Diabetes: Unleashing the Athlete Within 3

“You are what you eat,” the saying goes, but if it this true then most people are made
up of a shocking amount of harmful chemicals, toxins, hormones, and preservatives. These
harmful substances often come from the chemicals that are fed to animals and sprayed on
crops you eat everyday.

Today many companies produce alternatives to foods that have been treated with chemicals.
Foods that do not have added chemicals or preservatives are called “organic foods.”

What are organic foods?

Organic foods are foods that are grown naturally and with as few chemicals added as possible.
Organic crops are not sprayed with pesticides (poisonous chemicals used to kills insects that
eat produce). Organic foods are processed as little as possible with no artificial ingredients.
Organic meat and dairy come from livestock that are fed natural feed that has no hormones or
antibiotics. These animals also have access to the outdoors and fresh air and sunlight.

Organic foods must also contain at least 95% organic ingredients, which means no preservatives
(chemicals that make food last longer before spoiling), artificial dyes, or flavors. For
instance, for bread to be certified as organic, it must be made from organic flour from
organically grown wheat.

But who decides what is and what is not organic? The United States Department of United
States Department of Agriculture has a set of standards by which they rate food as organic
or non-organic. Find out if the food you’re eating is organic.

Why should you eat organic food?

There are many health benefits from eating organic food. For example, the major source of
infant exposure to pesticides comes through food. Eating organic food drastically reduces a
baby’s pesticide intake. Non-organically raised livestock is fed growth hormones, antibiotics,
and anti-parasite drugs that are passed on to the consumer through milk and meat. Basically,
you eat what the cows or chickens ate.

Organic is Also Good for the Earth!

The environment also benefits from organic food:

Pesticides mess up ecosystems because they kill a large percentage of insects. Then the
lizards and small birds that eat the insects have nothing to eat. Next, the cats, coyotes,
and birds of prey that eat the small birds have nothing to eat because there are fewer lizards
and small birds.

Organic crops are also more energy and resource efficient, which is good news in an age of
higher energy use and shrinking resources.

Organic livestock practices are much more humane. Much of America’s non-organic meat and
dairy supply comes from animal factories where animals are inside for 24 hours everyday and
locked into small pens. Organic farms-small, family-owned farms in particular-allow the
animals to live in more natural surroundings.

Can You Afford Organic Food?

It’s true. Organic food is usually more expensive than inorganic food. It can also be harder
to find. However, organic food sales have been rising since the early 1990s so the price of
food has decreased since it has become more common. You now can find organic fruits,
vegetables, and meats at many chain stores.

If you have questions about organic foods in your local grocery market, ask an employee. They
will be able to help you find what you are looking for.

A health treatment that is not classified as standard western medical practice is referred to
as “alternative.” Alternative therapy encompasses a variety of disciplines that include
everything from diet and exercise to mental conditioning and lifestyle changes. Examples of
alternative therapies include acupuncture, guided imagery, chiropractic treatments, yoga,
hypnosis, biofeedback, aromatherapy, relaxation, herbal remedies, massage and many others.

Complementary medicine is essentially alternative medicine that is taken along with
conventional treatments.

What Alternative Therapies Are Used to Treat Diabetes?

Supplements

• Chromium has been widely publicized as therapy to improve diabetes control. Although there
  are several studies that support a role for chromium as beneficial in diabetes, currently
  there are no recommendations for its use in diabetes management.
• Magnesium has been studied for years as a form of therapy to improve glucose control in
  people with diabetes. A lack of magnesium has been associated with insulin secretion
  abnormalities and has been associated with diabetes complications.
• Vanadium is derived from plant sources and has been shown in a few studies to increase a
  person’s sensitivity to insulin. Thus far, no recommendations exist for supplementation to
  be given to people with diabetes.

Plant Foods

The following plant foods have been found to help people with type 2 diabetes.

• Brewer’s yeast
• Buckwheat
• Broccoli and other related greens
• Okra
• Peas
• Fenugreek seeds
• Sage

Most plant foods are rich in fiber, which is beneficial for helping control blood glucose
levels.

There are no clinical trials with promising results for many of the other herbs being proposed
for diabetes, such as garlic, ginger, ginseng, hawthorn or nettle. If you have diabetes and
are considering taking any of these herbal substances, talk to your doctor before you take
them.

Weight Control Substances

Since weight and diabetes are linked, many people with diabetes turn to alternative therapies
that claim to help with weight loss, including:

• Chitosan
• Camsogia Garcinia (hydroxycitric acid)
• Chromium
• Pyruvate
• Germander
• Momordica charanta
• Sauropus androgynus
• Aristolochic acid

In addition, transdermal (skin patch) systems as well as oral sprays have been developed to
purportedly reduce appetite and facilitate weight loss. One patch system uses homeopathic
amounts of 29 different compounds to reduce appetite, but no published literature on its
efficacy is available.

Are These Herbs Safe?

In December of 2003, Ephedrine – also known as ma huang – became the first herbal stimulant
ever banned by the FDA. A popular component of anti-obesity over-the-counter medications,
ephedrine was found to have some benefits. However, the evidence of its ability to cause harm
was far more compelling. In high doses, it has been known to cause insomnia (difficulty
falling and staying asleep), high blood pressure, glaucoma and urinary retention. This herbal
supplement has also been associated with numerous cases of stroke.

Chitosan has received a great deal of recent publicity. It is derived from seashells and has
the ability to bind to fat and prevent its absorption. Although it is believed to facilitate
weight loss, available studies thus far have not been encouraging.

Germander, momordica charanta, sauropus androgynus and aristolochic acid have been associated
with liver disease, pulmonary disease and kidney disease.

The other so-called “obesity remedies” listed have not been rigorously studied and those that
have yielded disappointing results.

Also, a recent survey of herbal preparations for obesity found that many preparations
contained lead or arsenic and other toxic metals. Some also contain other undeclared
ingredients. Occasionally there was mistaken plant identity as well.

When considering treating diabetes with an herbal product, you should:

• Discuss any drugs you use, including herbal products, with your doctor before taking them.
• If you experience side effects such as nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, insomnia,
  diarrhea or skin rashes, stop taking the herbal product and notify your doctor immediately.
• Avoid preparations made with more than one herb.
• Beware of commercial claims of what herbal products can do. Look for scientific-based
  sources of information.
• Select brands carefully. Only purchase brands that list the herb’s common and
  name, the name and address of the manufacturer, a batch and lot number, expiration date,
  dosage guidelines and potential side effects.

These new methods can help increase your health and unleash the athlete within .