What is glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy?

Glaucoma is a condition where there is increased pressure in the eye leading to damage of the optic nerve and vision loss. A person with diabetes is almost twice as likely to get glaucoma. Diabetic retinopathy is when damage to the blood vessels in the retina occurs. Both conditions can occur with few warning signs until it is quite advanced. Both of these conditions ultimately can lead to complete blindness. That is why regular eye exams and preventative measures are so important in keeping your eyes healthy.

Why are diabetics more prone to eye problems?

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults. Elevated sugar levels in the bloodstream can cause damage to the cells in your eyes. Having excess sugar flowing through your bloodstream can act like small shards of glass to your blood vessels. In helping to prevent this, doing what you can to lower your sugar levels and manage your diabetes is extremely important.

What can you do to protect yourself from eye problems?

• Keep good control of your blood sugar levels. This is the single most important preventative step anyone with diabetes can do. Not only will proper monitoring of blood sugar levels reduce your risk of eye diseases but it can also prevent a variety of other complications from occurring as well.

• See an Ophthalmologist (an eye doctor who specializes in eye diseases) or Optometrist for regular checkups including dilated eye exams at least once a year. Early detection is important in helping to reduce further damage to your eyes. If you detect any changes to your sight, consult an eye doctor immediately.

• Keep your blood pressure in a normal range. High blood pressure along with elevated cholesterol levels play a crucial role in the maintenance of eye health.

• Eat a balanced diet with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. One of the easier ways to do this is to consume foods with a variety of colors. This will also help keep your blood sugar levels in check. Maintaining a balanced diet is one of the easiest ways to ensure good overall health.

Taking the time and effort to manage your diabetes and keeping your blood sugar levels in check is important in reducing your risk of suffering from complications. Making the changes now could also reduce your risk of eye problems in the future. Do yourself a favor and start making these positive changes today, and your eyes will ultimately thank you in the long run.

Susanna Deering has a passion for nutrition and great-tasting food. As a type 1 diabetic, Susanna is deeply aware firsthand how important the right foods are to our diets. Learning to live with diabetes grew Susanna’s passion for nutrition and has inspired her to help others manage their health through nutrition as well.

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But why wait until you have diabetes to follow these rules? Taking preventative measures now will greatly reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and eating like a diabetic is a great way to start. Let’s break down the diabetic diet strategies and learn why we should all be eating this way now – instead of waiting until we have to.

Read more about symptoms of diabetes to watch out for

1. Increase Fiber Intake

Diabetics are encouraged to get more fiber into their diets to help with stabilizing blood sugar levels. Fiber is also excellent for optimal digestion and elimination. Fiber is something we all need and few of us are actually getting enough of it. Many people think if they have a bowl of cereal in the morning that they are getting their daily fiber intake. The truth is, getting fiber from a processed cereal grain is not the best source. The best source of fiber is from whole foods: beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables (peels!) and 100 percent whole grains. Top food sources of fiber include turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, navy beans, eggplant, raspberries, and cinnamon.

2. Restrict Carbohydrate Intake

Sugar in any form needs to be strictly watched on a diabetic diet, especially if you’re insulin dependent. This is the main cause of a rise in blood sugar levels. The thing is not to eliminate your carbohydrates altogether (as with the case with the popular Atkins diet) but to make better choices. Choose carbohydrates that will gradually raise your blood sugar levels instead of quickly spiking them. Recognizing the bad sources of carbohydrates and replacing them with a healthier option is the key. Here are some tips:

• Replace white flour with brown rice flour, 100 percent whole wheat, spelt flour or chickpea flour.
• Replace white sugar with raw cane sugar, sucanat, coconut crystals, stevia or monkfruit.
• Fruits should be eaten whole on a diabetic diet, unless juiced. When consuming the whole fruit you are also getting the benefit of the fiber as well.

