How To Naturally Restore Blood Sugar Levels

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a condition characterized by an abnormally low level of blood sugar (glucose) in the blood.

Many people with diabetes have hypoglycemia. However, there are rare cases where people who are not diabetic have hypoglycemia. For those people, the condition may be caused by:

- Certain Medications

- Alcohol

- Certain types of Cancer

- Other Critical Illnesses that Result in Excess Insulin Production

Insulin is the hormone secreted by your pancreas that regulates your blood sugar level. Signs & symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

- Confusion

- Abnormal Behavior

- Visual Disturbances

- Seizures (uncommon)

- Loss of Consciousness (uncommon)

The signs & symptoms listed below can related to hypoglycemia but may not be as well:

- Heart Palpitations

- Tremor

- Anxiety

- Sweating

- Hunger

Having your blood sugar level measured is the only sure-fire way to know if hypoglycemia is the cause of the symptoms listed above.

The main cause of hypoglycemia is an over production of insulin within the body. Some foods that a person consumes contain sugar molecules called glucose, which is the primary source of energy for the body. After a person eats, the glucose is absorbed directly into your bloodstream, but it cannot enter the cells without insulin, which is a hormone secreted by your pancreas.

The pancreas is located behind the stomach. When blood glucose levels rise, the pancreas releases insulin, which unlocks the cells so that glucose can enter. It also reduces glucose production by your liver. This results in a reduced amount of glucose in the bloodstream and prevents it from reaching dangerously high levels. The secretion of insulin decreases as the blood sugar level returns to normal.

Sometimes, the pancreas can produce and release too much insulin into the blood. This is a condition known as hyperinsulinemia, which is not a disease but more of a symptom of an underlying health problem. When too much insulin is released by the pancreas, even more glucose enters the cells, and the liver cannot release glucose into the bloodstream. This is how low blood sugar develops.

Aside from regulating the blood sugar level directly, insulin also influences your blood sugar indirectly because it affects the liver, which also plays a key role in maintaining normal blood sugar levels. The liver accepts extra sugar and stores it in the form of glycogen after a person eats. As insulin levels drop between meals, glycogen is broken down by the liver (glycogenolysis). The liver then releases glucose into your bloodstream, which maintains a normal blood sugar level.

Insulin isn’t the only factor that plays a role in the process by which your body attempts to regulate blood sugar levels. These levels can also become too low if your body’s gluconeogenesis is disrupted. Gluconeogenesis is the body’s natural ability to to manufacture glucose.

Foe people who do not have diabetes, possible causes of hypoglycemia include:

- Certain Medications (Here’s another reason to avoid prescription med’s folks)

- Alcohol

- Long-Term Starvation

- Excessive Production of Insulin

- Endocrine Deficiencies

- Non-Beta-Cell Tumors

Most cases of hypoglycemia occur in a fasting state but sometimes, it can occur after meals as a result of the body producing more insulin than is needed. This type of hypoglycemia is known as reactive or postprandial hypoglycemia.

To accurately diagnose hypoglycemia, a professional health care practitioner may perform a glucose tolerance test (GTT). But even with this test, the results can be within normal limits and a person can still have symptoms of hypoglycemia.

To better diagnose the condition, try following a healthy regimen outlined below and see if your symptoms improve.

First off, pay attention to the way you feel. If symptoms start surfacing, you can treat a sudden (acute) episode of hypoglycemia by consuming some form of sugar to restore your blood sugar back to normal range.

Drink fruit juice, a non-diet soda or eat a piece of high-sugar candy immediately. Also make your friends and family aware of the situation so they will know what steps to take in the event of a reaction. Tell them to call 911 immediately if you become sleepy or unconscious.

Do not drink any alcoholic beverages. Your diet should consist of high-fiber, starchy foods. Eat smaller meals more frequently and begin and maintain a regular exercise program.

