Recently, a friend received a shock during her yearly physical. She had high blood sugar 122 or 4 points lower than full-blown diabetes), high cholesterol, and high triglycerides. Not wanting to have to take prescription medication, she asked me what steps she could take to naturally correct these issues.
For blood sugar, my recommendations were: 1) Vigorous EXERCISE of 20-30 minutes/day. Muscles are glucose burners. They love to sponge up sugar from your blood, but you have to make them receptive to it by revving up their sugar-burning machinery. Getting physically active is one of the easiest ways to use up blood sugar and coax your body out of insulin resistance. Calisthenics, take a dance class, race walk, bike or swim-do whatever you like to do and do it with vigor. 2) Eat 4-6 meals per day, but watch the calories, so make the meals small (400-600 calories-eat every four hours), and aim for low-glycemic foods. This way you’ll keep blood sugar at a stable level. You can find a list of low-glycemic foods on several web sites, but typically vegetables and fruits, with most beans are your best bets. 3) Cinnamon has been used for years to control blood sugar. Diabetes runs in my family, so I’ve been talking 500 mg capsules of cinnamon for several years. 4) Apple cider vinegar (ACV) slows carbohydrate absorption, and is a good supplier of potassium (think lower blood pressure). Two tbsp, twice per day before meals is the best way to take it-you can mix it with water or honey to tolerate it better. Chia seeds are also an excellent way to lower blood sugar. They’re high in protein, fiber, boron, and magnesium. Chia seeds are also great for weight loss, intestinal regularity, and good for the thyroid (which can affect the pancreas). To sweeten foods, use agave, stevia, and xylitol. Almonds are also a good tool in the fight for good blood sugar.
For high triglycerides (TG): Many of the same things for lowering TG are the same as above. Eat foods that are lower in fat, like fruits and veges, exercise more, lower your intake of alcohol, lose weight if it’s excessive, and increase your intake of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, particularly from fish or fish oil.
For high cholesterol: First, look at the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol. The lower the better. Foods that lower cholesterol are 1) Oatmeal, oat bran, and beans (any kind), apples, barley, and prunes. 2) Fish and omega-3 fatty acids. 3) Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts. 4) EXERCISE
I hope this helps everyone with any concerns about the above conditions. Treating these naturally is the best course. Good Luck.
Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.