3. Eat Smaller Meals

Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day will also help to stabilize blood sugar levels. How much food you are eating and the timing of your meals are almost as important as what it is you are eating.

Read more about blood sugar and mood

The benefits of stabilizing your blood sugar are not only beneficial for diabetics but are a great preventative step in preventing diabetes. Making changes to your diet slowly is the best approach to improving your diet and sticking to it.

[Editor's Note: Now Foods, our partner, recently started making monkfruit liquid which is suitable for a low sugar or diabetic diet.

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The symptoms associated with Type I diabetes are more extreme than with Type 2. Type I is almost always diagnosed because of the symptoms and often the person is hospitalized because of them. Being aware of the symptoms and being able to catch them early is important in preventing either type of diabetes. Below are some of the symptoms people with uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes may experience. If you have any of these symptoms, seek medical attention to address the underlying cause.

Read more about what to drink if you have diabetes

Four Diabetes Symptoms To Watch For

Extreme thirst – This is one of the most noticeable symptoms. This is also something I experienced a couple of months before being diagnosed with type I diabetes, and it was my major symptom. I just couldn’t quench my thirst no matter how much water I drank. When you are experiencing high blood sugar, you have glucose floating around in your blood. Because you either aren’t producing insulin or are resistant to it (as in Type 2 diabetes), the glucose floats around your blood and is eventually excreted by your kidneys, pulling water from your body to help eliminate it. Because of all the fluid being lost you are constantly thirsty. This process will continue until your blood sugar levels normalize.

Weight loss without trying – This is more of a Type I diabetes symptom. Constant high blood sugar levels and no insulin to help your body utilize the sugar you’re consuming for energy causes your body to use your stored muscle and fat for energy. This makes you lose body fat and muscle, and not in a good way. Without insulin, your body cannot use the food you consume for energy, and you will waste away until insulin is injected. This is why insulin is essential for life in the case of Type I diabetes. Type 2 diabetics they’re mostly still producing insulin, but their bodies are resistant to it.

Blurry eyesight – High blood sugar levels can wreak havoc on your eyesight. A long-term complication of Type I and 2 diabetes is blindness. If you’re noticing sudden blurry eyesight, you could have elevated blood sugar levels. Once blood sugar levels are corrected, eyesight should return to normal.

Tingling in extremities – Numbness or tingling in your fingers or toes can be a sign of poor circulation. Too much sugar in your bloodstream slows down circulation. This is why most amputations performed are due to diabetic complications. Keeping your blood sugar levels in check can prevent poor circulation, which is also why slow-healing cuts and bruises can happen.

Read more about stabilizing blood sugar with food and spices

If you or anyone you know is experiencing these symptoms please encourage them to seek medical attention.

Image: sriram bala

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Knowing your body is the key to successfully treating diabetes. When you are adding herbs that help lower blood sugar levels to your routine you need to be able to monitor your blood sugar levels more than usual. Just like food, emotions and physical activity can play with your blood sugar levels, herbs can as well.

1. Cinnamon

Cinnamon slows down the rate your stomach empties after a meal, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. Consuming cinnamon with meals helps lower the glycemic index (the rate your blood sugar levels increase with a particular food) of the meal you’re consuming. Research has shown that 1 gram of cinnamon per day resulted in an approximate 20 percent drop in blood sugar levels¹.

2. Fenugreek

Fenugreek seeds have been proven to improve glycemic control and decrease insulin resistance in mild type 2 diabetic patients².  Including fenugreek seeds or their leaves is a great way to help with your diabetes treatment plan.

Read more about the benefits of turmeric and other spices

3. Bitter Melon

Bitter melon has been used for its hypoglycemic effect on blood sugar levels due to a compound called lectin, which has insulin-like activities when consumed. Bitter melon (as its name implies) is very bitter, so try soaking it with salt water for a few hours before cooking, or juice it with other vegetables or fruits to experience its blood sugar lowering effects.

Below is a cinnamon tincture recipe for how to stabilize blood sugar levels from Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs book.

