Simple Steps To Reverse Blood Sugar Epidemic

There is a growing epidemic that could reach gigantic proportions never before seen in the history of mankind if all the signs and statistics pointing to it are not immediately and effectively addressed by authorities concerned. This is a serious matter, and it is already upon us! [read: Diabetes Facts Alarming Projection]

This epidemic has something to do with the unabated rise in the incidence of high blood sugar which has been going on for the last 40 to 50 years, spawning dreaded diseases, among them, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and Alzheimer's.


Who's to be faulted for this? It's useless pointing fingers now, but what sparked this epidemic was the recommendation of mainstream medicine to adhere to a low fat, low cholesterol diet to avoid heart disease, believing that high blood cholesterol was causing it. Though this has already been debunked by several studies, the catastrophic damage to our health has long been visible in flesh and statistical figures.

Foods rich in simple carbohydrates evolved from the low fat low cholesterol diet prescriptions of mainstream medicine. But as scientific research studies have shown, it is the simple carbohydrates, most notably foods made from refined sugar and flour, that are responsible for the spate of inflammatory diseases like diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's and heart ailments.

What should we do now to arrest the rapid growth of this epidemic?

A good way to start is by addressing the very root of this epidemic, the foods we eat. There is a suggestion that we completely avoid foods with a glycemic index of 70 and above, since these foods raise the level of sugar in our blood. But I find it inconsistent since there are unhealthy foods, like ice cream and chocolate cakes, which have low glycemic index.  I would not like researching on the glycemic index of everything I eat, so to make things simpler, I just avoid any food made from flour and sugar.

And then, I totally dissociated myself from sweetened drinks. High fructose corn syrup is the sweetener found in almost all drinks, from sodas to fruit juices. It is also used in baked products. Do you have any idea how much HFCS there is in a can of soda? No less than 12 teaspoons. Imagine if you gulp down several cans daily as most of our kids do today! I don't think it is a mere coincidence that cases of obesity started to rise in the same decade HFCS was introduced in the market. I have turned to green tea for my drinks, just add a slice of lemon to make it taste better.

I hate to sound like a doomsayer, but it seems that our population is being fed to death. One cannot miss the unhealthy processed foods with all its harmful ingredients. It's all over us. It has taken over the place of home-cooked natural foods.

There are other things you can do to control your blood sugar level. A UK study done recently reveals that people with the lowest levels of Vitamin D have the most trouble putting their blood sugar under control. Fortunately, Vitamin D is abundantly available for free in Nature. Getting about 15 minutes of sunshine is enough to give you your desired level of Vitamin D. Or else, you can always supplement with Vitamin D3, its natural form.

There are two more critical nutrients necessary to control blood sugar levels. One is the mineral magnesium, which , like Vitamin D, is not difficult to source as it is found in many foods like bananas, spinach, almonds, peanuts, and Swiss chards. Again, supplements are available if you feel there is a need for it. The other nutrient is CoQ10, which the body produces until age 40. Unlike magnesium, however, there is very little of it in most foods. The richest food source of CoQ10 is beef, but then a serving of beef yields only 2.5 mg of the nutrient, way below the body's requirements. So, again, we can fill up the deficit with natural supplements.

If you don't want to add to the ever growing statistics of this epidemic, you can take the first steps with the above suggestions. I would, however, like to add another input, which is a recommendation to engage in regular exercise at least three times weekly. Through experience, I know regular exercise is very effective in bringing back your blood and cholesterol levels to normal range. I did it through an hour of jogging just around our block.

Encourage kins and friends to do the same. This is everybody's concern, this is a fight for present and future generations.