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Kachin Diabetes Solution
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Kachin Diabetes Solution
Copyright © Kachin Diabetes Solution
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means; electronic, photocopy, recording or by an
information storage and retrieval system.
Disclaimer
All material on in this book is provided for your information only and may not
be construed as medical advice or instruction.
No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this
information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals
on any matter relating to their health and well-being.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911
immediately.
The content of this book (text, graphics and images) is not intended to be a
substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with
any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of
something you have read in this book.
The information and opinions expressed here are believed to be accurate, based
on the best judgment available to the authors.
Readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk
of any injuries. Reliance on any information and content provided by this book
is solely at your own risk.
In addition, the information and opinions expressed here do not necessarily
reflect the views of every contributor of Kachin Diabetes Solution.
Kachin Diabetes Solution acknowledges occasional differences in opinion and
welcomes the exchange of different viewpoints.
The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: Introduction ................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2 Diabetes ............................................................................................. 14
What is Diabetes? ........................................................................................... 14
History of Diabetes ......................................................................................... 15
What Causes Diabetes? .................................................................................. 16
Why is Diabetes so Common? ........................................................................ 17
The Growth of Diabetes Cases ....................................................................... 18
Medical Costs of Diabetes .............................................................................. 18
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes ................................................................... 19
Screening for Diabetes ................................................................................... 20
Types of Diabetes ........................................................................................... 21
How Diabetes Affects the Organs .................................................................. 23
Chapter 3: Diabetes Drugs – An Overview ......................................................... 26
The Problem with Conventional Diabetes Drugs ........................................... 28
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes ................................................................... 29
Corruption in the Pharmaceutical Industry .................................................... 30
The Most Popular Diabetes Drugs .................................................................. 31
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Cost of Anti-Diabetic Medication ................................................................... 35
Chapter 4: Sugar and the Body .......................................................................... 36
How Does Sugar Affect the Body? ................................................................. 36
Artificial Sweeteners ...................................................................................... 38
Sugar or Artificial Sweeteners, Which One .................................................... 40
Sugar in Foods ................................................................................................ 40
Types of Sugars ............................................................................................... 41
The Hidden Truth About Sugars ..................................................................... 42
Good Sugars.................................................................................................... 43
Honey ............................................................................................................. 45
Chapter 5: Weight Loss ...................................................................................... 47
The Weight Loss Scenario............................................................................... 48
Weight Loss and Dieting ................................................................................. 48
The Low-Fat Myth .......................................................................................... 50
Why Eating Low Carb is Better ....................................................................... 51
Keto Diet ......................................................................................................... 52
Paleo Diet ....................................................................................................... 54
Exercise and Weight Loss ............................................................................... 55
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Sleep and Weight Loss .................................................................................... 56
Stress and Weight Loss ................................................................................... 57
Chapter 6: The Kachin People of Myanmar ....................................................... 59
The Seasons and Temperatures in the Kachin Geography Area .................... 60
The Food ......................................................................................................... 60
Kachin Diet...................................................................................................... 61
How the Kachin Diet and Lifestyle Can Influence Your Own?........................ 63
Their Physical Activities .................................................................................. 64
The Kachin Culture ......................................................................................... 64
The Kachin Marriage Culture .......................................................................... 66
Kachin Religion ............................................................................................... 67
The Kachin Lifestyle and Yours ....................................................................... 68
Chapter 7: Coconut and Coconut Oil .................................................................. 69
Health Benefits of Coconuts ........................................................................... 71
Coconut Oil ..................................................................................................... 71
Coconut Oil and Good Cholesterol ................................................................. 73
Coconut Water ............................................................................................... 74
Ginger and Diabetes ....................................................................................... 76
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Cinnamon and Diabetes ................................................................................. 79
Chapter 8: Vitamins and Minerals ...................................................................... 81
Supplements and Diabetes............................................................................. 81
Magnesium ..................................................................................................... 85
Vanadium ....................................................................................................... 89
Vitamin D ........................................................................................................ 91
Others ............................................................................................................. 92
Chapter 9: Lifestyle ............................................................................................. 94
Setting Goals ................................................................................................... 95
Switching up Your Exercise Routine ............................................................... 97
HIIT.................................................................................................................. 98
Importance of Drinking Water ..................................................................... 100
How to stay Motivated? ............................................................................... 102
Stop Smoking Now ....................................................................................... 103
Stress and Your Body .................................................................................... 105
Stop Drinking Alcohol ................................................................................... 106
When You Stop Drinking Alcohol, the Notable Benefits Are ....................... 106
Chapter 10: Detox ............................................................................................ 108
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Signs That You Need a Detox ....................................................................... 109
Benefits of Detox .......................................................................................... 109
Foods That Help with Detox ......................................................................... 111
Types of Detox .............................................................................................. 114
Natural Detox Methods ................................................................................ 116
Sleep ............................................................................................................. 118
Colon Cleanse ............................................................................................... 119
Chapter 11: How to do a 30-day Detox ............................................................ 120
The First 10 ................................................................................................... 121
Reconciliation Phase..................................................................................... 123
The 2nd Ten .................................................................................................. 125
The 3rd Ten................................................................................................... 126
Some Recipes to Try Out .............................................................................. 127
Snacks ........................................................................................................... 129
Social Media ..................................................................................................... 133
References ........................................................................................................ 134
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Chapter One: Introduction
How did you react when you first
found out you had diabetes? Where
you shocked? Did you talk to your
friends and family? Did you go
online and search for answers?
Without anyone providing you with any clear answers?
If you are like most people, you exhausted every resource. Spent some time on
google searching for a treatment, a cure or just trying to see how it would
change your life. You probably got bombarded with information. Probably so
much that you couldn't handle it. You can spend your whole life reading through
the endless pages of the internet, some of which are filled with misinformation,
contradictions and errors.
What you will soon discover is that your answers aren’t in technology or modern
medicine but in the wisdom of an ancient people - the Kachin people of
Myanmar.
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You might be asking yourself why do I have diabetes and why is it so common?
A lot of it has to do with the changes in the way we live. In the past our ancestors
burnt up the excess energy stored in their bodies through physical work, trying
to keep warm, doing chores and activities for daily survival. However, today with
technology and innovation, our lifestyles are automated and less active. We
have lost the balance in our lives. The consumption of food is now seen as a
gateway to ease the pressures, stresses and strains that are brought into our
mind and body. Due to this we now find it more difficult to come to peace with
what we eat, how we eat, and why we are eating it.
The information on healthy eating has not been passed on properly over time
and certain foods that should be healthy are affecting our body functions
negatively due to lack of knowledge. You are not alone, sugar related diseases
are not something to be shy about.
A healthy lifestyle is a balance between good food, good sleep and exercise.
These are the cornerstone to curbing obesity and diabetes. There are lots of diet
plans and programs that take us back to our roots just as our Kachin Diabetes
Solution program is based off of.
The Kachin tribe of Myanmar and the indigenous tribes that surround them
don’t suffer from sugar-related diseases due to their diet. Their lifestyle is like
our ancestors that lived thousands of years ago. They have learned to balance
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food, work, and getting the best from nature to live a healthy and disease-free
life.
This program was initially
developed from my own
personal long battle with
diabetes. Once I had woken
up from my diabetic coma at
the young age of 43, I had to
process the shock of it. Like most people, I searched for information everywhere
I could. Including places like Google. Little did I know a trip to a Burmese
restaurant in Chicago would open the doors to a secret that changed my life and
will change yours too! Learning about the Kachin people, their lifestyle, and
culture that enables them to have some of the lowest cases of diabetes in the
world. Then implementing it into my own life enabled me to lower my blood
sugar from potentially fatal 615mg/dL to a safe and stable 110mg/dL.
I was able to lower my blood pressure and lost 50 pounds at the same time
because of the wisdom of these amazing people. Now my family and I are
happier than ever.
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With the of research and people of the Kachin’s we now have a clinically proven
system for lowering blood sugar levels and reversing diabetes permanently, all
of which can be done in just 30 days. All you need to do is follow the recipes,
diet plans, exercises and lifestyle we are providing you with in this book.
My diabetes diagnosis not
only helped me research and
discover a 100% natural way
to lower blood sugar levels
and cure diabetes, but it
uncovered the corruption that big pharma uses when treating diabetes. I
discovered it is a big business system that is in place not to cure or get rid of
your diabetes, but to keep you dependent on meds and just healthy enough to
live with them but providing no solution to live without them.
Big pharma doesn’t want people to know how simple it is to reverse your
diabetes without all the harmful side effects that their medications cause. You
might ask yourself why? That is because diabetes medication equates to
hundreds of millions of dollars to pharmaceutical companies.
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This book will detail everything I learned that allowed me to achieve these
results. The Kachin diabetes solution is a powerful and effective diabetes-
reversing program that anyone who is suffering from diabetes needs to follow.
Inside this book, you will find all you need to know about the diet and lifestyle
of the Kachin people and how they are virtually diabetes free.
You will discover why today’s diabetes
medications aren’t designed to cure
your disease and can actually make
your symptom worse or even create
new issues.
In this book, you will find all the tools to help you lower your blood sugar levels,
lose weight and live a healthier life. Feel free to skip around and read the parts
of the book that are most important to you. We will start out going over diabetes
basics and then move into the diet and lifestyle tips. Keep reading and if at any
time you have any questions feel free to message the social media accounts
added at the bottom of the book.
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Chapter 2 Diabetes
To better understand how sugar
affects our bodies to cause
diabetes, we have to understand
what happens to food when it’s
ingested and digested in our
bodies. Most of the food we eat is chopped down into tiny bits and converted
to glucose a simple sugar that is used for energy.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic sugar disease that occurs when the body cannot produce
insulin or cannot make use of the insulin it produces in the body. Insulin helps
the cells to absorb the glucose broken down from the food we eat. The hormone
is made by the pancreas which allows the glucose to get into the bloodstream
to provide the needed energy for our daily use. The inability to produce insulin
by the pancreas causes the sugar level to rise and is known as hyperglycemia.
Over time, the sugar accumulated destroys the organs and tissues in the body.
Diabetes can affect anyone – kids, adults, middle age, pregnant women, etc. The
number of people getting diabetes has been on the rise in the past decade due
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to obesity and improper care of our health. The population living with diabetes
is over 450 million people. Diabetes is the leading cause of amputation, heart
failure, stroke, kidney failure, and blindness. The pain and emotional strain of
living with diabetes is hard for families whose loved ones suffering from the
disease.
History of Diabetes
The word diabetes is the shortened version for diabetes mellitus. Diabetes
mellitus comes from the combination of two words – a Greek words diabetes
meaning siphon and the Latin word mellitus meaning honeyed or sweet. So,
diabetes mellitus means to siphon sugar which indicates the excess sugar found
in the blood or urine. Diabetes mellitus was known as pissing evil in the 17th
century. Not a bad comparison considering the evil that sugar causes in the body.
The words diabetes mellitus was first mentioned by Apollonius of Memphis in
250 BC and was the first record in a medical text in English in 1425. The mellitus
was added in 1675 by Thomas Willis to form diabetes mellitus because of the
sweet taste of urine due to excessive sugar in the body. The presence of sugar
was noticed and registered in the ancient text of the Greek, Egyptian, Indians,
Chinese and Persians.
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The function of the pancreas as the organ was discovered by Joseph von Mering
and Oskar Minkowski in 1889 after dogs whose pancreas were removed
developed all the telltale signs and symptoms of diabetes and died afterward. It
was not until the early 20th century was it discovered that diabetes was caused
by lack of insulin by Sir Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer.
What Causes Diabetes?
The most obvious cause of
diabetes is sugar; since the
disease is as a result of the
improper functioning of the
pancreas. Over the years, foods
have become cheaper, sweeter
and more abundant. That with
technology that has made our
lives more inactive has led to a larger part of the population to become obese.
As we are eating more calories than we burn or use, we become overweight and
unhealthy.
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With more research into diabetes over the last century, it is now known that the
two main factors that cause diabetes are obesity and lack of exercise, both of
which have led to this epidemic in our modern world.
Why is Diabetes so Common?
Off the bat, access to sugar and sugary foods such as cakes, soda, candies, white
flour added with a sedentary lifestyle are the major causes for the prevalence of
diabetes.
Diabetes is an epidemic in the 21st century. In the Stone Age, humans never had
the supply of sugar and other diabetes causing foods that we have now. The
statistics for diabetes are very alarming. In 2015, 1.59 million deaths were
attributed to diabetes and now it is among the top ten killers of humanity in the
world. 18 million people die annually from heart-related diseases of which
diabetes and hypertension are the main cause of death.