Some natural supplements that a person with hypoglycemia may find to be beneficial are:

Chromium Picolinate (300-600 mcg daily) – Vital for glucose metabolism.

Brewer’s Yeast (take as directed on label) – Aids in stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Garlic (take as directed on label) – Relieves low blood sugar when an attack occurs.

Glutathione (take as directed on label) – Aids in breaking down glucose into energy.

Pancreatin (take as directed on label) – Important for proper protein digestion.

Zinc (50 mg daily) – Necessary for proper release of insulin.

Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (3,000-8,000 mg daily in divided doses) – For adrenal insufficiency, which is common in people with hypoglycemia.

Quercetin (take as directed on label) – Aids in stopping allergic reactions.

Vitamin B Complex (50 – 100 mg of each B vitamin daily & up) – Aids in carbohydrate & protein metabolism. Helps the body tolerate foods the produce low blood sugar reactions.

Dandelion Root – Supports the liver and pancreas.

Licorice – Aids the body in responding well to stress. Don’t use for more than seven days and avoid if you have high blood pressure.

Bilberry and Wild Yam – Aids in controlling insulin levels.

Published by Henry Sapiecha 11th March 2010

PARSLEY – Medicinal Uses

• Tea may be used as an enema. Chinese and German herbologists recommend parsley tea to help control high blood pressure, and the Cherokees used it as a tonic to strengthen the bladder. It is also often used as an emmenagogue.
• Parsley also appears to increase diuresis by inhibiting the Na+/K+-ATPase pump in the kidney, thereby enhancing sodium and water excretion while increasing potassium reabsorption. It is also valued as an aquaretic.
• When crushed and rubbed on the skin, parsley can reduce itching in mosquito bites.
• When chewed, parsley can freshen bad breath.

Health risks

• Parsley should not be consumed as a drug or supplement by pregnant women. Parsley as an oil, root, leaf, or seed could lead to uterine stimulation and preterm labor
• Parsley is high (1.70% by mass,  in oxalic acid, a compound involved in the formation of kidney stones and nutrient deficiencies.
• Parsley oil contains furanocoumarins and psoralens which leads to extreme photosensitivity if used orally.
• Parsley seeds contain a high level of oil and are a diuretic.

Parsley (raw)

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 40 kcal   150 kJ
Carbohydrates 6.3 g - Sugars  0.9 g - Dietary fiber 3.3 g Fat 0.8 g Protein 3.0 g Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.1 mg 8% Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.2 mg 13% Niacin (Vit. B3) 1.3 mg 9% Pantothenic acid (B5)  0.4 mg 8% Vitamin B6 0.1 mg 8% Folate (Vit. B9)  152 ?g 38% Vitamin C 133.0 mg 222% Vitamin K 1640.0 ?g 1562% Calcium 138.0 mg 14% Iron 6.2 mg 50% Magnesium 50.0 mg 14% Phosphorus 58.0 mg 8% Potassium 554 mg 12% Zinc 1.1 mg 11%
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database

A new meaning to flower power

Got The New Valium In Your Garden? By Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D. Take two dozen roses. Inhale, and call us in the morning. It might take your stress level from “on the brink of losing it” to “cooler than the ice hotel.” Turns out that roses — as well as lavender, basil, orange, grape, mango and lemon — all contain a special compound called linalool. Its smell helps induce calm. In animal studies, blood cells called neutrophils and lymphocytes, which change in response to stress, were brought into equilibrium by this aroma. In fact, the scent of linalool even appeared to favorably affect the way your body is programmed to handle stress on a genetic level. (It turned on genes that cause antistress effects.) And flowers are cheaper than Valium, and look far better on the kitchen table. A perpetual flower garden can be a beautiful thing, but we recommend lowering stress levels (and flower-shop bills) by figuring out what’s stressing you so much and tackling that. No surprise that jobs and money are two of the most common sources of stress . So develop a backup de-stress strategy — deep breathing and listening to music are good ones — when calming scents just aren’t around or aren’t enough. And leave the cookie jar for collecting quarters. Stress is easier to manage when your general health is great than when your sleep and physical activity habits and your blood sugar are out of whack. Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 15th Nov 2009

