HOW TO PREVENT DIABETES TYPE 2

It is estimated that there will be 5.3 million people with diabetes by the year 2025. Current estimates, according to Diabetes UK, are that there are 3.9 million people in the UK who have been diagnosed with diabetes as well as another million who are not aware that they have diabetes. 90% of those will have diabetes type 2. 

Download my free guide including a quiz and the full 10 tips to help prevent diabetes type 2.

In diabetes type 1 (about 10% of cases), the body does not produce sufficient insulin in the pancreas beta islet cells. This usually has some component of genetic origin and is an autoimmune disease. With insufficient insulin, blood sugar rises. 

With diabetes type 2 (about 90% of cases), the cells of the body become “resistant to insulin”. To help you understand insulin’s role, Dr Jason Fung describes insulin like Japanese subway pushers who assist the passengers (glucose) onto the packed train (cell). When the cells are packed full or if there is not enough insulin, the glucose remains in the blood and then in order to protect our organs, it is stored as fat. This condition is called insulin resistance.

Symptoms of insulin resistance can range from lack of energy, weight gain especially fat in the abdomen area, slow healing, waking up around two or three in the morning due to low blood sugar and feeling hungry all the time. Insulin resistance may be ongoing for many years before prediabetes or diabetes type 2 is diagnosed. The best indicator of insulin resistance is to get your fasting insulin checked by your doctor or privately. Levels higher than 7 mIU/L can indicate insulin resistance. The more readily available test is called the HbA1c test which measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months and the optimal functional levels are around 5.0% or 3.1 mmol/mol. HbA1c results can be skewed by other factors like low iron levels and are not reliable viewed in isolation.

Source of data: School of Applied Functional Medicine & Chris Kresser

Here are three tips to help you reduce insulin resistance and your risk of developing prediabetes and diabetes type 2:

• Reduce the refined and artificial sugar you eat and check food labels.  
  

• Daily exercise - increase how much your body uses glucose by increasing your muscle mass through exercise. Studies show that walking just 30 minutes per day has been shown to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes by as much as 50%.
  

• Reduce your stress by taking time daily to relax, breathe deeply and do things that bring you joy. You can eat very healthily but still have an increased risk of diabetes if you have high stress levels. 

I hope you feel inspired by the above straightforward tips. Making these kinds of daily changes will make a significant difference to your long-term health and help you avoid other diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer. If you want to learn more, you can download my full 10 diet and lifestyle tips to help prevent diabetes as well as a quiz. You can also follow me on Instagram for health tips and inspiration.

HOW TO HAVE A HEALTHY THYROID

It is estimated that 2% of the UK population has been diagnosed as having an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). According to the British Medical Bulletin, 8% of women (rising to 10% who are over 55) are suffering with underactive thyroid but have not been diagnosed.

Download my free guide with 10 diet and lifestyle tips on how to have a healthy thyroid.

An underactive thyroid is the result of the body not producing enough thyroid hormone for the body’s needs and can be a result of many things, for example, nutrient deficiencies, impact of medications, hormone imbalance, stress, toxicity etc. With an underactive thyroid, everything in the body slows down and symptoms can include constipation, weight gain, hair loss, thinning eyebrows, fatigue, dry skin and premenstrual syndrome.

Unfortunately, in the UK, typically only one thyroid hormone is tested which is called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and you will need to privately order a test called a full thyroid panel. This comprehensive test will also check levels of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). TSH is produced by the brain and instructs the thyroid gland to produce T4. Our cells need T3 and therefore a conversion from T4 to T3 is required which takes place in the liver and needs particular nutrients like selenium, zinc, vitamin A and iodine. One of my clients who has been suffering from significant weight gain and hair loss took this test. Her TSH was normal and within the range as well as her T4, however her available thyroid hormone (T3) was low indicating that her body was not converting T4 to T3 well. Poor conversion can be caused by nutrient insufficiencies, poor liver health, inflammation in the body and heavy metal toxicity. If you have low levels of T4, this can be caused by nutrient deficiencies like selenium, iodine or protein.

Here are my top tips for managing an underactive thyroid:

• Varied Diet - ensure you eat a range of foods high in protein and in particular high in selenium, zinc, vitamin A and iodine. Good sources include brazil nuts, eggs, liver and seaweed.

• Avoid Toxins - avoid chemicals like fluorine and chlorine which compete with iodine. Filter your water and use fluoride-free toothpaste.

• Look after your liver! - reduce the load on your liver by eating plenty of nourishing fruits and vegetables, avoiding processed foods, ensuring you sweat regularly and by drinking plenty of clean water.

I hope you feel inspired on what to do to look after your thyroid. For further information, you can download my free guide with a further 7 tips on how to have a healthy thyroid.