Currently, there are almost 2 billion adults that are overweight, of which 312
million are obese. In addition to the statistics, over 160 million kids are either
overweight or obese. The International Diabetes Federation predicts the
population of diabetes population in the age group of 40-59 will increase to
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nearly 400 million by 2025 with the
most cases being in developing
countries. The countries most
affected by diabetes are India, China,
USA, Russia, Germany, Japan,
Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico, and Egypt in
that order.
The Growth of Diabetes Cases
The US center for disease control report states that 100 million people in the
USA have diabetes or pre-diabetes with 1.5 million new cases registered each
year. In 2015, diabetes was the leading cause of death and the underlying cause
of death in more adults than any other disease. Even with all the public
education, treatment and prevention mechanisms put in place; about 7 million
cases still go unreported.
Medical Costs of Diabetes
The total cost of diagnosed diabetes cases in the USA in 2017 was $327 billion
Dollars. $237 billion dollars allocated for direct medical cost and $90 billion
Dollars for reduced productivity.
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Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
The obvious and common signs of diabetes that are noticed for the onset of
diabetes or pre-diabetes are:
• Sugar present in the blood and urine
• Visiting the restroom frequently
• Excessive thirst
• Blurry vision
• Weight loss and emancipation
• Extreme tiredness and feeling of exhaustion
• Bruises and cuts that don’t heal on time
• Mood swings and nausea with vomiting sometimes
• Skin infections, dry and flaky skin
• Tingling, pain or numbness in the hands and feet
• Extreme hunger is a mild sign that is noticed but often times overlooked
by people.
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When diabetes is not diagnosed and treated to control the blood sugar, the long-
term consequences are damage to the body’s circulation, heart disease, high
blood pressure and even strokes. Over time problems of blindness, kidney
disease, liver dysfunction, nerve damage, amputation, dental infection and foot
problems all can take place.
Screening for Diabetes
There are many tests for diabetes.
You can do a test on your own if
you notice any of the symptoms
from the list above. Go to a drug
store and buy a glucose meter and
give yourself a diabetes test which
will not take too much of your time. If you don’t understand the results, please
book a doctor’s appointment. The other three tests are the fasting blood sugar
test, the oral glucose tolerance test and the glycated hemoglobin test.
The Fasting Plasma Blood Sugar test involves checking the level of glucose in
your blood while you are fasting or if you have not eaten. A blood sugar that is
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greater than 125mg/dl indicates the presence of sugar in your blood. However,
before you get worried, go for a retest or a confirmatory test.
The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) this test involves drinking a sugary
solution two hours before the blood sample is taken for the test. If the test
results are more or equal to 200mg/dl, you have diabetes. However, take
another test to confirm the initial results.
The other test for screening for diabetes is the glycated hemoglobin test. The
Glycated Hemoglobin does not require you to fast or take a sugar substance two
hours before the test. The result can measure the average blood sugar level
percentage for the past two or three months. The test is exclusive and also
measures the percentage of oxygen-carrying protein in the red blood cells. The
higher the sugar content in your blood the more hemoglobin will be attached to
a sugar molecule. The result of 5.7 is normal, 5.7 to 6.4 indicates the onset of
diabetes and a result higher than 6.4 means you have diabetes.
Types of Diabetes
There are three main types of diabetes; type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
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Type-1 Diabetes
People with this kind of diabetes occur when your body can’t make insulin. This
process causes the immune system to attack the pancreas. The type of diabetes
is also known as juvenile diabetes and common in children and young adults.
They are also common among all age groups and patients must take an insulin
injection daily to stay alive.
Type-2 Diabetes
Insulin is either not producing well or not producing at all. This can occur in any
age group but more in middle-aged and older people. This diabetes develops
after the age of 35 for people that are overweight and live a sedentary lifestyle.
A change in diet with exercise will regulate the weight and reduce the weight of
the patient. If you are on medication or insulin, please follow up your treatment
diligently.
Gestational Diabetes
This type of diabetes occurs in pregnant women. Most of the time this kind of
diabetes disappears after giving birth. Remember though that gestational
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diabetes can be the onset of type 2 diabetes. Other types of diabetes are
monogenic diabetes (an inherited form of diabetes) and cystic fibrosis-related
diabetes.
How Diabetes Affects the Organs
The Liver: is the regulator of sugar in our
bodies, when we are overweight and
diabetic; the liver finds it difficult to
function properly. Diabetes causes fat to
build upon the livers causing
inflammation or fatty liver disease.
The Kidney: diabetes of the kidney is also
called chronic kidney disease, CKD and is
the one organ that diabetes affects the most. The kidney is the waste remover
of the body. It collects urine out of the bloodstream and disposes of it. Diabetic
kidney occurs in 1 out of every four adults with diabetes. A diabetic kidney
cannot filter the blood causing waste to build up which damages your kidney
and your body system.
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The Pancreas: this little organ is located
behind the stomach produces the insulin
that regulates the sugar level in the body.
Chronic inflammation of the pancreas
damages the cells that produce insulin.
When the pancreas is hurt, the blood sugar
rises.
The high level of sugar in the body also affects the eyes, skin, brain and stomach.
Being diagnosed with diabetes changes everything about your life; from the way
you eat, exercise, relationships, diabetes changes everything. You constantly
have to monitor your sugar levels, blood pressure, heart, liver and all major
organs of the body. In addition to the demands that the disease puts you in, the
quality of your life diminishes. Diabetes can leave you stressed, depressed and
unhappy dealing with the complications that it brings. If you feel down and
confused, speak to your doctor or any diabetes group you belong to for help or
counseling to keep moving ahead.
After all is said and done, diabetes has become a way of life. Changes in our
lifestyle such as eating healthier, exercise or becoming more active are all ways
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we curb obesity and reduce blood sugar. Diabetes can be managed and by taking
control of your life, you can live a better and fulfilling life with diabetes.
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Chapter 3: Diabetes Drugs – An Overview
The cost of drugs to curtail
type-1 diabetes and type-2
diabetes is a load that most
diabetes patients can’t
manage. However, in cases
where proper diet and exercise
are strictly adhered to; patients are able to manage diabetes without
medications and live better lives. We will explain how this is done with our
system shortly.
The cost of diabetes drugs has been overlooked; chronic diseases such as liver
problems, hepatitis C, and HIV get dominance over diabetes. Most times,
government and pharmaceutical bodies forget that most people living with
other chronic diseases also need diabetes drugs as a large population suffers
from diabetes. The constant need for diabetes drugs makes many diabetes
patients struggle to purchase or pay for them especially with the cost of insulin
and other diabetes drugs skyrocketing over the past decade.
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A new study shows that from 2018 –
2025 the global anti-diabetes drug
market is valued at 49,600 million US
dollars and will increase to almost
100,000 million US dollars by 2025
growing at 10% CAGR during this
period.
Type-2 diabetes is a chronic disease caused by the deficiency of insulin or the
decrease in the cells that are sensitive to insulin or the inability of the body to
metabolize sugar properly. This incompetence causes the disease diabetes.
However, with proper and strict programs in place for the patient the disease
can be controlled and the blood sugar is truly put under wraps without anti-
diabetes drugs.
The drug market for anti-diabetes is on the rise because of the bad lifestyle
choices that stress our organs and land us in that diabetic landscape. Even with
the funding being pumped into the research of cost-effective drugs, the market
still suffers from the inabilities of the drug to reach those that really need it.
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Nonetheless, research for cheaper medications is ongoing and a huge forecast
about the market is just around the corner. The global anti-diabetes market is
categorized into 5 classes: the meglitinides, biguanides, alpha-glucosidase
inhibitors, sulfonylureas, and oral anti-diabetic drugs. Sulfonylureas and
biguanides based anti-diabetes drugs are the most common drugs in the
markets taking up about 37% of all anti-diabetes drugs. They are the favorite
drugs for most Types 2-diabetes for their ability to increase insulin from the beta
cells in the pancreas.
The Problem with Conventional Diabetes Drugs
The New England journal for medicine published an extraordinary study that
aimed to prove that controlling blood sugar with drugs does not work. In fact,
the study claimed that patients that had their blood sugar lowered are at higher
risk of dying than patients that just tried to live a healthier lifestyle to check their
diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease associated with too much sugar in the blood, not
too little and if sugar or insulin is the causative agent of diabetes, then why do
we need more sugar to control sugar? Instead, the study claims that since the
cause of diabetes is related to metabolism disorder, then controlling or
managing blood sugar does not curb or tackle the underlying effect that causes
diabetes. So, even though the study was shoved under the rug; the truth is
insulin or medications that are used to lower blood sugar can actually worsen
the diseases by increasing the body’s insulin level rather than reversing it.
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Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
Diabetes is not an illness with gray areas – it is
either you have it or not. However, if there are
factors that lead to diabetes, then we should
also have signs that should alert us when we
are falling off the healthy wagon. Some notable
clues associated with insulin resistance before
full-blown type 2 diabetes is diagnosed years
later are:
• Tiredness and weakness after eating
• Excess sugar craving
• Belly Fat
• Low good cholesterol
• High triglycerides
• High blood pressure
• Increased inflammation
• Problems with blood clotting
These are some signs that most diabetes patients suffer from long before they
are ever diagnosed with diabetes and can help you prevent full-blown diabetes.
The bottom line is there is a better approach to tackle and cure type 2 diabetes
through natural methods which we will give you later in the book. Although
most doctors will never want to acknowledge it, type 2 diabetes can be managed
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and reversed via a strict diet, complete lifestyle change and dietary supplements
designed for the patients.
Corruption in the Pharmaceutical Industry
The pharmaceutical industry is like a mafia cartel; they make money off people
buying the drugs. This underground mafia won’t make money if there is a cure
for diabetes. In the US alone, pharmaceutical companies kill more people than
narcotics does annually. Most Americans are on one prescription drug or
another without correct disclosure of the side effects of the drug. People will
keep dying and remain dependent on drugs for a long time. The truth is that
pharmaceutical companies are not interested in providing a cure for any kind of
disease, they are after money and are only interested in keeping you hooked on
their medications.
Corruption in the pharma
industry is a dangerous thing;
people die daily because of
fraudulent reports and results
that are published. These
reports hurt a lot of patients as
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doctors depend on them to prescribe the right drugs to a patient. One very
fraudulent drug that caused havoc was produced by pharmaceutical giant
GlaxoSmithKline for diabetes called Avandia, which caused more than 80,000
heart attacks and was withdrawn from the market 4 years later after endless
complaints from consumers. The company hid the truth for 10 years; they knew
that divulging the information to the public would hurt their sales in the market.
GSK was fined 3 billion dollars when the truth was discovered.
This has not stopped pharmaceutical giants from getting away with producing
substandard drugs that are exported to 3rd world nations or from hiding the
truth about these drugs from the public. One way of solving this issue is that the
government should allow the FDA to publicly publish the full analytical report of
a drug for general viewing irrespective of the pharma giant’s involvement to
prevent random deaths to the masses.
The Most Popular Diabetes Drugs
There are over 100 different
medications for the treatment of high
blood sugar in diabetes mellitus. Two
common ones are
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Metformin
This is the most common diabetes drug in the world and is the first medication
prescribed for type 2 diabetes even for patients that suffer from insulin
resistance. The drug belongs to the group called biguanides.
Brand Names for Metformin
Metformin is also known as Glucophage, Fortamet, Riomet, Glumetza, and
Glucophage XR. When it is combined with other drugs; metformin is known with
names like Metaglip, sitagliptin, rosiglitazone, Avandamet, Prandimet and
Glucovance.
Side Effects of Metformin
Metformin does not cause low blood sugar, but when combined with other
diabetes drugs or alcohol might cause a drop in your sugar level. Some common
side effects are stomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and a metallic taste
in your mouth. All these side effects are tolerable, but if your stomach upset
lingers too long, please consult your doctor as it may be signs of lactic acidosis.
If you have side effects or strange feelings when taking metformin, we advise to
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write down any feeling that you don’t understand and communicate with your
doctor.
Drug Interaction
It is advisable to talk with your doctor before changing or combining metformin
with other drugs.
Insulin
Discovered in 1921, insulin is usually prescribed for patients with type-1
diabetes. Unlike type-2 diabetes, people with type 1 diabetes can’t produce
their own insulin and hence the need for insulin.
