How Can Naturopathic Medicine Help Treat Type 2 Diabetes?
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic or endocrinological disease, causing high blood sugar in the circulation for lone periods of time. It is characterized by fasting blood sugar higher than 5.5mmol/L, blood sugar 2 hours after meals higher than 7.8mmol/L, and HbA1c higher than 5.7%.
Type 2 Diabetes can occur when the pancreas produces too little insulin or when the cells of the body become resistance to insulin. Risk factors to become diabetic include being overweight, family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hormonal imbalances, other metabolic disease, and old age. Symptoms of diabetes include blurry vision, poor circulation in hands and feet, headaches, increased urination, urinary tract infections, candida, heart palpitations and high blood pressure, increased hunger, sweating, dental problems and bleeding gums, fatigue and poor immune system function.
Complications of diabetes can be quite severe as blood sugar damages internal delicate structures in the body. Some complications include eyesight loss among other eye problems, hand and foot problems, kidney problems and urinary issues, nerve damage, immune system problems, stroke, heart problems, dental problems, and many others.
How Can Naturopathic Medicine Help?
Naturopathic doctors can effectively diagnosis patients with diabetes through recommending lab work to check for blood sugar markers, such as checking fasting glucose and HbA1C. Fasting glucose gives a short term view on how well blood sugar is being controlled while HBA1C gives a three month long term view on how well blood sugar is being controlled. Naturopathic doctors take both values under consideration and other lab values as well to offer recommendations. This consists of diet, lifestyle, supplements, and natural modalities to help treat diabetes and prevent its re-occurrence.
Blood sugar can affect and damage vital organs such as the kidneys, eyes, brain, hands and feet. Therefore, it is important that patients come to our Naturopathic Doctor in East Gwillimbury to get treatment started as soon as possible to prevent complications down the line.
What Are Naturopathic Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes?
The Naturopathic Doctor at Ultimate Health Clinic will conduct a thorough health intake and physical exam in the first visit. This will allow a better understanding to recommend a treatment protocol tailored to each individual person’s needs and concerns. They will recommend diet modifications suitable to help support the body as a whole through Clinical Nutrition. This has evidence to support how foods containing nutrients can help restore the body back into health and balance. In addition, the Naturopathic Doctor will also provide lifestyle recommendations, such as exercises and physical medicine to help improve insulin response in the body and support blood sugar to go inside cells. Certain exercises are better suited for diabetes, which the Naturopathic Doctor will relay to patients to follow. The Naturopathic Doctor will also recommend supplements to help support the different organ systems. These include the endocrine system, digestive systems, cardiovascular systems, renal system, neurological system and sensory system.
The Naturopathic Doctor will work with patients and Medical Doctors to offer collaborative care for those patients that are on prescription medications. Collaborative care is safe and effective with proper communication between the medical doctor, naturopathic doctor and patients. This ensures that there are no adverse reactions between naturopathic care and medical care.
Patients are also recommended to monitor their own blood sugar levels with a Glucose meter to keep track of their blood sugar while receiving treatment. Treatments usually consist of 6 to 9 months depending on the complexity of the case and the needs of the individuals.
How We Can Help
The Naturopathic Doctor at Ultimate Health Clinic in East Gwillimbury strives to help her patients achieve good health though natural remedies and lifestyle suggestions. In addition to educating her patients on the tools they need to help themselves maintain a positive well-being.
To book an appointment with our Naturopathic Doctor, please call 905-251-0162 or email at .