The Drink Your Body Loves

Many women see comfort in a cup of chamomile tea, thanks to its slightly sedating effect and its ability to ease anxiety, menstrual cramps and skin problems. Your bloodstream finds it comforting, too. Because there’s something in chamomile that not only helps keep blood sugar stable (at least in the lab), but also guards against the tsunami of damage that high blood sugar can do.

Too-high levels of blood sugar can act like scouring powder on your arteries, weakening junctions between cells, allowing nicks between cells that encourage an ugly pileup of inflammation and plaque. Everything that’s happening in there eventually makes itself known in the form of a heart attack, stroke, memory loss, impotence, wrinkled skin and more. But chamomile can change all that.

If you don’t like tea (and even if you do), there’s plenty more you can do, with next to no effort, to keep blood sugar even and its damage at bay (in addition to eating well and exercising):

Fill up on broccoli. It’s rich in a compound called sulforaphane, reputed to cut blood sugar damage to arteries.

Spice things up with cinnamon. This favorite spice may turn on insulin receptors and help your body use glucose better (no pileups of sugar in your blood). Cloves and allspice also may help prevent diabetes damage.

Say yes to spinach. People who fill up on this green have lower rates of diabetes, possibly because of its magnesium content.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 19th October 2009

The Body Part

That Wants You To Go Green

Your knees love it when you go green. We don’t mean environmentally green, although they appreciate it when you take the stairs and when you take your bike for a spin instead of the car (strong leg muscles keep your joints healthy). We mean eating green. Filling your meals with this color can go a long way to preventing arthritis. Here’s what to reach for:

Leafy greens. A killer, flavor-filled salad or side dish could mean one less knee replacement surgery in the world. The vitamin K in leafy greens — think cabbage, spinach and Swiss chard, for starters — reduces your risk of joint damage. People who have the highest levels of K are less likely to develop the bone spurs and cartilage damage that are common in osteoarthritis. (A word of caution: If you’re on a blood thinner, check with your doctor about whether K is safe for you.) Leaves just not your thing? No problem. Broccoli and asparagus make tasty alternatives.

Green tea. Potent compounds in green tea — EGCG and ECG — may help battle cartilage and collagen destruction in arthritic joints. The EGCG and ECG found in green tea are powerful flavonoids known as catechins. These particular flavonoids fight inflammation and some of the underlying mechanisms that mess with knees in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Bonus: Sipping it before you do that knee-preserving workout may help you burn fat faster.

Chlorophyl is a powerful antidote for cellular regeneration.

It can be obtained from your local chemist or drug store cheaply.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 19th October 2009

Eat The Whole Thing And Watch Cancer Risk Drop
By Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

Juicier than the latest celeb gossip and more crisp than HDTV, apples may do a lot more than be the perfect fruit. The type of fibre in apples, called pectin, lowers your colon cancer risk by bumping up colon-protective compounds and clamping down on cancer-causing ones. In the lab, apple pectin increased levels of butyrate, a fatty acid that manages to do this colon-health double duty. That’s fabulous, since colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer for both men and women.

Unlike chocolate cake or entire buckets of wings, apples are one case where you really want to eat the whole thing. In other words, don’t peel it first. If you pitch the skin, you’re ditching compounds called triterpenoids (we’re not going to test you on that), which have strong potential against colon cancer and against breast and liver cancers, too. More reasons to go whole: The peels also contain quercetin, a compound that may bolster your immune system (it may even help stave off the flu when you’re under stress), and that can help defend your body against cardiovascular disease and even Alzheimer’s.