Brand Names for insulin
Insulin is also referred to as Humulin R, Humulin N, Humulin 70/30, Novolin
70/30, Novolin N, Novolin R, and Humulin R U-500
The Side Effects of Insulin
Some immediate side effects are redness, swelling, and itching at the point
where the shot is taken. The patients also experience weight gain, skin
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thickening, depression and constipation. If you notice any of the following,
please contact your doctor. Other side effects are sweating, dizziness, blurred
vision, swelling of feet and hands, rapid heartbeat, weakness, shortness of
breath, rashes or full body itch, cramps and weight gain over a short period of
use.
Other Diabetes Drugs
Semaglutide is a once-weekly injection for patients with type 2 diabetes. Side
effects include constipation, vomiting, eructation, abdominal pain, flatulence,
blurred vision and diarrhea. Another brand name is Ozempic DPP-4 inhibitors
stimulate the secretion of insulin to prevent the release of sugar from the liver.
The side effects of the drugs include a sore throat, headache, pancreas
inflammation and upper respiratory tract infection. Other brand names for this
drug are Januvia and Onglyza.
Meglitinides are drugs used to enhance the secretion of insulin. The side effects
include severe low blood sugar levels, extreme weight gain, back pain, headache
and nausea. It is available as Prandin and nateglinide.
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Amylin Mimetic is used to stimulate the release of insulin and used with insulin
injection. The common side effects are vomiting, redness, and itching of the
injection site, and low blood sugar. The only available brand is Symlin.
Thiazolidinedione drug increases the body’s insulin sensitivity. However, the
side effects are severe like the increase of bad cholesterol, heart attack, and liver
failure. Another brand name for it is Actos or pioglitazone.
Cost of Anti-Diabetic Medication
• Patients without health insurance pay an average of 8 – 200 US dollars
monthly.
• Patients not covered by health insurance pay an average of 4-100 US
dollars monthly for metformin.
• Patients without health insurance and on more than one diabetic
medication pay an average of 200-500 US dollars.
• Patients covered by insurance with typical out-of-pocket cost copay an
average 10-50 US dollar depending on the kind of drug. However, if the
patient is on multiple drugs, copay can pay up to 200 dollars monthly.
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Chapter 4: Sugar and the Body
Sugar is all around us and with the
busy lifestyles we have adopted; we
can hardly do without having sugar
items in our mouth every day.
Sugary soda drinks, candy, baked
goods and sweeteners. The name of the product doesn't matter because sugar
is sugar and you can`t sugar coat that.
How Does Sugar Affect the Body?
Even when we don’t feel the immediate effects of sugar in our lives, the body
notices that it is in excess. However, with our kind of diet and lifestyle, we can’t
deny the fact that sugar is consumed more each day and destroys our body;
inside and out. The Kachin diet and lifestyle is one that consists only of natural
sugars and it is not a big part of their cuisine.
Our body transforms sugar into glycogen as fuel for the proper functioning in
our daily life, but when we have excess sugars and the fuel tank is full, what
happens to the converted sugars? The excess sugars are then converted to fat.
Yes, fats that get stored around our internal organs, the stomach, and
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everywhere, making us add weight that we don’t need. This added weight
makes our life tiring and causes our insulin level to rise and fall. Sugar affects the
performance of our brain with the release of too much dopamine that causes us
to crave more sugary foods instead of a piece of carrot or a celery stick.
Sugar damages our teeth as enamel-eating bacteria feasts on the sugar
remnants left in our teeth after eating a sugary snack such as candy or ice-cream.
It affects our moods, joints, internal organs –heart, livers, stomach linings,
pancreas, and kidney. The skin is not left out too, as too much sugar in our diet
causes the skin to age and wrinkle faster.
Little wonder why the Kachin tribes of Myanmar look healthier with their men
and women living well into their eighties without illnesses related to sugar.
Although rice is a staple to the Kachins, the combination of natural sweeteners
like bamboo shoots and honey has kept them fit and youthful. For the Kachins
and other indigenous people that live in Myanmar, their food systems are
complex and deliver all the necessary nutrients that are important for a healthy
body. These people live the length of time they do because their foods are not
processed or refined, but are natural food items cooked with natural flavorings
to bring out the nutrients to make the body function well.
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Sugar is an addiction and an insatiable craving
and until we understand it and treat it as a
drug or revert to our ancestral method of
eating and cooking, we might just be
eliminating our generation sweetly.
Artificial Sweeteners
What are Artificial Sweeteners?
These are zero calories chemically modified substance used to replace sugar.
They are created for people that have sugar problems, want to lose weight or
just want sugar out of their diet. However, since the introduction in 1950, the
news about the side effects of artificial sweeteners as the causative agents for a
number of illnesses like cancer, ulcers, headaches, and migraine have filled the
media and regardless of what people say, they are still the number one
preferred substitute to sugar, but how good are they?
Where can we find them?
Artificial sweeteners are found in just about everything that you can also use
sugar with. They are used in bakeries, manufacturing, foods, and drugs. They are
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found in ice-creams, yogurt, candies, chewable vitamins, salad dressing, sauces,
no-calorie or low-calorie drinks, alcoholic beverages, milkshakes and the list
goes on. The only difference is a little change to the taste.
What Makes Them More Potent Than Sugar?
Well, a chemical breakdown of the ingredients used in making artificial
sweeteners has never really been revealed, but all ingredients are FDA approved
and said to be suitable for human consumption. These sweeteners are 200 to
800 times sweeter than sugar and are used to replace sugar except in certain
areas. Some artificial sweeteners are not advised to be used in marinating
protein-based foods such as red meats, chicken, and their derivatives because
of their side effects which you need to look out for.
Types of Artificial Sweeteners in the Market
There are quite a number of sweeteners in the market; some very popular and
commonly used artificial sweeteners approved and used today are saccharin,
equal, Glucin, sorbitol, aspartame, neotame, Nutrasweet, phenylalanine, the
popular stevia, Splenda, xylitol among others. These are the commonly used
artificial sweeteners that are FDA approved for human consumption, so they
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should be safe for you to consume, but be wary some of these have been shown
to cause cancer in lab test animals.
Sugar or Artificial Sweeteners, Which One
The reputation of sugar has given
people the leverage to indulge in
artificial sweeteners without a care,
but the truth is artificial sweeteners
are not better than sugars, so you
need to be careful too. Most people
that indulge in artificial sweeteners end up suffering the same symptoms as
excess sugar intake. These sweeteners might replace sugars as they say but real
sugar is still better, and moderation is the key to success, along with a healthy
lifestyle. Artificial sweetener is a term that does not even exists with the Kachins.
The choice of a healthy life with or without sugar is yours to make, so make it
sooner rather than later.
Sugar in Foods
Sugar is a major ingredient in most food that we consume daily from rice to
bread to simple sauces likes a ketchup or salad dressing; sugars are everywhere.
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With that said, how much sugar should we allow in our foods? Most foods
manufacturing company add sugar to increase the shelf life of products such as
baked beans or to stop microbes from growing on them and prevent perishable
goods from getting spoiled.
Types of Sugars
Depending on the source of origin, sugars can be classified into 3 groups. Simple
sugars are known as monosaccharide and are made up of simple molecular
structures; examples are glucose, dextrose, fructose, and galactose. The
common granulated sugars used in millions of homes combines two
monosaccharide structures and examples include sucrose, lactose from milk,
and maltose from malt grains. With that said, different forms of sugar are found
in different kinds of foods. They are:
Brown sugar: they get their brown tint form molasses coating and are used in
cakes, sweets, and toffees.
White sugar: or granulated sugar; commonly found and used at home is used
for adding sweetness and texture to foods. It’s used to make sauces, baked
goods, as rubs etc.
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Inverted sugars: they are sugars made
to the manufacturers’ specifications
and are used to retain the moisture of
foods such as bread and cakes helping
to make them soft. These are most
commonly used by bakeries but also available in other forms for different use.
The Hidden Truth About Sugars
No matter how hard we try to avoid sugars, we still get roped in because of the
foods we eat. In some countries, manufacturers are bound by law not to reveal
how much artificial sugar is added in with natural sugars in the food. Foods with
a higher glycemic index have a higher level of sugar and they are foods that
increase our cravings for sugar and taste so good that we don’t want to stop
eating them. Foods like bread, rice, baked foods, and candies contain extra sugar
that makes them taste better and prolong their shelf life. Aside from that, when
fats and oils are extracted from foods, sugar is used to supplement the lack of
fat. This is why wholesome foods tend to have more sugars than we think
resulting in us eating more hidden sugar than needed.
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The dangers of eating high sugar content foods makes us gain weight and
increases our risk of sugar-related diseases such as obesity where excess fat is
stored in the body and under the skin. Other diseases are diabetes, heart-related
diseases like HBP, strokes, hypertension, liver diseases, mouth bacteria, tooth
decay, and joint pains.
The people of Kachin and the indigenous tribes that surround them on the
border of China enjoy natural sugar from sugar cane, bamboo shoots, fruits and
plant-based sugars for a healthy sugar-free lifestyle. We can also enjoy the
benefit of a natural low sugar diet by changing or improving the way we eat.
Good Sugars
We all hear of good fat and bad fat; good carbs and bad carbs, and now, we have
good sugars and bad sugars. Natural sugars are from nature and are simple
monosaccharide with a low glycemic index.
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Sugars Found in Fruits
Fruits are a good source of sugar
because they contain water, fiber, and
you have to chew them. When fruit
sugars get into our system, they are
gentle on the liver before and after
digestion unlike other products like soda and candies. Fruits also contain
vitamins, oxidants, and minerals that are good for the body.
The benefit of fruits and vegetables in our diets should not be forgotten. People
that have more plant-based foods in their diet are less prone to obesity, diabetes,
and heart-related diseases. People that eat more fruits tend to be healthy,
weight conscious, exercise often and have the ability to control sugar and
alcohol intake.
Eating more fruits and vegetables are good for a healthier life, but can eating
too much fruit be harmful to you? Although, fruits contain the simple sugar like
fructose; sugar is sugar and too much is bad. In other words, eating too much
fruit can be bad for you too. So, make sure like everything to eat them in
moderation.
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Honey
Honey has been around since before
the introduction of sugar to the world.
Most cultures around the world use
honey for a wide range of purposes.
The Kachin people of Myanmar use
honey in cooking sticky rice, which is a delicacy of the tribe. They also cook with
lots of vegetables and feast on animals from the forest around them. This low
sugar, low carb diet helps to keep them healthy and diabetes free.
For people with diabetes, using honey in very small amounts should not cause
blood glucose to spike dramatically. So, people with diabetes may consume
honey instead of sugar in moderation, as part of a healthful diet.
Other good sugars are stevia, cane sugar, and coconut sugar. They are easy on
the digestive system and are slowly absorbed by the body because of their high
glycemic sugar index.
Our lives could be much better without sugar or sugar derivatives. We all know
the effect of sugar on the body and the hidden sugars in our daily foods.
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However, to enjoy the life and stay healthy we can enjoy everything in
moderation including using sugars.
The amount of sugar-related diseases can be lowered in our society if we go
back to our ancestral way of eating, include more plants-based foods into our
diet and change our lifestyle. We should learn to build a better relationship with
food by eating less processed sugary foods and instead eat the way nature
intended us to.
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Chapter 5: Weight Loss
Haven’t we all heard it? How to
lose weight, be slim and remain
slim while still munching away on
our favorite foods and drinks; the
promises of new diets and
routines that assure us the best weight loss regimens are everywhere. If you are
like most people who have tried virtually everything under the sun to lose
weight or maintain lost weight, then you are not new to the low fat, high fat,
low carbs, high proteins, fruits, and all the liquid diets, just to mention a few.
The list is endless. How do we know which is right for us?
There are more people in the world today suffering from hypoglycemia or
diabetes than any other time in history. Most of which are weight related
problems resulting from the unhealthy food and lifestyle that we have adopted
in a bid to ease the stress by not cooking fresh foods. These two illnesses may
not disappear with losing weight, but you will enjoy a better and healthier life if
you do.
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The Weight Loss Scenario
Fad and real diets have promised us ways to end our yo-yo dieting lifestyle via
losing weight without counting calories, remaining active, agile, and healthier
with key food groups eliminated from our daily diets, lose the weight and keep
it off while looking good. In addition to weight loss, there is the even more
important aspect of understanding the nutritional implication on our body
system.
Weight Loss and Dieting
Obesity and diabetes are two main aspects of a single illness that involves the
inability of the body to control the sugar level. Over 80% of people living with
diabetes were obese, are obese or on the verge of being obese.
