Diabetes Complications Blogs

Neuropathy is an insidious, progressive condition. Fortunately, there are natural therapies that can help prevent and treat it.

Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is on the rise. The good news is that there are natural ways to prevent and treat this diabetes complication.

Your vision is already at risk if you have diabetes, and now a study says drugs used to treat diabetes may put your eyes in even more danger. Here's how you can use natural therapies to lower your blood sugar and reduce your risk.

Vitamin E, the body’s premier fat-soluble antioxidant, improves glucose control and protects blood vessels and nerves from free-radical damage, which is accelerated by the diabetic condition.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease afflicts roughly one in four Americans, and it is not caused by alcohol or a virus. It is caused by obesity and insulin resistance—and at least half of all type 2 diabetics are affected.

Swedish scientists who reviewed several published trials examining magnesium intake found that for every 100 mg increase in daily magnesium, there was a 15 percent decrease in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

People with poorly controlled blood sugar levels are nearly three times more likely to have severe forms of gum disease, and they typically lose more teeth than people without diabetes.

Insulin is bad news. Not only does it actually cause weight gain, but this commonly prescribed therapy has also been linked to high blood pressure.

When white sugar or honey is packed on top of and inside an open wound, it dissolves in the fluid exuding from the wound and creates a hyperosmotic, or highly concentrated medium in which bacteria cannot exist. This curbs infection.

Diabetes takes a toll on many organs in the body, and the kidneys are one of the hardest hit. The good news is that you’re not pre-destined for dialysis and transplant. Early treatment with an inexpensive vitamin may reverse this condition and prevent the need for these expensive and difficult procedures.

Supplements are effective in treating diabetic neuropathy. Here are a few of my top recommendations.

If you or someone you know is dealing with diabetic neuropathy, you are aware just how painful and debilitating this condition can be. The numbness, discomfort, and loss of sensation in the extremities isn’t just inconvenient—it can cause real problems.

White table sugar, poured into diabeteic wounds and wrapped up with an occlusive dressing, has been used to dress open wounds for at least 5,000 years. In fact, ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all used honeyto treat open wounds and burns.

Living with diabetes puts you at a dramatically increased risk of premature death and disability. People with diabetes are two to three times more likely to die from heart disease than those with normal blood sugar levels, and they are five times more likely to have a stroke.

The diabetic condition causes dramatic increases in urination as the kidneys attempt to get rid of excess glucose. Along with excess glucose, however, massive amounts of water-soluble vitamins and minerals are also lost, and this leaves patientsto suffer the inevitable consequences of massive nutritional deficiencies.

Few people flirting with borderline elevated blood sugar levels realize how important it is to get this situation under control right away. Most folks are unaware of the many diabetic complications, and that this disease is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and amputations.

Infrared light therapy delivers pulses of special wavelengths of light through the skin directly to injured tissues. Though the light itself is invisible, its effects are readily apparent: enhanced blood flow, improved sensation, regeneration of tissues, and pain relief.

If I had to choose just one antioxidant for people trying to manage diabetes, it would be alpha lipoic acid (ALA). It actually improves the diabetic condition by enhancing glucose uptake, increasing insulin sensitivity, and protecting against beta cell destruction.

Diabetic neuropathy is a form of nerve damage that affects many people living with diabetes.  In addition to being quite painful, it can also be debilitating.  Fortunately, there are three effective, natural remedies to treat this common diabetes complication.

The diabetic condition causes increased urination and essentially acts as a diuretic, washing away magnesium, zinc, folic acid, and other vital nutrients from the body. Supplementing with high levels of these vitamins and minerals helps compensate for nutritional deficiencies and protect against diabetic complications.

Several studies support infrared light’s benefits for diabetic neuropathy. In addition to restoring sensation and reducing risk of amputation, this therapy has also been shown to improve balance and reduce falls by 96 percent!

When sugar or honey is packed on top of and inside of an open wound, it dissolves in the fluid exuding from the wound, creating a highly concentrated medium. Bacteria cannot exist in this environment, and infection is dramatically curbed. 

People with diabetes are at higher risk of developing more severe forms of glaucoma because, in addition to the damage to nerves and blood vessels in the eye caused by uncontrolled blood sugar levels, abnormal eye pressure related to glaucoma causes additional problems.

Retinopathy is one of the more serious diabetes complications that affects the eyes—and the longer you’ve been living with diabetes, the higher your risk of developing this condition. 

If you have type 2 diabetes, you are at a much higher risk of developing cataracts. Part of the reason for the increased risk relates to how cataracts are formed in the first place. 

People with diabetes are at particular risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can progress to serious scarring of the liver. Learn how to protect yourself.

There are a number of alternative treatments for diabetes that can help prevent nerve damage, including a few key supplements I know are effective. Let's take a look at them.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease afflicts roughly one in four Americans and at least half of all people with type 2 diabetes. This is because it's caused by insulin resistance, not alcohol use or a virus.

Neuropathy (damage to nerves and nerve function) is a common diabetes complications. Learn how more about how it develops.

A primary reason for the upsurge in kidney disease is our epidemic of diabetes. One-quarter to one-third of people with this condition develop diabetic nephropathy, which is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease.

People living with diabetes are at higher risk of developing periodontal disease than people without blood sugar problems.

If you’re dealing with diabetes, you’ll want to be particularly aware of called glycation because it can cause tissues like the collagen in your blood vessels to become stiff and lose their flexibility. This is a major culprit behind many diabetic complications, including cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.

One of the most common diabetes complications is problems with the feet. For people with diabetic neuropathy, diminished sensation in the feet can lead to a host of problems. Small blisters or scrapes on the feet are minor problems that go away within days, but for people living with diabetes, they can spell disaster.

People living with diabetes are still at a much higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease. They’re also more likely to be concerned about their blood pressure health. Why is this?