• 2-4 oz chopped cinnamon bark (sticks) & 80-proof alcohol (brandy, vodka or gin)
• Place cinnamon in a wide mouthed glass quart jar. Cover with 2-3 inches of alcohol. Let steep for 4-6 weeks, shaking daily. Strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Discard the cinnamon then bottle the tincture.
• To use: Take ¼ to ½ tsp. two times a day for 5 days. Take 2 days off, then repeat the cycle. Continue for several weeks until blood sugar levels stabilize.

Editor's Note: Remember, it’s always a good idea to talk with your natural healthcare provider before adding medicinal herbs to your care.

Sources: [1] http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=68

[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11868855

Photo Credit: kobiz7

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Living with type 1 diabetes myself, I know first hand how much one wrong drink choice can affect my blood sugar levels. A type 1 diabetic does not produce insulin themselves so they must inject insulin with each meal. Making sure what you consume including drinks in between meals is important. In fact, drinking just one sweetened drink a day can raise your risk of type 2 diabetes by 25 percent.

People tend to think that fruit juice is a good choice, but with a high concentration of fructose, diabetics should only consume fruit in its whole form. When fruit is juiced it is stripped of all its fiber, and fiber is what helps to slow down the blood sugar spike. Consuming fruit juice will set you up for a roller coaster of blood sugar levels all day. Fruit juice should be reserved only when you're dealing with hypoglycemia – in this case you are drinking it to increase your already too low blood sugar.

Read more about foods that naturally lower blood sugar levels

Alcohol is another beverage that diabetics should be wary of. Alcohol is a contributing factor to hypoglycemia. You will first experience an increase in your blood sugar levels due to the sugar content, then a reactive drop in blood sugar, resulting in cravings, headaches, dizziness, fainting and more. Avoid alcohol altogether, or minimize to one low-sugar drink once or twice a week.

I don't think I really have to mention it here, but soft drinks, sports drinks, or any artificial fruit drink are very high in sugar and should strictly be avoided. A not so obvious option to avoid is diet soft drinks or other diet drinks. Although they do not contain sugar and do not increase blood sugar levels much at all, they do not contribute to your health in any way. In fact, some studies have shown some serious negative affects they can have on the body. Diabetics are often encouraged to consume artificial sweeteners, resulting in a high intake. My advice: if you still have a craving for sugary drinks, purchase the all natural sweetener, stevia, which can be found in health food stores and now sold in packets. Stevia does not contribute to raised blood sugar levels.

The drinks I would recommend for optimal blood sugar control are:

• Water:  An obvious option, but a very important one. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times, and you'll find you won’t be tempted to pick up a sugary drink. Purchasing a good quality water filter is also a good idea to avoid any unwanted chemicals in your water.

• Herbal teas: You can find many options of herbal teas to suit anyone's taste. If you prefer, add a spoonful of stevia to sweeten it up. Herbal teas are excellent warm or chilled with half a lemon squeezed in it.

• Unsweetened almond or coconut milk:  With only 2 grams of carbohydrates per cup of unsweetened almond milk or 1 gram per cup of unsweetened coconut milk, these are good options for diabetics. The fat content will also slow down any rise in blood sugars. I add these milk alternatives to smoothies, cereal, or drink them on their own.

For a high fiber, low carbohydrate chocolaty treat, try out this recipe. The high good fat and fiber content will help balance your blood sugars and still give you a way to enjoy a yummy, healthy, chocolaty drink.

High Fiber Chocolate Berry Shake

• ½ an avocado
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 cup frozen berries of choice
• 1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• stevia, to sweeten to your liking
• filtered water (add as your blending to desired consistency – less liquid will make it more of a pudding, add more for a more smoothie-like consistency)

– Add all ingredients together in a blender and blend. Add the water as needed and to desired consistency. Makes one large shake.

