be given a prescription for medication and a glucometer. The glucometer is used to check blood sugar levels at specific points throughout the day. Until the cause of diabetes is discovered and treated, patients will continue down the path of the drug-based system, taking one drug after the next as the body adjusts to each of the diabetic medications that are available. Many of the complications of diabetes are actually caused by systemic drug treatments and the incorrect dietary advice that some patients receive.
Conventional treatment of diabetes
Conventional medicine involves the use of medication to stabilize glucose levels and control the symptoms associated with diabetes. Although diet changes are recommended and exercise routines encouraged, the cause of the problem remains a mystery: Therefore, it is not treated.
Our approach
For nearly two decades, Dr. Jorge Peláez was a neurologist and sleep specialist: He decided to concentrate on integrative medicine because he wanted to fill the gap between conventional medicine and integrative medicine. Therefore, at RevitaLife, we use conventional medicine as a means to diagnose our patients and then we concentrate on finding, and treating the cause of the problem our patient is experiencing. Dr. Jorge Peláez helps his patients attain optimal health and wellness through lifestyle changes. Since each patient is unique, Dr. Peláez takes the time to create personalized treatment programs that are designed to meet the needs of a specific patient.
Dr. Peláez believes that diabetes illustrates the healthcare woes of America more than any other disease process. If you are tired of taking prescription medications, seeing your life as a daily struggle and doing your best just to muddle through, there is hope. Many diabetics have had enough with the continuous cycle of drugs, diets that do not work and blood glucose tests.
If you are diabetic, concerned you may be at risk for diabetes or you just want to feel better, contact RevitaLife to discover how you might be able to eliminate the need for medications and glucose tests. Click the button below to schedule your initial consultation.