Diabetes is caused by a diet filled with too many carbohydrates combined with
a sedentary lifestyle. This looming crisis can only be changed by the kind of foods
we eat.
The Kachin people of Myanmar, although, not being affected by the
modernization of the western world still have a good diet system that they have
managed to keep throughout centuries. This has helped them maintain the
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healthy lifestyle that they are
known for. Their spices, herbs,
vegetable, and the use of less salt
has kept them alive with major
illnesses like obesity and diabetes,
not being an issue. Now let’s attempt to understand our dieting better.
Note: In addition to overeating and living a sedentary lifestyle, a major factor
that causes most people to remain obese is a phenomenon called metabolic
resistance to weight loss. So, what has metabolism got to do with losing weight?
Everything. The human body is a machine; calories in less than calories out and
you lose weight. However, what happens when you have an active lifestyle and
still can’t lose weight? This is where metabolism comes in. Metabolism is part
of the DNA on how our system works; some are slow, others medium, and some
are super fast. In fact, some people eat and lose weight without doing anything.
To lose weight, three factors are in play:
• What we eat
• How active we are
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• Our metabolic rate: this is the fat burning capability of your system. The
more active your metabolic rate, the faster you burn fat and lose weight
The efficiency of your metabolic rate can be damaged. How? Getting in and out
of diets can change the metabolic rate of the body. So, if you are on a diet that
is not yielding results don’t switch immediately; give your body some time to
rest and recovery from the old system before introducing a new diet. Some
common forms of metabolic resistance are fatigue, irregular periods, bloating,
reduced libido, and severe stomach upset with meals.
The Low-Fat Myth
We have heard it for years.
Don’t eat that, it full of trans-
fat, it clogs the arteries, it
causes cancer, and the list
goes on. For decades, we have
been told that fat makes us fat,
what a travesty that turned out to be! The reality is that fat does not make you
fat. Fat can actually help you shed a few pounds. Healthy fatty foods like
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avocados, salmon, nuts, and seeds are now included in healthy and successful
diets.
The craze of low fat, high carb diet has proven to be inefficient in losing weight.
People who indulge in high fat food, but reduce the white flour and high carb
foods from their diets have been shown to not only lose weight but were
healthier than people that did the exact opposite. This goes to prove that fat is
not the basis for weight gain rather refined carbohydrates and sugars are the
real culprit of weight gain.
The body needs adequate fat to function properly. Fat helps in blood clotting
and muscle movement. It is also required for building and repairing cell
membranes, and in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the foods we
eat into the bloodstream.
Why Eating Low Carb is Better
Low carb diet is all over the media and the reason is that it works for losing
weight, especially stubborn fats from the stomach, back, and arm areas. In
addition to that, low carb diet has a big and positive impact on our blood sugar
and insulin levels; by restricting carbohydrate from our diet, there is a reduction
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in the risk level of sugar-related
diseases such as diabetes,
cancer, heart-related diseases,
obesity, insomnia and dementia.
A low carb diet lowers blood
sugar and it is especially
beneficial for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes as insulin level is controlled
and minimized. This diet has proven to be the best, unlike high protein diets. A
good low carb diet with healthy fat and moderate protein is the best way to kick
your weight loss plan into action and achieve the maximum result needed to
lose weight and stay healthy.
Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet generally known as Keto is a high fat, low carb diet that drives
the body to go into ketosis to burn fat for energy which results in weight loss.
The diet aims to reduce the amount of glucose present in the body, thereby
forcing the body to burn fats for fuel. On a Keto diet, the percentage breakdown
for the food groups is 70-80% for fats, 20-25% for proteins, and 5-10% for carbs.
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The benefits of the Keto diets are very apparent, ranging from improved mental
health, immune system functions, weight loss, leans muscle mass, increase in
physical activity, agility, stamina and the regulation of insulin and blood sugar
levels. It has also been shown to help reduce the risk and symptoms of epilepsy,
cancer, depression, dementia, migraines, headache, acne, and diabetes.
Effects of Keto on Diabetes
The Keto diet has proven great for patients with diabetes by improving their
blood sugar levels. The diet has also shown to reduce the damaging effect of
sugar in the body by restoring insulin sensitivity and metabolic function in
patients with diabetes. A recent study in 2008 where a low-carb ketogenic diet
was tested against the low-glycemic index diet, the result confirmed that the
patients on the Keto diet had exceptional improvement in their weight loss,
cholesterol level, high-density lipoprotein and hemoglobin. The patient under
Keto diet lost an average of 25 pounds, had a reduction in their blood glucose
level, an increment in their good cholesterol and a decrease in the use of
diabetes medication because their insulin and low blood sugar levels dropped
by almost 96% compared to the low glycemic diet. With these results, it is
proven that Keto has positive effects on diabetes.
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Paleo Diet
The paleo diet is based on eating
healthy, fresh, natural,
unprocessed plants and animal-
based foods. This diet consists of
food like eggs, vegetables, grass-
fed beef, nuts and fish. The diet is void of milk, legumes, grains and most high
carb foods. The diet is similar to the Keto diet except that it includes fruits and
eliminates certain oils such as olive, coconut, avocado etc.
The Paleo diet reduces blood sugar and lowers the blood pressure and
cholesterol levels. Other benefits are better mental health, improved focus,
stronger muscles and relief from skin irritations such as acne. It also increases
the body’s immunity, absorption of vitamins and minerals, improves sleep
patterns, reduces stress levels and depression.
Another low carb and sugar-free diet is the Mediterranean style diet. This diet
is created for people with digestive problems and is packed with vitamins and
flavonoids, healthy fats, proteins, and high in vegetables. This diet is most
common in the Mediterranean region of the world and parts of the Middle East.
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The diet employs the use of a lot of fresh foods, herbs, and spices. The low-carb,
high-fat diets are to force the body to burn fat in the absence of glucose. They
each have their own side effects, but the benefits to the body primarily in
controlling and reducing blood sugar and insulin level are outstanding and worth
trying if you are diabetic or have a problem with your blood sugar.
Exercise and Weight Loss
While exercise is good for weight loss, exercise with a good diet/meal plan will
produce better results with long-term
effects. To lose weight you need a
calorie deficit. Without a calorie deficit,
you will not lose weight. Although
exercise makes us burn fat and glucose
and creates a deficit, if we eat more
than we burn, we will still do not lose
weight. Sounds confusing, but it is very simple. To lose weight through exercise,
your output must be more than the input.
The Kachin people have an interesting way of exercise that involves ox farming.
The tribes are farmers and spend most days making ridges, planting, weeding,
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harvesting, and arranging the living spaces. Their output is far greater than their
input and their diet consists of lots of vegetables, fats and proteins providing the
needed nourishment for the body without overwhelming it. You don’t have to
be a farmer to get the same results as the Kachins but doing things around the
house like gardening are great ways to help you burn calories.
Sleep and Weight Loss
Doctors recommend getting at
least 6 to 8 hours of sleep per
night. How much sleep do you
get? Improper sleep patterns
can result in weight gain as the
body is tired and not rested which disrupts the hormone balance and hinder the
proper functioning of the body system. Dieting and lack of sleep affect your
metabolism by slowing it down to compensate for the lack of rest. Researchers
found that dieters that don’t sleep well did not lose weight even with a low-
calorie diet or calorie deficit diet. Sleep deprivation causes weight gain while
proper sleep can help you lose weight and avoid excess weight gain. If you are
looking to lose weight, then adjust your sleeping routine and watch the
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difference as your body uses energy more when you are asleep. In fact, sleep is
work for the body.
Stress and Weight Loss
People react to stress
differently, some turn to
food, others get depressed
with worries. Two things can
happen; you can either lose
weight from excess stress
levels or gain more depending on how you handle it. Most times, the body
releases cortisol to control anxiety and worries, this hormone makes the body
hold on to fat cells making it harder to lose weight. Another reason is that stress
results in a lack of proper sleep, fatigue and tiredness which exhausts the body
resulting in weight gain rather than weight loss. Stress is also a factor that causes
obesity due to emotional eating.
Weight loss is the result of the effort to change the way the body functions;
through proper diet and exercise the body is able to lose weight and reduce the
risk of sugar-related diseases. However, there is an issue that affects this
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process; stress for instance. Not only does stress affect sleep patterns, it also
results in weight gain, anxiety, depression, increase food intake, abdominal
obesity and mental health disorder.
If you are feeling stressed there are many things you can do to help lower your
stress levels. Exercise is a great one, yoga and meditation are also popular ways
to lower stress levels. You can also talk to people about what is stressing you
out. Voicing what is stressing you is a great way to reduce stress and help you
find a resolution to the issue that is stressing you out.
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Chapter 6: The Kachin People of Myanmar
The Kachin are part of a nomadic
community in South East Asia.
Most of the Kachin own their own
land and after separating from
British rule, they became part of
the Myanmar Government. Their land borders with China to the east and India
to the west, Tibet to the north and Myanmar to the south. The Kachin lands are
a mountainous landscape that places them at a height of 5881 meters above sea
level. The lands are rich in natural resources, trees, and gold. The lands are also
fertile, and agriculture is the main source of living and lively hood for the Kachins.
The Kachin were previously under the Burmese government for 50 years, but
they are not Burmese. They have a similar culture, history, and language with
the Tibetans. Over the years, they have relegated to the plains, valleys, and
mountainous region of Myanmar. The Kachin tribe is made up of 7 language
groups each with their own culture and way of dressing, but they all share one
ethnicity due to their family names and dancing festivals. Their habitat
influences their culture, mentality, and diet.
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The Seasons and Temperatures in the Kachin Geography Area
The Kachin lands are undisturbed
filled with natural vegetation,
white pheasants, black orchids and
golden fishes from the Confluence
Rivers of Mali and Nmai. There are
three major seasons in the Kachin land – the Yinam ta (rainy season) starting
from the month of May to October; the N’lum ta (summer time) starting from
February to the beginning of the raining season in May, and the N’Shung ta
(winter season) which starts from the end of the raining season in October to
the beginning of summertime in February. The daily temperature ranges from
39 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit on high humidity days to 25 to 64 degrees
Fahrenheit on low humidity days. The topmost landscape of the Kachin land is a
temperate plateau with 80 to 200 inches of rainfall.
The Food
The Kachin’s and the regions that surround them have a broad and an assorted
collection of dishes that represent the history and culture of the people.
Although they make use of spices in cooking, their food is not spicy, and it is not
influenced by neighboring countries or states that border them. Meals are made
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with fresh ingredients, which include vegetables, fruits, fermented shoots, and
beans. Rice is a staple delicacy in the region and is accompanied with a variety
of meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, curries, and soups. They also enjoy vegetarian
food that is void of animal-based ingredients too.
Although tea is planted by the Kachin tribe, they are not really tea drinkers but
chew on the pickled tea leaves.
Wet rice is grown on terraces while dry rice is planted in fields that have been
slashed and burned. Water buffalos are used for terrace farming while the
traditional hoe is used for dry farming for breaking the soil, planting, making
ridges and planting holes. Knives and sickles are used in harvesting.
Kachin Diet
Their diet consists of vegetables, cooked or steamed, roots such as ginger and
turmeric, fresh fruits, fish, and fresh meat. Their diet also consists of cinnamon,
coconuts, soups, curries, various other seafood and eggs. In addition to these
foods, spices are used to add flavor and taste to the food. Spices used by the
Kachin people are turmeric, peppers, garlic, ginger, basil, shrimp paste and
fermented fish paste. The vegetables eaten are cultivated in their backyards or
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in farmlands. Other food includes pickled
vegetables as well as bamboo shoot. A typical meal
in with the Kachin’s ends with fresh fruits.
The Kachin tribe eat two meals in a day – breakfast
and dinner. Dinner is eaten before dark. Food is not
eaten in the night and water is taken after meals.
They don’t eat during the day but chew on betel. Betel is a mild peppery
stimulant to keep the metabolism going and active for the day’s work.
Some of their foods are:
Kachin pounded beef salad with spices. This very popular dish is made with
ground beef and spices with lime. The dish can be eaten with rice or alone. The
spices used are garlic, ginger, chilies and basil.
The Kachin style curry sauce is another staple delicacy of the tribe and consists
of chicken, pickled bamboo shoots, basil, phat phel leaf and spicy sour flavors
boiled together to make a tasty curry sauce.
