Borderline Type 2 Diabetes, Borderline rising Cholesterol Levesand Hypertension and
Dr. Passero, I was told that I have borderline Type 2 Diabetes because my fasting blood sugar levels were between 130 and 150 and Blood Pressure in the 130-140s/80-90s and a rise in my cholesterol level. I have changed my diet and increased my activity level by using the treadmill. I do not want to be placed on any medications for these problems. I would like to try the natural way first. I was recommended by a friend to your site and saw many alternative agents that I could use to help me. I am taking advantage of your Ask The Doctor Section for your help. What products would you think I should use to decrease Blood Sugar, Cholesterol and Pressure levels? I look forward to hearing from you. I thank you for your time and your reply will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Marie G.
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Marie,
Thank you for your question.
All of your current issues are borderline and with the right help and
guidance there is a good chance that you can avoid the use of mediations by
bringing these numbers back into the normal range.
Diet and Exercise:
First and foremost you need to keep going with that regular
exercise program. I know it sounds basic
but you will have a much greater likelihood of having success with natural
medicine if you succeed in this area. By
losing weight you will automatically increase your insulin sensitivity which
will bring down your blood sugar, decrease your blood pressure and lower
cholesterol….without taking anything at all!!!
Keep increasing the frequency, length and intensity of your treadmill workouts
gradually until you are doing at least 30-45min 4-6x per week.
Once you have designed a good exercise program you can start
to focus on your diet. The number one
thing I would suggest is to start balancing your carbohydrate/fat/protein
levels. The best mixture for losing
weight and decreasing blood sugar problems is to go on a low carbohydrate
diet. The South Beach Diet or the Zone
Diet are great examples of ways to do this in a very healthy manner. Both diets will teach you how to properly manage
your fat/protein/carbohydrate levels which will drastically improve your blood
sugar balance and help you to reduce your weight and lower your blood
pressure.
Blood Sugar Balance:
Supplements can also be a great help for you. Starting on a blood sugar support formula
will provide your body with key vitamins, nutrients and herbs that help to
promote healthy blood sugar balance.
Nutrients like chromium, vanadium and alpha lipoic acid have shown
beneficial effects on supporting healthy blood sugar levels in scientific
studies. Herbs such as Gymnema sylvestra
and bitter melon have shown similar benefits for blood sugar regulation.
Appetite and Craving
Control:
If you are having any issues with over eating or snacking you
may want to try a natural formula to support a healthy appetite and help with
portion control. Garcinia cambogia is an
herb that has been well documented in its ability to assist people in weight
loss by naturally reducing appetite without the use of any stimulant
properties. At all costs, avoid weight
loss drugs and supplements that contain caffeine or other stimulants. These are not only dangerous but will not
result in sustained weight loss.
Green tea is another great natural fat burner. Although green tea does contain trace amounts
of caffeine it is actually the EGCG’s found in green tea that are responsible
for the weight loss properties. These
unique chemical compounds have a powerful effect on several systems of the body
and stimulate metabolism far more effectively than the small caffeine content
found in green tea.
Fish Oil:
For your blood pressure and cholesterol I would recommend
starting with a good quality fish oil supplement. Fish oil is one of the most widely used
natural supplements largely due to its numerous benefits on several different
systems of the body. It is known to
raise HDL levels (good cholesterol) and lower triglyceride levels. Extensive scientific data supports the ability
of fish oil to positively influence blood lipids levels and support a healthy
cardiovascular system.
Omega 3 fatty acids also play an important part in the
cascade of events that triggers blood vessel contraction and relaxation. Through this mechanism, fish oils can
positively impact healthy blood pressure regulation.
The average dose of fish oil needed to get these positive
effects is somewhere in the range of 4,000-6,000mg per day for the average
person. Make sure to get a high quality,
high potency fish oil supplement to reduce the amount of pills you have to
take. Also, make sure the bottle says
that your fish oil is guaranteed to be free of heavy metals and other harmful
chemicals. If it does not say it on the
bottle, do not buy it.
A last note on fish oil is that if you take any prescription
blood thinners like Warfarin, Coumadin or Plavix you should not take fish oil
unless you are directly supervised by a qualified physician.
Final Thoughts:
These suggestions should put you on your way to achieving
your goals of re-gaining your health.
Remember that the more you do with your diet and exercise the better the
end results will be.
In Health,
Dr. Passero
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