Maintaining healthy blood sugar is becoming increasingly difficult for more and more Americans as highly processed and genetically modified foods become more and more a part of the mainstream American diet.. The US Department of Health and Human Services National Diabetes Information Clearing House estimated in 2011 there were 18.8 million people diagnosed with diabetes and another 7 million undiagnosed. A more recent 2013 poll revealed 1 in 8 Americans have been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. There are a number of things which may help people regulate their blood sugar:
1)Limiting carbs and sugar is generally not enough to keep blood sugar under control unless you do some other things as well. Make sure you do not skip meals or go long periods without a meal or snack. Best approach is try to spread balanced nutrition between at least 5 small meals/snacks per day.
2)Avoid genetically modified (GMO) foods as they cause inflammation and blood sugar issues which tend to aggravate diabetes and heart disease . GMO means the genes have been altered in a lab by inserting genes or DNA of an unrelated species. Some of these, rice for instance, have been modified by adding human genes. Since labeling of GMO is not required the best thing you can do is try to look for things which specifically say they are not GMO, especially look for the Non-GMO project badge. Almost all the corn and soy in the US is GMO so unless it specifies on the label that it is not GMO it probably is. This also includes things like various cooking oils, corn starch, and baking powder which you find in almost all processed foods. Popcorn comes from a different seed and has not been genetically modified – yet – however it is still nice to see this on the label. Orville Redenbacher is starting to provide this information. Half the sugar in the US is from GMO sugar beets so when you do use sugar, pure cane sugar is better. Many companies are beginning to respond to consumer concerns and providing non GMO versions of favorite products. Early this year General Mills released non-GMO Cheerios
3)Magnesium deficiency – up to 80% of Americans are believed to be deficient in magnesium. According to Dr. Morton Walker, studies confirm the connection between magnesium and diabetes, and that magnesium is needed to help regulate and control blood sugar.
4)Essential oils – Several pure, therapeutic grade essential oils such as Young Living’s may help maintain blood sugar levels that are in normal range:
- Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma and Juniperus scopulorum) may help support the circulatory system and the kidneys. It is important to maintain these systems in a healthy state for promoting excretion of toxins, purifying and detoxifying.
- Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) may help maintain blood sugar levels in the normal range, and supports healthy circulation.
- Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) has been researched at Cairo University for its effects in lowering glucose and insulin levels. A high quality therapeutic grade Coriander oil may help support healthy pancreatic function
- Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) has one of the highest of all ORAC scores, 1, 078,700 µTE/100g according to the Essential Oils Desk Reference 5th edition. Clove may be helpful in maintaining normal blood sugar levels.
- Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum verum) – supports the cardiovascular and immune systems and helps maintain healthy blood sugar.
- Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis, CT cineol) helps support the liver and the immune system.
- Dill (Anethum graveolens) has a very long medicinal history dating back to the Papyrus of Ebers. Therapeutic grade Dill oil may help support pancreatic function, and help maintain blood sugar levels in the normal range
- Ocotea (Ocotea quixos) which comes from Ecuador may help calm body’s internal response to irritation. Also helps maintain blood sugar levels in normal range.
5)Stevia – the best natural sweetener and substitute for sugar which does not have the harmful side effects of many other substitutes such as aspartame and Splenda. Stevia may help rebuild glucose tolerance and normalizes blood sugar fluctuations.
6)Glycemic Index – To further minimize blood sugar fluctuations, it can be helpful to consult the Revised Table for Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. There are many tables out there with conflicting information. This one is the best. The glycemic index (GI) is a numerical system of measuring how much of a rise in circulating blood sugar a carbohydrate triggers–the higher the number, the greater the blood sugar response. However, the GI only gives you an idea how quickly a particular carbohydrate turns into sugar. The Glycemic Load (GL) offers a more extensive picture by taking into consideration the amount of carbohydrate that is in a serving of food. Be aware however that it is important not to rely on these numbers alone as all carbohydrates ultimately turn into sugar. However, when these are considered along with spreading nutritional intake through the day into at least five small healthy meals or snacks, blood sugar variations should stabilize significantly.
7)Adequate protein – maintaining adequate protein in the diet will help control sugar cravings. A high protein diet however, can increase strain on the kidneys. Be sure to keep enough quality protein in the diet without going overboard. The American Diabetes Association recommends maintaining usual protein of 15 – 20% of daily energy intake if kidney function is normal.
8)Fiber – according to the USDA, adequate fiber intake is considered to be at least 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories consumed. Adequate fiber intake is important for stabilizing blood sugar. 95% of Americans do not get enough fiber.
9)NingXia Red – Young Living’s outstanding juice supplement NingXia Red is high in antioxidant and provides a natural pure source of vitamins and minerals. It helps support a healthy immune system and maintain blood sugar levels within normal range. NingXia Red is highly concentrated and should be consumed in amounts of 1 – 4 oz per day. It has a low glycemic index and contains no processed high fructose sweeteners. In addition to the powerful NingXia wolfberries (Lycium barbarum), from the NingXia province of northern China which are included as a whole wolfberry puree of fruit, juice, seeds, and peel, the NingXia Red formula contains carefully selected blueberry, cherry, aronia, pomegranate, and plum fruit juices with therapeutic grade essential oils of orange, yuzu, lemon, and tangerine, patented grapeseed extract, and sweetened with pure and natural calorie free stevia extract.
10)Keep a journal of what you eat, time of day, how you feel etc. If you miss a day or a few days, don’t give it up, just pick it up again. You will begin to notice patterns with what you are eating and this information will be very helpful.
To learn more about different therapeutic grade essential oils and their properties, please visit The Oil Well
For more information on the leading essential oil companies, their history, testing, and quality standards, check out the 45 page Young Living/DoTerra report.
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