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The examples above show that the Kachin tribe and the indigenous people that
settle in the region have a healthy diet and lifestyle that is reflected in their way
of living. The diet of the Kachin is clean, but their way of living also affects their
well-being. The Kachin are mainly farmers; both the men and women plant rice,
sugar cane, millet and other crops either for export or feeding themselves. Their
diet is likened to the caveman diet or Paleo diet.
How the Kachin Diet and Lifestyle Can Influence Your Own?
The Kachin are active people that feed on fresh foods. Sugar and artificial
sweeteners are really not part of their diet. Of course, they are human and will
have certain ailments too. However, a diet similar to the Kachin diet when fully
implemented will reduce the risk of sugar-related ailment that are being
suffered in the western or most developed cities of the world. Implementing
their diet-style will mean eating more vegetables, less sugar, more fresh foods,
plant-based proteins, local game or grass-fed meats, fermented foods, less
processed foods, and exercise to burn fat and remain healthy.
With the prevalence of diabetes, which is a result of unhealthy eating, the Kachin
diet will help you stop the overeating of junk foods and carbohydrates that cause
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obesity. When obesity is combated, the individual will enjoy a healthy life
without diabetes or any related ailments.
Their Physical Activities
The Kachins do not really have
any physical activity outside
their normal daily lives.
Several groups and fitness
organizations gather people
and have exercises twice or
three times a week. The Kachin practices division of labor for the smooth
running of their community. The men clear and burn the farmland, go hunting,
partaking in political and religious leadership roles. The women are responsible
for weeding the farmland, harvesting, transporting the crop, fetching water,
firewood and turning cotton into yarn for the making of clothes. The men and
women both share the responsibility of cooking the meals.
The Kachin Culture
The Kachin are also known as the Singhpo are a fascinating tribe in South East
Asia. The native Singhpo is a variation Jinghpo. They are the largest ethnic group
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living in Myanmar. They are predominately a Christian majority and a Buddhist
minority. The Kachin dwell in the plains of the Tengapani and Nao-Dihing rivers;
surrounded by dense forest, and are mainly land cultivators, planting most of
the foods they eat and exports on the land.
The Kachin are known as disciplined fighting and survival skills experts, a
complex inter-clan relationship, craftsmanship and herbal healing. Although
they are bordered by China and India, they have been able to hold their own
culture and traditions. They have maintained their culture, food, clothing,
lifestyle etc.
The Kachin people don’t cook their foods with oil as most of their meals are
boiled or steamed with lots of vegetables. All the vegetables used for cooking
are cultivated themselves. Their game meat includes snake, deer and seafood.
Some aspects of Kachin culture are:
• They please the gods by pouring a bit of wine or alcohol on the ground
before drinking it.
• Children are not allowed to eat eggs as they believe it affects their legs
and growth.
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• Meals are served on a platter and eaten with the fingers.
• They do not drink tea made with dried leaves only fresh leaves.
• Water is drunk before and after eating and not during a meal.
The Kachin Marriage Culture
The Kachin have a rather interesting marriage rite the groom’s family pays a
price for the girl they seek to marry. The bride price is based on a number of
factors including affluence. The bride price can be a cow, horse, buffalo, gongs,
a silk or nylon scarf. The quantity of the bride price depends on the number of
relatives the bride has. The bride’s family also gives a gift to the groom which is
equivalent to have the amount of the bride price. Sometimes the bride price is
exorbitant that the groom spends several years working for the bride until the
bride price is paid in full.
Although the marriage culture sounds taboo, the Kachin have lived like this for
centuries and it is a normal and integral aspect of their culture. Most married
couples live with the groom’s family; however, it is not uncommon to see
couples living with the bride’s family. The youngest son gets married and lives
with the parents and takes care of them in their old age.
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Kachin Religion
The Kachin although predominately Christian still perform traditional rituals and
believe in spirits called Nats. The Nats are believed by the Kachin to be once
humans but are now superior human beings that watch over them and can bless
or curse a clan, village or individual. The Nats gods need to be appeased
constantly. The Nat is also believed to cause illness by biting the individual.
Medical reports and study have shown that regular exercises reduce the risk of
chronic illness such as diabetes, asthma, heart-related issues and even some
cancers. Even though the Kachin of Myanmar do not go to the gym or go running
daily they have an active lifestyle that keeps them moving daily. So, let’s practice
living a healthy lifestyle by staying away from activities that overwhelm our
bodies or harm our systems. A little change in our diet and exercise routine can
be the change we need to live healthier and longer fulfilling life. Some healthy
habits to imbibe from the Kachin are avoiding unhealthy foods, drinking water
after a meal, eat more fruits and vegetables, sleeping more and stop worrying
and be happy.
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The Kachin Lifestyle and Yours
The Kachin people are mostly farmers practicing shift cultivation and terrace
agriculture. They eat healthy and stay active. The best way to enjoy a healthy
life is to incorporate a similar lifestyle into your lifestyle by participating in basic
house chores and activities daily. Activities like gardening, cleaning and visiting
the neighbor are just a few ways of changing our mentality. Although a lot of
people who live in big cities think they don’t have time, they should create time
and include exercise and a healthy diet always.
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Chapter 7: Coconut and Coconut Oil
The coconut has steadily
warmed itself into our heart as
the most versatile food on the
planet. The coconut can be
used in cooking or even as part
of your beauty regimen. Up
until recently the coconut had a
reputation for containing fats that clogged the arteries and high cholesterol that
was bad for our heart. Today, however, the coconut has made a huge comeback
as the new superfood that is highly nutritious, rich in fiber, essential vitamins,
minerals and good fats. Coconut can be made into milk, flour, oil, dried meat,
water, and butter.
Coconuts are eaten fresh or dry. The young coconuts have a green shell or white
husk. Most of the coconuts consumed are from Asia. The matured coconuts
have brown thick bark, more meat and less water than the young coconut that
have more water and soft meat.
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The young green bark coconuts are
considered healthier than the
matured coconut due to the high
electrolytes in the water. These
electrolytes keep the body
hydrated, supplying the muscles with the necessary nutrients to function well.
This fact is why coconut water is especially good as a post workout drink for
muscle recovery. Coconut water is low in calories, sugars, carbohydrates, and
free of fats. In addition to all these wonderful nutritional facts, it is high in
vitamin C, B-complex and proteins.
The meat or coconut flesh also assists in treating oxidative tissue damage and is
a healthy source of fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. Coconut flour is a dried
and ground version of the coconut flesh.
Coconuts are a big part of the Kachin diet. This amazing fruit is used in many of
their staple dishes and also used in religious ceremonies.
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Health Benefits of Coconuts
• Helps in maintaining the body's insulin secretion, thereby preventing
diseases like cancer, premature aging and accumulation of free radicals.
• Improve the body’s good cholesterols and heart health.
• Improves insulin secretion and help curbs symptoms related to diabetes.
• Improves our digestion and helps the body to absorb the needed
nutrients.
• Its s good source of energy, especially for athletes.
• It is antiviral, anti-fungal, anti-parasite and antibacterial.
• Supports the functioning of the thyroid glands.
• Promotes weight loss by increasing the body’s metabolic rate.
• Prevents kidney and bladder infections.
• Makes skin shiny, wrinkle-free and youthful looking; when used as hair
food the hair is strong, does not break and increases in length.
Coconut Oil
Despite the health benefits of coconuts, people are still skeptical as to whether
or not coconut oil is good for human consumption due to its high percentage of
saturated fats. One should, however, not confuse the hydrogenated version
with cold press extra virgin coconut oil.
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Coconut oil is derived from matured
coconut that the flesh has been crushed
and the oil extracted from it without
heating and it is safe for human
consumption.
Although the oil is a high calorie and saturated fat, the presence of medium-
chain fatty acid help boost the body’s metabolism and help in weight loss. The
oil is metabolized by the body and not stored by the body. Coconut oil can be
used in cooking, baking, dressing, butter, and spreads.
Health Benefits of Coconut oil
The fats boost the body’s energy system by increasing the metabolism, burning
more fats and raising HDL cholesterol reducing the risk of heart-related diseases.
Due to its medium-chain fatty acid, it goes straight to the liver and processed to
energy or converted to ketones. The ketones are especially good at preventing
brain degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
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Prevents Obesity
People that consume coconut oil or cook with it are rarely obese and overweight
people that incorporate coconut oil in their diet lose weight and become
healthier. Obesity and related diseases are the biggest problems the world is
suffering from and coconut oil is able to curb the diseases. Studies show that
people who consumed coconut oil lose as much as 5% calories burned in their
bodies.
Prevent Hunger and Reduces Cravings
These attributes might be related to the conversion of the fats into ketones by
the body as ketones are known to affect our appetites. Another study shows
that people that added coconut oil to their meal for breakfast ate fewer calories
at lunch. In fact, the studies added that men who used coconut oil in their diet
ate 256 fewer calories throughout the day and were full of energy. This shows
that over a long period of time, coconut oil will cause drastic weight changes
and positive improvements to our eating habits.
Coconut Oil and Good Cholesterol
The presence of coconut oil in your diet can change your bad cholesterol into
good cholesterol because of the natural fats it contains. A study carried out in
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40 women showed a reduction in LDL to HDL in women that consumed coconut
oil compared to women that ate soy oil.
There are many more positive
uses of coconuts and how it
affects the human body, aside
from the reasons listed above,
coconut and all its by-products
are good for the body. It is also excellent for skin, hair, teeth, it helps patients
suffering from degenerative brain diseases, improves the immune system and
controls insulin secretion curbing cravings and reducing appetite leading to
weight loss. Coconuts are the best food for people suffering from diabetes due
to its high fat and low carb contents.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is good for diabetic patients in more ways than one. The
electrolytes contained in coconut water maintain and restore the body defense
mechanism helping to maintain blood sugar and preventing heart disorders. The
water also helps the liver to function well by acting as a detox liquid which helps
to normalize blood sugar.
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Benefits of Coconut Water
• It helps to balance the body’s electrolytes: diabetics are prone to
overhydration or dehydration due to electrolytic disorder. Coconut
water balances and maintains the electrolytes in the body to prevent
kidney problems.
• Its hypoglycemic property helps to maintain blood sugar and improve
insulin secretion.
• It prevents cardiovascular health issues caused by diabetes. Diabetic
patients run the risk of developing a heart attack or suffer a stroke due
to the high blood glucose in their body. Coconut water consumption
increases the body’s L-arginine level in the blood plasma which increases
the formation of nitric oxide that helps relax the blood vessels and
improve circulation preventing heart-related problems.
• It prevents obesity or weight gain. The body burns lipids faster and more
efficiently when coconut water is consumed. This reduces the work the
liver does, and more bile is produced which in turn helps with
maintaining blood sugar.
There are not specified dosages on how coconut water should be consumed but
consuming too much might cause kidney problems. Coconut and all its derivates
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are known for maintaining blood glucose which is good for diabetic patients.
However, if you shouldn’t consume certain vitamins and minerals present in
coconuts, ask your medical practitioner before indulging in any coconut-based
products. You should also avoid certain store-bought coconut water as they
contain sweeteners and sugars that will increase your blood sugar level. Another
factor to consider is coconut helps increase your metabolism and burn fat, but
too much might have a negative impact on your weight. However, the benefits
of coconut cannot be overlooked in patients with diabetes and should be
handled in moderation.
Ginger and Diabetes
Ginger is that root spice that puts some kick
into your food, but it also has been the go-
to spice in treating ailments like a cough,
catarrh, arthritis, stomach upset, and is
even known to curb excess vomiting. The
all-around spice is gaining new recognition
for lowering blood sugar levels in patients with type-2 diabetes according to a
research carried out; ginger may have strong anti-diabetic effects with a positive
impact on diabetes and in treating complication relating to diabetes.
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Ginger grows wild in the area that the Kachin people live, and they eat it
regularly. They use it in their salads, curries and meat dishes. Having ginger in
their diet plays a big role in their low diabetes levels.
Effects of Ginger on Diabetes and Blood Sugar Levels
A study carried out on 41 people with type 2 diabetes who consumed 2 grams
of ginger powder every day for 12 weeks showed impressive results. It showed
a 12% lower blood sugar compared to those that did not consume it. In addition,
the patients who took ginger powder also had a 10% reduction in their glycated
hemoglobin rate too.
How Ginger Works for Diabetes
Ginger has been shown to have effects on type-1 and type-2 diabetes, but
exactly how it lowers blood sugar is not known. Research shows that it might
inhibit hepatic phosphorylase. This is the enzyme that breaks down glycogen
into glucose thereby lowering blood sugar levels in patients with type-2 diabetes.
