Treating Diabetes Naturally (yes it’s possible)

Treating diabetes naturally can do more than just help you balance your blood sugar—it can positively transform your overall health and well-being. 

As diabetes continues to affect millions of people worldwide, its link to a range of chronic diseases makes addressing this condition crucial for optimal health.

I have been working for 20 years as a naturopath, guiding many clients to better manage their blood sugar levels and keeping up with the latest research that shows that lifestyle is a key component to prevent and treat diabetes.

This article will explore effective dietary changes, lifestyle habits, and supplements to help you naturally manage and improve your blood sugar levels.

Are you looking to avoid or reduce the need for medications? While lifestyle changes can make a big difference, it’s essential to work with your healthcare provider to make safe adjustments.
Never stop taking prescribed medications without consulting your doctor.
Did you know that much of the traditional advice on the “best diet” for diabetes has been proven outdated? Let’s take a fresh look at what really works.

Diabetes and Modern Lifestyle Factors

In the past, people experienced stress during times of famine or when food availability was restricted due to weather and seasonal changes. There was no consistent flow of abundant food, and our bodies adapted accordingly.

Today, however, our bodies are under a different kind of stress—an oversupply of food, much of it processed and packaged, which is common in the Western world. While the availability of food has increased, it has come at the cost of adequate nutrition, with many foods lacking essential nutrients.

Excess calorie consumption may not seem harmful in the short term, but over time, it can lead to serious health consequences. In fact, the average daily calorie intake has increased from 2,300 calories to 2,800 calories over the past 35 years, while physical activity levels have steadily declined.

It’s easy to understand why this increase occurs—not only is food widely available at supermarkets and convenience stores, but our bodies are biologically wired to consume during times of plenty. 

When paired with excess carbohydrate consumption, the hormones that regulate our satiety and appetite, such as leptin and ghrelin, become disrupted. 

Without a “famine” period to balance this out, weight gain ensues, increasing the risk of metabolic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Understanding Stress, Hormones, and Diabetes

In addition to the abundance of food available today, many people are facing increased stress, fatigue, and lack of sleep. This combination disrupts appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin, often leading to overeating, especially of refined carbohydrates. Here’s how this affects metabolic health:

• Hormonal Imbalance and Overeating:
  • Stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation disturb leptin and ghrelin levels, causing cravings for high-calorie, processed foods.
  • This can lead to overconsumption and weight gain, which contribute to metabolic dysfunction.
• Metabolic Dysfunction and Mitochondrial Issues:
  • Poor dietary habits and stress affect mitochondrial function (our cells’ energy generators), leading to fatigue and more cravings for “quick energy” foods.
• Vicious Cycle of Poor Health:
  • The combination of an unhealthy diet, sleep issues, and chronic stress increases cortisol levels and can lead to adrenal dysfunction.
  • Adrenal dysfunction may manifest in various ways, including:
    • High blood sugar levels
    • Fatigue and low immune function
    • Hormonal issues such as PMS and infertility
• Testing for Adrenal Fatigue:
  • Identifying adrenal fatigue through testing can provide insight into whether it is a root cause of your health issues.
• Mental Health Impacts:
  • Blood sugar imbalances can also contribute to anxiety and depression.

The Link Between Gut Health And Diabetes

Gut health plays a significant role in blood sugar regulation and overall metabolic health. An imbalance in gut bacteria—known as dysbiosis—can affect food choices, cravings, and even the risk of developing diabetes. Here’s how:

• Gut Bacteria and Food Cravings:
  • An imbalance of “bad” bacteria or yeast in the gut can manipulate food cravings, often increasing the desire for sugary and processed foods.
  • Even with the best intentions to eat healthily, these imbalances can lead to unhealthy choices.
• Role of the Gut Microbiome in Blood Sugar Regulation:
  • A thriving community of beneficial bacteria supports healthy digestion and can help stabilize blood sugar levels.
  • Conversely, an imbalance with too many harmful bacteria can contribute to insulin resistance and inflammation.
• Digestive Symptoms and Metabolic Impact:
  • Dysbiosis may lead to digestive symptoms such as:
    • Gas and bloating
    • Constipation or diarrhea
    • Acid reflux
  • These symptoms can indicate poor gut health and may worsen metabolic dysfunction, further complicating diabetes management.
• Improving Gut Health to Manage Diabetes:
  • Incorporating probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and fermented vegetables can support beneficial bacteria.
  • Increasing fiber intake from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains helps nourish gut bacteria and maintain a healthy blood sugar balance.
  • Prebiotic foods (e.g., garlic, onions, leeks) also promote beneficial bacterial growth.
• The Gut-Immune Connection:
  • Since a significant portion of the immune system resides in the gut, a healthy microbiome helps reduce inflammation—a key factor in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes.
  • Managing gut health can have a positive ripple effect on immunity, blood sugar control, and overall well-being.

