Diabetes: My Personal and Professional Experience
by Dr. Harlan Sparer, Tempe Chiropractor
On a more personal note, here is my brief article on Diabetes from a personal standpoint.
Diabetes: Gift or Curse?
I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes in November 2006. I was blessed with is a genetic predisposition for this condition, as well as Syndrome X (any combination of Diabetes, elevated cholesterol, heart conditions, and high blood pressure) in my family history. I managed to get off regular Diabetes medication through diet, supplements and exercise. I have designated myself as a guinea pig to help other people with similar problems.
I begin 3 mornings a week with a spin of 20 minutes on my Concept 2 rowing machine. This device provides endurance training as well as strength and cardio. I follow this with a series of exercises that vary between weights and simple exercise. I follow with a Eucalyptus steam and shower at my gym. Total time elapsed for the whole thing is about 2 hours. I begin most mornings with an Almond Milk Smoothie, which includes Spirulina, Maca, Mesquite, Chia seeds, lucuma powder, raw cacao powder, and berries, sweetened with vanilla stevia. I otherwise entertain a low carb breakfast with my supplement regimen including Calcium, Magnesium, alpha lipoic acid, cinnamon, and much more.
Carbohydrate control and sugar elimination are key elements to returning to normal blood sugar. Limiting carbs for breakfast is easy and can be done with the smoothie I mentioned or with a Greens First drink as it has less than 4 grams. Watching the carbs in prepared food ingredients is as easy as reading the labels. I typically stay below 20 grams for most meals.
Beans are an amazing as well as a musical fruit. Although they appear to be high in carbs, their high fiber is complicated to digest, requiring an expense of energy possibly exceeding their carb content. Generally speaking, net carbs are determined by subtracting from the total carbs. Net carbs= total carbs- (total fiber + sugar alcohols (such as xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, etc.)).
Carb counting and removing refined sugar is a strategy for weight loss and periodontal health, as well as general health benefits that are nearly unlimited.