Trying out ginger to normalize your blood sugar is worth the risk; however,
ginger does increase the effect of blood thinners or other blood pressure
medication. So, if you are taking any of these medications, speak to your doctor
before adding ginger to your diet.
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Aside from reducing blood sugar and regulating insulin in patients with diabetes,
ginger, when combined with cinnamon, has the following benefits.
• It helps reduce body weight.
• It reduces body fats by increasing metabolism.
• It decreases blood sugar and improves fasting blood sugars
• It maintains insulin levels.
• Ginger acts as an anti-inflammatory drug and also good in curing
bronchitis, upset stomach, menstrual pain, heartburn, diarrhea and
bronchitis.
How to Add Ginger to Your Diet
Choose organic roots rather than
processed ginger. Ginger can be
added to salad dressing, drinks,
teas, and as a seasoning for proteins
like meats. Get into the habit of
having a jug of iced ginger tea with a touch of cinnamon as a refreshing drink
any time. Make sure to avoid over-consumption as too much ginger can cause
heartburn or stomach upset. Avoid short-term treatments too.
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Cinnamon and Diabetes
Cinnamon is a rich, strong-flavored spice
that is found in Asia, India, South America
and the Caribbean. The use of cinnamon
dates back to the beginning of time and is
still being used today in cooking. However,
whether cinnamon has any effect in
curing diabetes has not been thoroughly
researched yet. Though studies do show
that, people that added cinnamon to their
diet showed great improvement in their fasting blood sugar and blood sugar
levels.
Regarding the effect of cinnamon and diabetes, there isn’t a well-defined study
of analysis that claims in its entirety that cinnamon cures diabetes or prevents
symptoms related to diabetes. One thing is certain though, cinnamon helps the
body to reduce fat absorption. This means that adding cinnamon to your diet
will help you burn fat, lose weight, and cut back on cravings for sugary foods.
There has been no negative report on how cinnamon reacts in the body, so it is
safe to say that humans can consume it.
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So, cinnamon has no known direct link or impact on blood sugar or cholesterol
but has a significant impact on your blood fat.
Other spices and herbs that are known to regulate insulin levels and reduce
blood sugar in type-2 diabetes are curcumin from turmeric, ginseng, psyllium,
aloe vera, bitter melon, milk thistle, and fenugreek most of which are present in
the Kachin’s diet.
To win the fight against diabetes is to change your perspective and lifestyle
toward food. Obesity which is one of the triggers of diabetes that can be
controlled, and if you are what you eat; a change of diet and the addition of
exercise should have you living life to the fullest with or without diabetes. The
herbs and spices listed in this passage will not only make your food healthier and
tastier but will also increase your metabolism and make you lose weight to
attain a healthier you.
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Chapter 8: Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are growing
increasingly popular these days as they
can provide you with the required
substances to help manage disease,
outside of the recommend prescription
drugs big pharma has been pushing on patients for decades now. Diabetes has
not been left outside the scope of using vitamins and minerals to help manage
the disease while still pursuing healthier innovations to make diabetics live a
healthy life. Currently, various supplements are under research in various labs
around the globe as a means of regulating blood sugar levels through vitamins
and minerals.
Supplements and Diabetes
The two most researched supplements extensively investigated are chromium
and magnesium.
Chromium
Chromium as an effective supplement for diabetes is being researched as a
supplement that will not only counteract the symptoms of diabetes but serves
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as an alternative to the expensive diabetes drugs in the market. Chromium is a
crucial compound for the regulation of blood sugar and investigation suggest
that increasing the intake of chromium in patients with type-2 diabetes will
reduce the blood glucose level and help in managing diabetes. Doctors and
conservative medicine agree on the use of chromium to manage the long-term
stress associated with diabetes.
Chromium has gained a lot of recognition because of its properties. Chromium
picolinate is linked with regulating blood sugar level in the body. It is a known
fact that chromium depends on insulin to properly function in the body making
it the most likely mineral supplements to help diabetic patients.
Chromium and Diabetes
The effect of chromium in treating
diabetes and reducing blood sugar
was tested out in the 1970s, where
patients that ingested chromium
showed significant improvement
within two weeks, with clear signs in the reduction of their blood sugar and
improvement in their insulin levels. Since then, many other studies and research
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have been carried out to ascertain the effect of chromium on type-2 diabetes.
Several studies carried out with patients suffering from type-2 diabetes showed
that not only was the blood sugar level decreased, glucose and lipid metabolism
improved even in patients without type 2 diabetes. Chromium is able to perform
this feat by structurally changing the insulin receptors preventing it from
efficiently binding to sugar molecules in the body.
Chinese patients suffering from type-1 diabetes and type-2 diabetes that
received chromium experienced notable improvement not only in their blood
sugar levels, but saw improvement in their fasting plasma glucose, glucose levels,
and showed reduce dependency on diabetes medications.
Natural Sources of Chromium
Well, before you start running to the nearest pharmacy to buy a pack of
chromium supplements; natural sources of chromium are around us to enhance
the level in the body to control diabetes. Food rich in chromium are:
• Brown rice
• Seafood – mussels, crawfish, shellfish, and oysters
• Meats, beef, chicken breast and thighs
• Eggs, dairy products, cheese, and green beans
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• Broccoli, mushroom, and fresh vegetables
Herbs rich in chromium are wild yam, catnip, licorice, horsetail, yarrow, nettle,
red clover, and sarsaparilla.
Daily Recommended Dose
The RDA for chromium is between 50 - 200 micrograms for a normal adult male
and female. Although a 200 microgram per day is a good starting dose.
Commercial Names for Chromium are:
Chromium picolinate, chromium histidinate, chromium chloride, chromium-
enriched yeast, glucose tolerance factors are common names of chromium in
the market. It is also found in multivitamins tablets and capsule forms.
Things to know about Chromium
• Chromium should not be ingested plain but with food to avoid liver,
kidney, and lung problems.
• Antacids containing calcium carbonate hinder the body’s absorption of
chromium.
• Painkillers increase the level of chromium in the body.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs cause drop in chromium levels.
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• People with kidney problems should stay away from chromium or any of
its derivatives.
• Chromium reduces blood sugar levels, so if you are on any diabetes
drug, seek a doctor’s advice before ingesting chromium.
Chromium is vital in the body sugar absorption and has shown positive results
in patients that have diabetes. Chromium supplements can help you manage
diabetes or sugar-related diseases. However, speak to your doctor first.
Magnesium
Magnesium is the driver of over three hundred
various biochemical reactions in the body. Some uses
of magnesium are regulating blood pressure, strong
bones and keeping the heart strong among other
things. Magnesium deficit has also been linked with
insulin and type-2 diabetes.
Signs of Magnesium Deficit in the Body
One of the earliest signs of magnesium deficit includes nausea, loss of appetite,
and general body weakness; when the level of magnesium drops too low;
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victims experience muscle spasm, cramps, rapid heart rhythms, cognitive
problems and poor memory.
Magnesium and Diabetes
The relationship between magnesium and type-2 diabetes are
• Magnesium helps the muscles to relax and the cells to be able to absorb
more sugar. When the cells absorb more sugar, it causes the lower the
blood sugar level.
• Diabetic patients are known to have quickened heartbeat which can
result in cardiac arrest or stroke. Magnesium relaxes the heart regulating
the heart to beat more calmly in a diabetic.
• Magnesium helps in the production of energy which helps the diabetic
from tiring easily.
• Magnesium helps to convert excess glucose to glycogen which is stored
in the liver. The magnesium also helps remove excess sugar from the
blood.
• Magnesium prevents the deposit of calcium in the inner wall of the
blood vessels to stop the unhindered flow of blood and circulation.
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Magnesium and Diabetes Prevention
Studies show that low levels of magnesium and type-2 diabetes are intertwined.
People who have more magnesium in their diet have a lower risk of diabetes
mellitus. In 2003, the Harvard Department of Nutrition carried out a study that
spanned over 18 years concerning 128,000 individuals. The study was to show
that magnesium and diabetes are connected. After the research, it was
discovered that that inadequate magnesium intake is one of the major causes
of diabetes while those that ingested adequate or high intake of magnesium
showed a reduction in the blood sugar and metabolic problems by over 70%.
The study also found out that patients that ingested magnesium slowed pre-
diabetes from becoming full-blown diabetes. The CDC also estimated that
people that added magnesium in their diets have their blood sugar level intact.
Food Rich in Magnesium
Magnesium can be gotten from both plants and animals or foods that are rich in
fiber like the Kachin diet consists of
• Dark leafy greens such as spinach, collard green, and kale.
• In nuts and seeds like sesame seeds, almonds, cashew nuts, Brazil nut,
and pine nuts.
• Fish like mackerel.
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• Whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa.
• Legumes and fresh fruits like beans, avocados, bananas, beets etc.
• Dairy, cheese, and yogurt.
• Dry fruits etc.
However, if you cannot access the above for reasons, then magnesium
supplements are available at the pharmacy.
Recommended Doses for Magnesium
The FDA does not regulate the consumption of magnesium as a supplement.
Before you start on any magnesium dosage, discuss with your healthcare
professional or doctor. With that said, remember that magnesium supplements
have different absorption rate. The best suggestions are aspartame, lactate,
citrate etc which are more absorbable than sulfate and oxide-based magnesium.
Side Effects of Magnesium
When taken in the right dose, you should not have any issues, however, when
abused patients suffer from:
• Diarrhea
• Gastric issues and stomach cramps
• Lightheadedness and vomiting
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• Imbalance of electrolyte in the bloodstream
You can see without a doubt that low levels of magnesium can affect and cause
the onset of type 1 and 2 diabetes. Even though magnesium deficit can be
addressed with supplements, please see a doctor to recommend the one
suitable for your system to avoid any harm.
Vanadium
Vanadium and its relatives are
compounds being tested to change
the way we deal with diabetes in
the future. A journal published by
the American Association of
Advancement of science concerning the effect of Vanadate in diabetic rats
showed that although vanadium has no defined biological function, in its
oxidized form which is Vanadate it appears to behave like insulin. The effect of
Vanadate on the blood sugar and cardiac performance accessed after 6 weeks
showed that rats that were treated with Vanadate had significant improvements
in their blood glucose levels and their cardiac performance too. Rats that were
not treated with Vanadate had their sugar level increases three times more.
Thus, conclusively, vanadium or its oxide form, Vanadate has a positive effect in
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regulating blood sugar and reduces the risk of cardiac performance due to
diabetes.
Vanadium and Diabetes
The effects of vanadium on blood sugar seem promising as the compound is
sensitive to insulin in type-1 and type-2 diabetes. It has also shown to lower
blood pressure and cholesterol levels too. Although the compound has a lot of
positives, the side effects of vanadium in treating diabetes can’t be overlooked.
Currently, the compound is still being studied, but scientists are hopeful due to
its similarity with insulin. There is hope that someday vanadium or one of its
derivatives will be tested on humans suffering from diabetes with better results
and fewer side effects; but for now, the doubts surrounding the compound
makes it an unsuitable therapy of diabetes mellitus.
Vanadium Dose
The body produces its own vanadium and the average diet consists of about 2
mg of vanadium per day.
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Foods Rich in Vanadium
Food sources rich in vanadium are dill, radishes, eggs, buckwheat, oats, pepper,
vegetable oils. This natural source of vanadium is much safer than any oral
medication. Oral administering of vanadium should be avoided at all cost
because of the risks and dangers surrounding the compound.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble
vitamin that is produced by the
body in the presence of sunlight.
Researchers are starting to look
into vitamin D to help treat or
manage diabetes efficiently.
Doctors noticed that people with more vitamin D in their system as youths have
a lower risk of developing diabetes later on in life. Scientists and doctors believe
that Vitamin D plays a role in regulating sugar levels because the pancreatic beta
cells function better when the body has the adequate Vitamin D levels.
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Vitamin D and Diabetes
After several studies, Vitamin D was proven to improve the body’s insulin
sensitivity, help regulate blood glucose levels and prevent type-2 diabetes by
reducing the risk of insulin resistance.
Vitamin D Doses
The level of Vitamin D in the body should not fall below 20ng/ml as this will be
a deficiency. The level is between 20-56ng/ml. However, for diabetics, the level
of Vitamin D in the body should be between 60-80 ng/ml to keep blood sugar
levels in check. The daily Vitamin D dose is 400 IU.
Others
Some good suggestions on supplements that help regulate blood sugar and
insulin sensitivity are:
• Alpha-Lipoic acid is known to decrease insulin resistance, lowers fasting
plasma blood sugar and reduce oxidative stress.