Insulin: The Key Hormone in Energy Balance and Diabetes

Insulin plays a critical role in regulating energy within the body. When food, especially carbohydrates, is consumed, insulin is secreted to signal that energy is on its way. 

This hormone facilitates the storage of glucose, proteins, and fats, ensuring that energy is available for cellular repair, growth, and muscle building. Insulin is essential for life; its anabolic (growth-promoting) effects are crucial for maintaining healthy tissue function.

The Problem with Excess Insulin

This continuous high production disrupts the body’s cellular response to insulin, leading to insulin resistance.

The Consequences of Insulin Resistance

• Weight gain, especially around the waist
• Fatigue and low energy
• Increased appetite and intense carbohydrate cravings
• Skin issues like acne
• Poor sleep or insomnia
• Elevated blood pressure (hypertension)
• Cardiovascular risks, including atherosclerosis

Left unaddressed, consistently high insulin levels pave the way for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other inflammatory conditions.

Restoring Insulin Balance for Better Health

In the next section we will focus on how to balance insulin and blood sugar levels.

Treating Diabetes Naturally: Diet and Exercise as First Steps

Dietary and lifestyle changes are among the most powerful tools for preventing and managing diabetes naturally. While medications play an important role, improving diet and increasing physical activity can significantly reduce symptoms and dependence on pharmaceutical interventions.

Rethinking Diet for Diabetes Management

Conventional advice often promotes a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, which has been shown to worsen diabetes symptoms and increase reliance on medications. This recommendation, popular since the 1970s, was based on the outdated belief that dietary fat leads to weight gain. 

However, numerous studies have since debunked this theory, demonstrating that high-quality fats can play a beneficial role in metabolic health.

Key Dietary Changes to Consider:

• Low-Carbohydrate and Ketogenic Diets:
  • Reducing carbohydrate intake helps decrease insulin levels and promotes weight loss, making it a powerful strategy for those with carbohydrate intolerance.
  • A ketogenic diet, characterized by high fat and low carbohydrate intake, can mimic the benefits of fasting without extreme calorie restrictions. It encourages fat-burning and can stabilize blood sugar levels.
  • Focus on consuming high-quality fats such as nuts, avocados, olive oil, macadamia oil, and coconut oil while avoiding inflammatory processed oils like vegetable, canola, and rice bran oil.

Benefits and Considerations:
Adopting a ketogenic diet may initially be challenging as your body adjusts to using fat as its primary energy source instead of carbohydrates. However, after a few weeks, many people experience improved energy, better sleep, enhanced brain function, and reduced cravings. 

Research also indicates potential benefits for neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and may even have applications for cancer treatment.

Exercise as a Complementary Treatment

Physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetes management, but it works best in combination with dietary changes. Exercise helps increase insulin sensitivity, reduce excess fat, and improve overall health.

Recommended Types of Exercise:

• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):
  HIIT involves short bursts of intense activity followed by brief rest periods. For beginners, this can be as simple as walking up and down stairs for 3-10 minutes. As fitness improves, increase the intensity or repetitions. HIIT can be done on treadmills, exercise bikes, or using everyday movements.
• Resistance and Weight Training:
  Strength training promotes muscle growth, enhances metabolism, and helps lower insulin levels. This can include lifting weights at the gym or using body weight exercises like squats, push-ups, planks, and lunges at home. Many online resources and tutorials can guide proper technique and safe execution.

Integrating Diet and Exercise for Lasting Change:
Combining a low-carbohydrate diet with regular physical activity creates a powerful synergy for improving insulin sensitivity, losing weight, and reducing diabetes-related risks. These lifestyle changes can lead to significant improvements in metabolic health, helping to naturally manage blood sugar levels while complementing medical treatments.