Of course, apples aren’t the only thing you should do to keep your colon cancer risk down. You also need regular screenings. Do an annual Hemoccult test after age 40 (available at pharmacies and not as gross as you think) and colonoscopy screening every 10 years, starting at age 50.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 7th Oct 2009

The Care And Feeding Of Nature’s Best

Detoxifier

Your liver isn’t just a place to filter tequila.

Although it never gets the attention your heart, eyes or other body parts get (know of any odes to your liver?), it performs biological miracles daily. All blood that has visited your small intestine flows through the liver, where it gets detoxified and where all the nutrients go before they get passed to the heart for generalized distribution. A big job, but something has to do it. So help your liver help you with these four strategies:

1. Live clean. Reduce your personal pollution so that there’s less to filter out. Drink filtered water, eat unprocessed foods, choose veggie protein over red meat and practice safe sex. And yes, keep the mojitos to a minimum.

2. Add crunchy veggies. Cruciferous produce (like broccoli and cabbage), B-rich foods (like whole grains) and high C items (like citrus fruits and leafy greens) assist the liver’s detoxifying process.

3. Consider a supplement. Lecithin (egg yolks and soybeans are good sources) and zinc (turkey) support liver function, and you may want to consider supplementing your diet with them if you don’t get much naturally (men should get 550 mg and women 425 mg a day of lecithin; 15 mg a day of zinc). Herbs like milk thistle and dandelion may help liver function, too, but consult your doctor before taking them.

4. Don’t take too much vitamin A. If you do, you risk liver problems, including cirrhosis.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 8th Sept 2009

• No-Pill Ways To Reduce Blood Pressure

No-Pill Ways To Reduce Blood Pressure
By Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

You thought you were ready to roll … until you’re standing in front of the room and realize that the thing you felt rolling around by your feet on the plane was the thumb drive with your presentation on it.

Of course your blood pressure is going to go up. It even will when someone gets crazy in traffic or when you think you’ve lost your credit card. That’s what your body is designed to do when there’s stress: Run away. But that’s not always an option today (you can’t very well run away from the podium or the traffic jam). So try these YOU Docs strategies for helping you stress less and stay healthier:

1. Lose it. We mean weight. The more body fat you pack, the more trouble your body will have getting your blood pressure down after stress.

2. Work it. Build some muscle. Your blood pressure returns to normal more quickly after a stressful event if your blood vessels are toned. And the stress of building muscle (that’s good stress) through physical activity tones your blood vessels.

3. Leave it behind. When college students recalled an injustice that had been done to them, their blood pressure went up. And it stayed elevated longer in those who couldn’t muster up any forgiveness for what happened. Forgiveness is a simple way to make yourself seriously healthier without a prescription.

Published by Henry Sapiecha 7th Sept 2009

The Four Moves That Change Your Health
By Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

Want health reform? Don’t wait for consensus in government (it might take a while). Start your own personal health reform by doing just four things. The result: You can dramatically change your health by cutting your stroke risk in half. Yes, half. Considering that someone dies from a stroke every three to four minutes, that’s a blockbuster-size change.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Don’t smoke. And if you do, quit (check out RealAge.com for a “breathe free” program that really works).

2. Stay active. In the study, desk sitters who did 30 minutes of physical activity a day, or people whose jobs kept them active (and didn’t work out in their off hours), saw this reduced risk of stroke. Note the key words: “Every day!”

3. Drink one or more alcoholic drinks a week (but less than 14). What’s a drink? A small glass of wine, a single shot of spirits or a half pint of beer. Fine to keep up this habit if you already do it, but don’t take it up just for your health.

4. Eat nine or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day (the study found that five was effective; we say you shouldn’t stop there). The researchers didn’t just go on hearsay, asking participants to recall what they ate; they checked vitamin levels to be sure.

That’s beyond easy. It’s tasty, smart and makes you feel great. What happens in government is still important ,

but change starts with YOU.

Published by Henry Sapiecha 25th August 2009