• Bitter melon is used in Asia, South America, and others.
• Green tea: epigallocatechin gallate is the main ingredients in green tea
and has health benefits such as prevention of T2D, improve glucose
levels, lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and insulin activity.
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• Resveratrol is a chemical found in grapes and wines and helps with
oxidative stress and prevents high blood sugar in animal tests. However,
no report has yet been noted on how it can help with diabetes.
The following supplements have not been extensively studied and a doctor’s
recommendation is needed before ingesting any of them.
Supplements and vitamins investigations are ongoing to known how best it can
help with diabetes. We cannot stop enforcing a healthy lifestyle, change in diet,
and exercise as the best methods to kick diabetes out of your life.
.
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Chapter 9: Lifestyle
The Kachin of Myanmar are an
exceptional group of people
that have imbibed natural
behaviors to survive in the
mountainous regions of
Myanmar. Their diet and
lifestyle is similar to cave dwellers, feeding on natural foods and surviving with
the things that are found in their immediate natural environment. The Kachin
tribe is a quiet and very traditional group of people whose lives are void of the
many dangers of the outside world.
The Kachin are not known to smoke or indulge in heavy drinking. They do,
however, chew on plants that act as a stimulant and wine made from rice which
is a staple food for them. They also use herbs as medicines. Their close-knit
society engages in storytelling, singing, dancing, and playing with kids in the clan.
These are ways that the Kachin relax to ease the daily stress of farming and
pulling the buffalo throughout the day. Although the Kachin, are currently
participating in modern forms of exercises, where a small gathering of people
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come together to perform simple aerobic exercises like walking or stretching.
Their lifestyle is a depiction of their peace and belief in God.
Setting Goals
Top business people, achievers,
and athletes, and successful
individuals when asked how they
became so successful in life or at
what they do; one reply is setting
goals. This allows you to acquire the necessary knowledge needed to pursue the
right paths to take you to your goals.
What are the Benefits of Setting Goals?
When you are trying to change your lifestyle due to obesity or diabetes, you
have to set goals to ensure that you stay on track and get to the finish line.
Setting goals allow you to:
• Stay focused: how many times have you set a goal that never sees the
light of day? Sometimes the best way to stay focus on a mission is to set
realistic goals. These are goals that allow you to keep your eyes on the
prize. Focus is the key to succeeding in life.
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• Helps you overcome procrastination: goal setting helps your overcome
procrastinations which is one of our biggest weakness. Procrastination
can paralyze your goals and cripple the success that you aim to achieve.
When goals are set, you keep the time and remove unproductive
reasons that might limit you.
• Track your progress: if you really want to succeed in anything you do,
you have to track down how far you have gone and know how far you
have to go. This gives you a detailed timeline to know what needs to be
changed or taken off.
• Sets barriers - barriers allows you to give yourself a limit to achieve the
desired goal that you have set by eliminating any distractions to get the
goal done.
• Manages your time: by setting goals you are able to properly manage
your time to get the maximum results. For example, if you have 6 weeks
to lose 20 pounds, which means you need to lose at least 3 pounds each
week to achieve this goal.
Others benefits of setting goals are motivation and stress-free.
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Switching up Your Exercise Routine
The decision to switch up your
exercise routine depends on you.
However, studies show that sticking
to one exercise will not get you the
required results. It doesn’t have to
be a drastic change either, small changes to your routine will trick your body into
working harder and get you better results. Remember that challenging your
body allows you to get the best results and help you break an equally difficult to
reach plateau.
Benefits of Switching Up
Variety is the spice of life and switching up routine yields better and faster
results. Even though it is easier to stick to one routine, you have to realize that
the human body adapts to the same routine daily. When you start an exercise
routine, you will shed off fat in the first few weeks. However, after some time,
you are stuck and experience no fat burn. This is when you need to switch up
your routine. A change in your work out challenges your body and allows you to
burn more calories resulting in better results and increment in energy levels.
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Another reason to switch up is to add spice and eliminate boredom. Most people
quit exercising because the workout routine is monotonous. Switching up allows
you to intensify your workout. Also it allows you to introduce new routines and
break more barriers with ease.
How Often Should You Switch the Routine?
When you are bored, you are not motivated to want to work out. So, if you are
on low intensity aerobic, add weights, or jumps to jazz it up. Small changes can
add some excitement to your workout and help you burn more calories.
HIIT
HIIT or high-intensity interval training is alternating between high and low-
intensity exercise with short rest periods. HIIT works out the entire body of the
athletes and allows you to burn more calories in a short time frame. HIIT is a
very effective training routine because it leaves the body craving for oxygen
during the recovery. This oxygen craving makes your body burn more fats even
48 hours after the training.
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Benefit of HIIT
The fastest way to increase your metabolism: the after burn of a good HIIT is 48
hours after the workout.
• It is quick and convenient: the workout routine last 20 to 30 minutes
maximum that you can fit into any busy schedule. What is even better is
that you don’t need an elaborate workout routine or a specific place to
do it. Do it in your hotel room, the park, or a local track field in the
shortest time possible.
• HIIT workout does not require any equipment but your body weight. The
main aim for any HIIT workout is to get your heart rate up in the short
time.
A good HIIT routine to get you started is
• 50 sit-ups work the abs by strengthening the core muscles and back.
• 40 jump squats work the thighs and butt muscles.
• 30 push up works the shoulders, chest, upper back, and arms.
• 20 split jumps work the inner thigh and overall body.
• 10 triceps dip works the upper arms, shoulder, and shoulder blades.
• 30 seconds burpees work the entire body and keep the heart rate up.
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Importance of Drinking Water
The body loses water through
breathing, sweating, perspiration,
and more during exercising. Water
is the bodies transportation
medium that the human body
needs to survive. The human body is 60% water and the cells, organs, and tissue
use water to regulate and stabilize the body’s functions. Water also helps in
weight loss and even prevents or limits the intensity of certain illness like
headaches and migraine.
Benefits of Drinking Water
It balances and maintains body functions such as blood circulations, digestion
and body temperature and in the transportation of nutrients. A glass of water is
better than sugary fizzy drinks or alcohol because water hydrates, but other
drinks don’t.
• Water helps you lose weight. Even though, it does not contain any
special element that makes you lose weight, substituting unhealthy
drinks for water will have a positive effect on the body.
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• Water energizes the muscles to prevent them from fatigue. Water
should be the first liquid you take to balance out the electrolytes to
boost the muscle performance during a workout.
• Water cleanses the kidneys and prevents kidney stone. The water allows
the kidney to remove toxin and rid the body of harmful waste.
• Water keeps your skin fresh and supple.
Tips to help you drink water
• Always have a glass or bottle of water with your meal or snack.
• Drink more of your favorite healthy beverages to allow you to take in
more water.
• Eat more fruits and vegetable instead of indulging in sugary snacks.
• Always carry a bottle of water to enable you to meet your water goal.
Did you know?
• Drinking two liters of water can make you burn 96 calories daily.
• Drinking water 30 minutes before your meal limits your calorie intake.
• Water eases your bowels.
• Water is the best detox drink.
Note: Cold water burns more calories than room temperature water.
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How to stay Motivated?
There is always that one day that everything seems dull and cold. However, if
you have a goal set, getting the motivation needed will help you achieve the aim
and get the results faster and sooner.
There are various ways to get or stay motivated – from yoga, to keeping an
exercise and food journal or trying a new diet; being motivated is a hard thing
to do, but you can do it with the right plan and support.
Some ways to stay motivated are
• Remember why you started the program.
• Have an exercise buddy that keeps you motivated and centered on the
goal.
• Reward yourself when you do well and keep a record of your mistakes to
avoid making them again.
• Join a motivation group that will remind you to do your routine without
fail.
• Be accountable and responsible for your actions.
• Don’t allow your failures to set you back but let them be a pedestal for
leaping to the next level.
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• Follow your goals with failure, accept the results are not been attained.
Stop Smoking Now
How many cigarettes are okay?
Contrary to common belief that
one is okay; no, just one cigarette
is not okay. There is no safe level
of smoking, smoking is smoking. It
really doesn’t matter what brand you are smoking. They all have the same
negative effect on our body. Of the 7000 ingredients contained in one cigarette,
250 cause cancer. Remember, people that smoke will die of smoke-related
diseases such as lung cancer. In fact, recent studies showed that smoke-related
illness varies in men and women. Men and women react differently to smoking;
they suffer from prostate and cervical cancers respectively.
Does Quitting Smoking Reduce the Risk of Getting or Dying from Cancer?
Well, what do you think? The answer is YES. Quitting smoking will reduce your
chance of getting or dying with cancer. Regardless of how long you have been
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smoking, quitting has a lot of
benefits. The risk of premature
death is definitely one. Death
by smoking depends on how
long you have been smoking,
how many cigarettes you
smoke per day, and how old you were when you started smoking.
The immediate benefits of stopping smoking are the heart rate and blood
pressure will return to normal, the level of carbon monoxide in the bloodstream
drops immediately within hours. The oxygen level in the blood also goes up with
cells getting the required oxygen needed. Within few weeks, the smoker
produces less phlegm and stops coughing or wheezing with significant
improvement with their breathing and lung functions. Finally, when you quit
smoking, the risk of lung cancer, heart diseases and other chronic diseases
related to smoking are lowered.
Reasons to Stop Smoking Today
Smoking causes all major cancers or it’s a trigger to major cancers and causes a
barrage of illnesses in the human body. Smoking causes premature death. It
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causes stroke, acute myeloid leukemia, bronchitis, diabetes, arthritis, difficulty
getting pregnant in ladies or pregnant moms have kids with cleft lips and high-
risk pregnancies.
With that said, you can see for yourself smoking is bad and damages every organ
in the body and quitting is the only change that is the solution to many problems
associated with smoking.
Stress and Your Body
Stress affects your thoughts, feelings and your behavior. Being able to detect
stress allows you to manage it properly. Stress is associated with high blood
pressure, heart-related diseases, obesity and diabetes.
Stress Lowering Tips
• Practice meditation like yoga. This will help you ease tensions and
anxiety.
• Breathe deeply, leave the vicinity that aggravates the situation and keep
breathing until you feel calm.
• Slow down and allow your heart rate to slow down too.
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• Reach out to somebody if you experience repeated bouts of anxiety. The
following tips should get you started on your stress relieving journey and
calm you every time.
Stop Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol addiction and dependency is very hard to stop with alcohol being
present in almost every occasion that we attend. However, as tasty as alcohol is
the negative impact on our body cannot be overlooked.
Benefits of Stopping Alcohol
When alcohol becomes your go-to drink for every situation, then you need help.
Even though you can stop alcohol on your own, it is advisable to check into an
alcohol rehab center or join a group that will be a source of motivation to help
you stop your dependency of alcohol.
When You Stop Drinking Alcohol, the Notable Benefits Are
• Better sleep and relaxation of the whole body.
• Lower blood pressure and weight loss.
• Happiness and energy to get around.
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• The liver functions better when the fat surrounding gradually melts
away.
• You become healthier and fitter.
• Your skin feels and looks better.
• When you stop drinking alcohol, the risk of liver cirrhosis, stroke, mouth
cancer, breast cancer and sexual dysfunction are reduced and restored
back to normal.
A healthy lifestyle includes changing your diet, but it also involves much more.
A complete turnaround from your former ways should involve exercises, quit
smoking, stop drinking alcohol, lowering your stress level and most importantly
set realistic goals that you can achieve.
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Chapter 10: Detox
Detoxification has never been as
important and necessary than in
our modern lives where everything
seems to be polluted and
interfering with our health and
lifestyle. You might not believe it, but we are exposed to harmful chemicals
every day from the food we eat, the air we breathe and even our social lives.
The fact is our liver has to be constantly on guard to rid our system of these
toxins that creep into our lives. However, the liver can only do so much. The
major detox organs in the body are the liver, kidney, lymphatic system, lungs,
skin and spleen to mention a few. These organs work 24 hours non-stop to
ensure a clean system.
With that said, our diet, stress and bad habits such as smoking, drugs and alcohol
add to the toxic load on our bodies. This lifestyle over time limits our body’s
abilities to remove toxins from the body causing toxins to accumulate in our
bodies tissue. To assist our bodies to be properly detoxified our day to day
activities and diet are called to question. Detox helps the body become healthier,
more active, full of life and energy.
