by Tony Isaacs

(The Best Years in Life) Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which blood-sugar (glucose) levels are above normal—either the body doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin, which breaks down sugar in the blood, or it cannot utilize its own insulin properly. Diabetes can cause serious health complications including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, and even limb loss. The good news is that if you are one of the 20.8 million Americans struggling with diabetes (type 1 and type 2 combined) there are natural approaches to help avoid these life-threatening conditions.

As in almost all areas of health, exercise and proper diet can help tremendously for diabetes.  That does not mean a heavy exercise regimen nor does it mean a radical weight loss.  Moderate exercise and a weight loss of only 5% or slightly more can make a substantial difference (and that holds true for those considered significantly overweight as well as those carrying a few pesky extra pounds.  To achieve a 5% or more weight loss may require no more than cutting out soft drinks and taking regular walks for example.  At any rate, losing 5% is easily achievable with modest exercise and a sensible diet that includes plenty of vegetables, especially raw and lightly steamed vegetables, some fruits (though little or no fruit juice because of its high sugar content), fermented whole grains, and getting rid of dangerous trans fats.