Exercise Snacks for Busy Lifestyles

Exercise doesn’t have to mean long workouts at the gym—“exercise snacks” are a powerful way to fit movement into your day. Popularized by Dr. Rhonda Patrick, exercise snacks are brief bursts of high-intensity activity, typically lasting 1 to 3 minutes, performed throughout the day. This approach makes it easier for people with limited time to enhance their metabolic health.

What Are Exercise Snacks?

• Burpees
• High knees
• Jumping jacks
• Hill sprints

These exercises can be done without equipment and are easy to integrate into daily routines, making them accessible for individuals with busy schedules or sedentary lifestyles.

Benefits of Exercise Snacks:

• Improved Glucose Regulation: Performing these short bursts around mealtimes—30 minutes to 1 hour before or after meals—can enhance glucose uptake into muscles, benefiting those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.
• Increased Mitochondrial Health: Vigorous activity stimulates the production of mitochondria in muscle cells, boosting energy metabolism.
• Reduced Sedentary Time: Exercise snacks help break up long periods of sitting, an independent risk factor for many chronic diseases.
• Longevity and Health Benefits: Regularly engaging in these quick sessions has been linked to lower risks of all-cause and cancer-related mortality.

Practical Tips to Get Started:

• Set reminders on your phone to prompt exercise snacks throughout the day.
• Choose activities that can be done in small spaces with minimal preparation.
• Aim for an intensity level of around 75% of your maximum heart rate during these bursts for optimal benefits.

Supplements for Diabetes Support

Supplements are no replacement for a well-balanced diet, but they can offer targeted support for those struggling with food cravings, fatigue, or high blood sugar levels.

It is crucial to avoid self-prescribing, as many people inadvertently take ineffective or low-dose supplements. Working with a healthcare provider ensures proper supplementation tailored to individual needs. Here’s a look at key nutrients and their benefits:

Key Supplements for Blood Sugar Balance:

• Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
  • ALA helps prevent diabetes-related complications like retinopathy and nephropathy. It supports healthy blood pressure and improves endothelial function, making it particularly beneficial for diabetics.
  • ALA also enhances glucose metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity and aiding glucose clearance from the blood.
• Chromium
  • Chromium can help stabilize blood sugar levels and curb cravings for carbohydrates, making it especially helpful during the transition from a high-carbohydrate to a low-carbohydrate diet.
  • It is commonly included in blood sugar support formulas due to its effectiveness in balancing glucose levels.
• Cinnamon
  • Cinnamon contains bioactive compounds that enhance insulin sensitivity and activate PPAR receptors, which promote fat burning and reduce fat storage.
  • Clinical trials have shown that cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels by up to 10% over a 10-week period, making it a great addition alongside diet and exercise.
• Magnesium
  • Studies show that magnesium deficiency is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Supplementing with magnesium can improve insulin sensitivity and help regulate blood sugar levels.
  • Food sources of magnesium include leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
• Berberine
  • Berberine, a plant compound found in herbs like goldenseal, has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
  • Research indicates that berberine may be as effective as certain diabetes medications like Metformin in regulating blood sugar, making it a powerful natural option.
• Vitamin D
  • Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Adequate vitamin D intake or supplementation can help maintain insulin function and overall metabolic health.
  • Aim for regular sun exposure and consider testing vitamin D levels to determine if supplementation is necessary.
• Probiotics
  • Since gut health plays a critical role in metabolic regulation, using a high-quality probiotic supplement can help improve the balance of beneficial bacteria, reduce inflammation, and support blood sugar control.
  • Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut can also provide natural sources of probiotics.
• Cocoa
  • Cocoa is rich in polyphenols that help enhance insulin sensitivity, activate fat-burning PPAR receptors, inhibit fat storage, and provide anti-inflammatory benefits. However, the polyphenols are more concentrated in dark chocolate with minimal sugar rather than standard chocolate bars.

Next Steps

Diabetes, carbohydrate intolerance, and weight gain are common yet complex health challenges that can be effectively managed through targeted diet and lifestyle changes. 

While medications may play a role, addressing the root causes naturally can lead to lasting improvements in health and well-being.

Working with an experienced practitioner is key to uncovering and addressing other underlying factors that may impact blood sugar and weight, such as low thyroid function, adrenal fatigue, and hormonal imbalances. 

At Planet Naturopath, we specialize in using the latest testing and personalized support to guide you on your health journey.

If you’re ready to take control of your health naturally or have any questions, schedule a consultation today.

Let’s work together to create a customized plan that helps you achieve lasting results and improved health.