As our culture inches further away from its natural living roots, more and more individuals are being diagnosed with chronic illnesses like diabetes. What’s more, approximately 95% of diabetics are living with type 2 diabetes — a largely preventable, adult-onset variation of the disease that can be reversed with the right treatment and care. If you’re managing diabetes and are ready to start making the kind of changes necessary to reduce or even eliminate symptoms and complications of the condition, it’s time to start incorporating these natural living tips into your diabetes management plan.

Natural Living Tips for Managing Diabetes

1. Don’t just manage your numbers. The first step in addressing diabetes from a natural living perspective is to understand that managing your blood sugar levels with prescription medication is not the same thing as a cure. Even if your numbers are well-managed with medication now, it’s very likely that you’ll need to continuously increase your dosage to maintain those results.Prescription drugs may slow the disease process, but they cannot fix it and they cannot address the underlying lifestyle issues that may need restructuring. What’s worse, these medications come with a host of side effects that can exacerbate or perpetuate other illnesses and complications. Of course, you can’t just toss your meds and hope for the best, but you should focus on making real changes to your lifestyle to address the root cause of your illness and communicate with your doctor about the possibility of weaning from medication as progress is made.
2. Stop eating processed foods. Yes, even the so-called “healthy” options. You have to get back to basics and start eating whole foods if you want to take control of your health. This is because all processed foods have been processed, making them look like real food when they aren’t – this creates a lesser workload for your body to digest and break down any nutrients that remain following processing.While “less work” sounds like a good thing, in this case, it’s absolutely not. The work your body does to process real food is absolutely critical to your whole-body health and helps to maintain your blood sugar levels. This is why 200 calories of refined sugar spikes your blood sugar in a way that 200 calories of berries wouldn’t. When you factor in these foods being loaded with chemicals and potential toxins, it’s clear they need to go. 
3. Don’t be fooled by “whole grains.” Bad news for all the carboholics reading along — chances are, “whole grains” and other supposedly healthy, complex carbs you’ve been instructed to replace your white bread with are not really that dramatic an improvement in terms of how your body responds physiologically.The sad truth is that grains, as we know them, are almost all highly refined, super-processed foods that you need to stop eating altogether (or at least as much as possible). They’ll still spike your blood sugars and can contribute to the growth of candida, a yeast infection that thrives on sugar in the bloodstream and contributes to weight gain, acidic blood, and mineral deficiencies.  If you’re serious about managing diabetes, then you’ll need to get serious about making changes. 
4. Say goodbye to artificial sugar substitutes. Once again, this should fall under the umbrella of “processed foods,” but in case you need an extra reminder — stop using artificial sugar substitutes as an alternative to real sugar. It’s definitely not any better for your health, since these fake sweeteners are pretty much 100% chemicals and toxins and definitely aren’t real food. They are not a “healthy” alternative to sugar, and they almost certainly won’t help you lose any weight, either.The only way to enjoy a sweet taste naturally and safely is to consume Stevia or Lakanto, which are both all-natural sugar alternatives that do not contribute to candida, raise blood sugars, or contain calories.  Successfully managing diabetes goes beyond switching cookies for “sugar free, splenda” cookies.

There is an undeniable increase in the frequency at which chronic diseases, like diabetes, are being diagnosed. Our modern day diet is lacking essential nutrients that our bodies need to function. You’ve probably been told that your genetics are to blame for your diagnosis and that there was nothing you could have done to prevent it, but that simply isn’t true.

There are a lot of underlying factors that have resulted in the development of your type 2 diabetes – and a diet devoid of vital vitamins and minerals is one of the factors you have the power to transform most easily when you decide on successfully managing diabetes. Decide to eat to real, whole foods. When you look for healthier options, think about how far away from its original state the food has become.

Always strive to fuel your body with natural food sources full of the essential nutrients that are needed for an optimally functioning system. The results of a healthy balanced diet can be felt almost immediately and you’ll feel better and more energized. Take control of your diet and take control of your health.

About the Author:  Dr. Tim Collins joined Harbor Comprehensive Health in 2011 offering an integrated approach to his patients for the treatment of spinal and extremity related conditions. He loves working with his patients to help them reach their true health potential.

I am not your doctor and this information should not be considered medical advice. You should seek the advice of your own medical professional for your own situation.