Supporting The Metabolism
Diabetes, which is the seventh biggest killer disease in the USA (and is similarly deadly in most Western countries), is a chronic disorder of the bodies ability to efficiently process carbohydrates, fat and protein.
Often the disease first makes itself known as what is usually known as Insulin Resistance Syndrome, a condition that is associated with increased levels of both insulin and blood sugar in the body.
If untreated, this will eventually develop into full blown diabetes, which brings with it much increased risks of heart disease, stroke, eye and kidney disease and loss of nerve function.
There are two types of diabetes, known as Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that is strongly associated with a sedentary lifestyle, in tandem with the poor quality of the modern Western diet.
Inadequate activity, allied to a diet that is high in refined sugars, saturated fats and proteins, and low levels of the necessary dietary fiber has resulted in an epidemic of obesity throughout the ‘developed’ world.
Thus it is that the incidence of Type 2 diabetes has increased at the same terrifying rate, as obesity is a hallmark of the condition.
Indeed, almost 90% of those diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are also obese at the time of diagnosis.
Now, supplements alone cannot take on and defeat either Insulin Resistance Syndrome of full blown diabetes, any more than they can turn an obese person into a sleek, slim one overnight.
However, what vitamins and minerals (the kind of things that would be found in any high quality supplements) can do is to help your body fight back.
For example, a broad-spectrum multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that contains vitamins B3, B6, B12, C and E, plus chromium, magnesium, manganese and zinc can play a significant role in regulating insulin levels and increasing insulin sensitivity in the body.
Having sufficient quantities of all of these nutrients on-board is essential for the regulation of glucose metabolism, that is, the processing of sugars through your body.
And, whilst the development of insulin resistance is caused by many factors, research does indicate that the complications associated with the disorder might be mitigated through targeted dietary supplementation and associated lifestyle changes.
So, there is no point in pretending that a good supplement is going to cure diabetes, no matter how good it might be!
What is can do, however, is to help offset the effects of type 2 diabetes and its precursor, Insulin Resistance Syndrome, and that in itself could be an important step forward in our continual efforts to begin to reduce the incidence of one of the West’s biggest killers.