Chances are you have heard about the dramatic increase in diabetes in the United States, but did you know that eighteen states saw a 100 % or higher increase in diabetes diagnoses between 1995 and 2010? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention warns that unless something drastically changes on in three U.S. adults will have diabetes by 2050. Those are alarming statistics. Learn more about diabetes and how chiropractic care can prevent you from experiencing this health condition. Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine. There are several different forms of diabetes. Let’s start with type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus Type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus in which not enough insulin is produced. The lack of insulin results in high blood sugar levels. The classical symptoms are frequent urination, increased thirst increased hunger, and weight loss. Additional symptoms may include blurry vision, feeling tired, and poor healing. Symptoms typically develop over a short period of time. The cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. However, it is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Risk factors include having a family member with the condition. The underlying mechanism involves an autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Diabetes is diagnosed by testing the level of sugar or glycated hemoglobin in the blood.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting an estimated 29 million Americans. Diabetes is a problem with your body that causes blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise higher than normal. This is also called hyperglycemia. If you have type 2 diabetes your body does not use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. At first, your pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for it. But, over time it isn’t able to keep up and can’t make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels. Both types cause symptoms such as frequent urination and extreme thirst and hunger. Diabetes can cause ling term damage to the body, raise the risk of heart disease and stroke and can affect the kidneys, eyes, nerves, digestive system and the skin.

Prediabetes

Prediabetes is potentially reversible which is good news considering 86 million Americans have prediabetes, a condition where your blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis. Nearly all type 2 diabetics are prediabetes first. In this state, early treatment can result in normal blood glucose levels and prevent progression to type 2 diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs during 18% of pregnancies due to the body’s inability to make the necessary amount of insulin. Typically, Gestational Diabetes goes away after the mother delivers, but some women do go on to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Managing Diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes must use insulin. Some people with type 2 diabetes can manage their diabetes with healthy eating and exercise. However, your doctor may need to also prescribe oral medications (pills) and/or insulin to help you meet your target blood glucose levels.

Chiropractic Care & Diabetes

A study published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research illustrated the positive effects of chiropractic when used as part of an integrative treatment for adult onset diabetes diagnosed by a medical doctor. Along with chiropractic care, the patient also received nutritional and exercise guidance. After one month of being on the program, the patient’s glucose blood and urine levels normalized and remained stable. His medical doctor, who monitored his progress, said the patient would not need insulin if the condition remained stable. Recommendation is that diabetic patients receive regular chiropractic adjustments so the nervous systems communicate effectively and efficiently with the organ that produces insulin, the pancreas.

Lifestyle Changes

Eating well is crucial when you have diabetes, because what you eat affects your blood sugar. No foods are strictly off-limits. Focus on eating only as much as your body needs. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Increase your vitamin D intake and add magnesium to your diet. Choose nonfat dairy and lean meats. Limit foods that are high in sugar and fat. Remember that carbohydrates turn into sugar, so watch your carb intake. Try to keep it about the same from meal to meal. This is even more important if you take insulin or drugs to control your blood sugars. Research has shown that many type 2 diabetics have been able to eliminate insulin treatment due to healthy lifestyle changes.

Get Tested

With 29 million children and adults in US afflicted with diabetes and 86 million more with prediabetes, we need to do all we can to spread the word on prevention. Consider getting tested for diabetes.

Our doctors will provide top-notch chiropractic care regardless of where your pain started. We are devoted to improving our patients’ health and putting your body and nervous system in optimum health.

Contact Us (859-727-6888) for more information!

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About All Star Chiropractic

Unlike conventional medicine, which focuses on attempting to treat disease once it occurs, All Star Chiropractic and Rehabilitation emphasizes improving your health in an effort to reduce the risk of pain and illness in the first place. Most people would rather be healthy and avoid illness, if they could. This is one of the main reasons for the big surge in the popularity of our wellness center.
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