Read more about how to get more fiber

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Because refined and processed grains and sugars and have been stripped of their minerals, B vitamins and fiber, what’s left is pure carbohydrate, which quickly spikes blood sugar levels and causes hypoglycemia. This can make you crave even more unwanted sugary sweets, sending your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride all day.

Keeping your blood sugar levels balanced and avoiding hypoglycemia is essential to overall health and well-being and a preventative step in avoiding diabetes in your future.

Read more about why everyone should eat like a diabetic

Here are five tips to help you avoid hypoglycemia:

1. Remove all processed food from your diet.

To ensure you are getting complete nutrients, try to eat whole foods in their fresh, from-the-ground state, the way nature intended. Your body can better recognize and utilize the food you are consuming, and you will avoid the dramatic blood sugar spikes from eating foods that are filled with unrecognizable substances.

2. Consume grains only in their whole form.

Make sure the grains you eat are 100% whole grain. Eating these low-glycemic grains can keep blood sugar levels stable and provide essential vitamins and minerals to your diet.

3. Eat more frequent, smaller meals.

This keeps your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day, preventing a blood sugar spike from consuming larger meals and avoiding a dip as a result of going too long without food.

4. Increase fiber intake.

By moving to a more whole foods diet your fiber intake will increase by default. Don’t stress your body with unnatural foods it doesn’t know how to process effectively. Rather, eat foods your body recognizes and can best digest – in their whole state.

Read more tips for improving digestion

5. Avoid sweet drinks.

Any sweetened drinks, like pop, sports drinks or fruit juices, should be avoided if hypoglycemic reactions are an issue. Stick to water and herbal tea to keep steady blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Following these tips can help balance your blood sugar levels and avoid hypoglycemia.

Image: Jennifer

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Daily consumption of refined carbohydrates, alcohol, poor diet and skipping meals contribute to hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Not only do imbalanced blood sugars affect your physical health which puts stress on different body systems; they also affect your emotional well-being.

Read more about hypoglycemia and marital stress

Diabetic or not, keeping your blood sugar level balanced is important to your overall health. Learning to recognize the signs of hypoglycemia will help you in making preventative steps to achieve greater health. Symptoms of hypoglycemia usually present themselves before increased blood sugar levels do and are easier to recognize.

Symptoms of Hypoglycemia:

• Headaches
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Shaky feeling
• Irritability
• Blurred vision
• Excessive sweating
• Confusion
• Incoherent speech

Refined sugars in the diet are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream, resulting in an increase in blood sugar levels. This signals the pancreas to produce increased amount of insulin. Because of the increase in insulin symptoms of hypoglycemia can occur. The rapid drop in blood sugar levels can cause the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol. Over time your adrenal glands can also become exhausted. This situation can cause you to become depressed and emotional issues can present themselves.

As you can see preventative, measures to eliminate low blood sugar reactions are the first step to achieving balance for emotional and physical health in your body.

Read more about stress and emotional control

Try these suggestions to help balance your blood sugar and your mood:

• Include lots of fiber in your diet. Best in the form of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
• Eliminate refined carbohydrates. Choose 100% whole grain products.
• Choose natural low glycemic options. Learn what the glycemic index is and what foods are more likely to spike your blood sugar levels.
• Avoid sweet drinks by drinking herbal teas and water. Sweet drinks like juice or sodas quickly spike blood sugar levels.
• Eat smaller meals and more often throughout the day.
• Try a berberine supplement to balance blood sugar.

Following these suggestions can help you minimize your risk of developing diabetes and diabetes related complications. Having symptoms of hypoglycemia can over time lead to type 2 diabetes; this is because of the stress put onto your pancreas. Lifestyle changes can greatly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Image: sean dreilinger

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Finding foods to match a client's needs is something Susanna loves to do.  She works with each individual client to find personalized solutions to assist in making positive changes which assists the body to achieving greater overall health.

For consultations with Susanna and more information, please visit- www.nourished-life.com

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