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Signs That You Need a Detox
When you start to experience the
problems listed below, then you
need to think of a detox to reset your
system. They are mood swings, low
energy, bloating, gas, constipation,
weakness, headaches, body pain, belly fat (even in a healthy lifestyle) nausea,
cravings, lack of sleep, bad breath and dull skin.
Benefits of Detox
The pollutants from our environments and improper handling of food cause
certain chemicals to enter our system. These toxins affect every part of our
physical and emotional self. In addition, the toxins slow the metabolic rate and
affect our immune system. A study published in the Alternative therapies in
health and medicine in a 2000 case study for 7-day detox from heavy metals
showed that detoxification lessens the workload on the liver, enhances the
performance and keeps the system clean and clear.
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Aids Weight Loss
Detoxification boosts your metabolism and ups your energy level. This lightens
your body and mood. Diet detox include eating more fruits like watermelon,
cucumber, berries and reducing sugary drink like soda and alcohol. A study
carried out in 2013, showed that after 21 days detox program, 7 participants
that consumed more fruits and drank more water lost an average of about 18
pounds and noticed major improvements with their lipid profiles, cholesterol
levels and felt happier too.
Reduces Inflammation
When you undergo a detox, so many good things happen to you – your liver is
relieved, your digestive system gets a chance to relax and the toxins in the body
are removed. The detox reduces inflammation and swelling within the body.
Fruits like red grapes and ginger are good detox foods.
Promote Healthy, Shiny Skin
When toxins are eliminated from the body and inflammation reduced, the skin
is the biggest benefit aside from the liver. Detox not only promotes healthy skin,
it also reduces wrinkles and fine lines that invite aging, opens up the pores for a
breath of fresh air and lightens you up. In addition, the skin feels more elastic
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and supple. Foods that are good for the skin are foods rich in vitamin D, which
slows aging; heals wounds and scar tissues.
Increases Energy and Mental Clarity
We all know that toxins weigh you
down and affect your brains ability
to think and get through day to day
activities. With a detox, you feel
refreshed and light, the brain
receives more oxygenated blood.
Foods that help with brain alertness
are lemons and mint. Studies show
that these two foods help boost mental awareness and restore hydration,
especially on hot and busy days.
Foods That Help with Detox
Watermelon: is a low calorie fruit that keeps you hydrated, fights inflammation
and free radical damage in the body. Watermelon contains vitamin A, B, and
helps with skin aging. Watermelon also contains lycopene which is known to
play a role in preventing osteoporosis and hypertension. Other healthy
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compounds that are found in watermelon are potassium and magnesium which
are good for circulation and hydration.
Lemon – lemon is the most popular detox fruit that is being used. It contains
ascorbic acid that helps with digestion, stimulates white blood cell production,
boosts the immune system, and makes skin glow. The benefits of lemon water
include clean skin, energy boost, weight loss and reduced cravings.
Cucumber: it has the same property as watermelon and even better. Cucumber
is a diuretic and contains a powerful anti-aging compound called polyphenol.
The diuretic helps the liver and kidney clean out toxins from the body to prevent
water retention.
Lime: just like lemon, it provides vitamin C and antioxidants to improve physical
performance and boost the immune system. They also contain flavonoids that
stimulate the digestive system and increase bile secretion.
Grapefruit: the enzyme found in grapefruits helps the body to utilize sugar,
boost metabolism and aids in weight loss. Recent research carried out at the
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Karolinska Institute has shown that this super fruit aids weight loss, reduces
cellulite, fights cancer, reduces the risk of stroke and improves the skin elasticity.
Berries: this includes blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. These berries
are the best anti-inflammatory foods on the market. They help with weight loss,
reverse the signs of aging and are high in vitamin A and C. They are also filled
with antioxidants and help to regulate the body’s pH balance.
Mint: mint is a plant with the highest amounts of antioxidants. It’s also the
perfect finish to drinks, is a great food to stimulate your senses and rejuvenate
you. Mint is also known to improve the flow of bile which speeds up the digestive
process. This, in turn, helps to lose weight and be healthy.
Ginger: this has been the most used spice for medicine since the beginning of
time. The compound gingerols is an oily resin that is a highly powerful anti-
inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Ginger helps with bloating, indigestion,
constipation and breaks down the accumulation of toxins in the body.
Other detox foods are herbs like rosemary, aloe vera, dandelion and apple cider
vinegar.
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Types of Detox
When you decide to detox, you
must be aware that starving your
body is not part of the process. A
good detox should get you
feeling better than you started
and not worse, even more, a
good detox should only last the weekend or three-days.
The master detox: consist of lemon, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. It is a
very powerful detox as the pepper can irritate your system. The master detox
cleanses out your bowels and makes you feel light and energetic. We don’t
recommend this diet because of the high sugar content in the maple syrup and
the detox mixture does not provide any nutritional benefits for the body.
The Water Detox
This is also very common but not advisable. It will be effective if you add more
water to your diet and eat healthier. This detox cleanses the body of any toxins
and should be done for a short period only.
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Tea Detox
Teas have been used for ages to cleanse the system. Green tea or ginger based
tea act as antioxidants and losing the toxins so that they can be removed from
the body easily. The tea detox is very effective and allows the liver to filter out
the toxins with ease.
The Juice Detox
This detox is very popular and involves taking a lot of fruits-based juices or
vegetable juice over a stipulated period. The juice diet helps with digestion and
bowel movements. Although it is effective in achieving what it set out to do, the
high sugar content and low fiber make it rather unsuitable. The juice detox will
be very efficient if the fruits and vegetables are blended and not strained.
There are other detox methods on the market, whether they work or not
depends on you. However, some people don’t agree that detoxes work and that
the liver is very capable of detoxifying the body system without help. Some think
that a detox is good as it helps the body to reset and function well when toxins
are removed.
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Natural Detox Methods
Over time, the effect of over-
pollution and bad eating habits
takes its toll on our bodies.
However, there are natural
methods of detoxification that
resets the body back to normal. To get the full benefit of a detox plan, you have
to eliminate all sugars, sugary drinks, alcohols, white flour and stimulants.
The Greener, the Better
Bok Choy, alfalfa, cabbage, and kale are good vegetables to add to your diet to
start a good and effective detox plan. The darker vegetables help to cleanse and
purify the blood and liver by eliminating toxins from the body. The above
vegetables are great for smoothies, juices, salads and added to balance out your
meal.
Spice Up Your Water
Adding lemon to water is an old age tradition that has helped millions control
their weight issue. Today there are more radical approaches that involve adding
cayenne and maple syrup to your water. Celebrity like Beyonce swear by this
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method after she lost lots of weight for her role in the movie Dreamgirls. The
mixture is to be drunk 3 to 4 times a day over a 7-day period. You can even
eliminate the maple syrup because of the sugar content. It will be less effective
as a detox but still help.
Juice Fast
This detox method was made popular after Joe Cross; a filmmaker documented
his weight loss journey and lost 67 pounds on an all juice diet. The juice fast is
not for the faint-hearted. It consists of drinking different blended juice over a
long period for weight loss or over a 3 to 14-day period for a quick detox.
Vegetables and fruits included on this program are kale, beets, carrot, lettuce,
ginger, lemon which neutralizes our body and flushes out unwanted materials.
Get Fruit Up
Fruits are healthy if done right. They contain the right water content, sugars, and
fibers to keep you healthy. On a detox plan, eat fruits and succulent veggies for
lunch or as a light dinner before going to bed.
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Get Revved-Up
Food and exercise give us the
body we desire. When we
exercise, we sweat. Sweating
is a method of detoxing the
body. The body removes
waste via our sweat through the pores. An effective exercise routine should be
nothing less than 10 minutes to get the heart pumped, more air into the lungs,
and more blood flowing around the body. Sweating also gives you clean and
beautiful skin after the pores are opened.
Sleep
Sleep is the best way for your body to cleanse and rebuild itself. Stress and poor
mental focus can be caused by improper sleep. Doctors recommend 8 hours of
sleep per night for the body to recharge and function well. In addition to the
above methods, sleep will enhance the detox process and help you lose weight,
be less stressed and increase mental clarity.
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Colon Cleanse
A colon cleanse is necessary for a full detox plan, but
please don’t use laxatives as a colon cleanser. They only
relax your colon and do nothing. Colon cleanse is not for
everyone but lots of vegetables and water are your best
start for a colon cleanse.
Unless you are practicing a full diet change, a detox will only work for a short
time. The ability of the body to detox properly depends on the wellness of the
digestive system. When the digestive system is clean, the whole body
experiences a jolt of energy and lightness. However, if the digestive system is
not in good condition, the entire body suffers and so does our health.
Detoxifying should start with the digestive organs for long-term effect. We are
what we eat, the healthier our foods, the better our system functions and the
less detox you will need. If you are planning to detox, choose a plan that will not
starve you or make you feel drained. Also, speak to your doctor to make sure
the detox is safe for you.
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Chapter 11: How to do a 30-day Detox
A number of health issues have been
attributed to the nature of modern
diets. What do you do when the food
that was supposed to add vitality and
improve your health become the
cause of death. Most modern foods have been shown by medical experts as the
cause of diabetes.
Diabetes is a sugar-based disease caused by poor eating habits that involve
indulging in foods that have high sugar content. Trying to cut back on a high
sugar diet can be confusing and truly a difficult thing to do. You know, having to
keep tabs on the quantity of sugar intake and making sure to keep it controlled
at a certain level. Now, that’s a big deal, but it is attainable. If you are a diabetic,
a 30-day detox plan will not only reset your system but will make you feel better
after the entire journey. It will be hard at first, but with determination; you will
succeed and live a better and healthier life.
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So, what does a 30-day detox plan for a diabetic comprise of? We are going to
break the 30 into 3 parts; this will allow us to tackle the purpose of each section
with ease. Let’s do it.
The First 10
Like the first ten days of learning to work on
a complex machine or the first ten days of
trying to adapt to a new neighborhood, the
first ten days of trying out the 30 days is the
hardest of all, this will set the bar for how
successful and how bad you really want to
change your lifestyle. This time frame involves going through our pantry and
removing all foods that cause or trigger your excessive indulgence on sugar. So,
we are removing all soda, sugary beverages, packed and processed fruit juices,
candy bars, energy drinks, energy bars with high sugar or sugar derivatives,
refined foods and canned foods. We are also cutting back on simple carbs; which
means all rice, whole grains, potatoes, cereals, cookies, beer, wine and ice cream.
No pizza, empanadas, and fruits. Yes, fruits are healthy, but in this case, we are
removing all sugar based foods and fruits are one of them. No sugar, sweeteners,
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agave or any of such. We are cleaning out the pantry, cupboards, kitchen
counters and restarting our life with a clean slate.
So, what will we be eating, the house is empty? – You will enjoy three healthy
meals and snack times on this very strict, but efficient diabetic 30-day detox plan.
Our foods will consist of more meats, fish, dairy, eggs and veggies. This first 10
is to help you understand how to make the right choices, how to buy well and
eat better, how to cook and how our idea of food can be the trigger button of
how we perceive diabetes. This process will also have you looking slim, fit and
youthful again. You know what they say; “no pain, no gain.”
This approach might look rigid and unattainable, but when followed very strictly,
I can guarantee that you will benefit more than you anticipated.
Why can’t I just gradually get off these foods rather than cutting them off
completely? If you have tried any detox program; you will notice that withdrawal
does not work. It never did, the body is a well put together machine, it knows
when things are going wrong, and it also learns to establish a habit with
consistency. Let say you eat a large, cream-filled donut and a glass of apple juice
every morning as a norm, when you try to reduce it by say, a smaller donut and
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a glass of water; the brain takes it as
the beginning of a meal and triggers
your sugar craving hormone to go
into frenzy leaving you craving for
more. And I bet you that no matter
how hard you try to fight it, chances are you will eat a large donut for lunch.
Hmmm, now you have eaten more than you would normally eat. However, by
cutting away and restructuring your meals, instead of this large donut; you eat
a healthy homemade quiche with a carrot and spinach smoothie for breakfast.
Now, because this diet is new to the body, your body takes out time to explore
the food as it enters which keeps you full for long and sends a memo to the body
that change is occurring for it to reset its system. Sound funny, but your body
will basically follow and build upon a habit that you develop. So, this very simple
example is why we are cleaning out our kitchen and doing what is right.
Reconciliation Phase
Funny way to name anything related to a diet plan, right? Well, it is so named
because your body will have to go through the rigorous process of learning to
reconcile with the new approach and develop a better and more efficient
mechanism for success based on your determination.
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This is a very difficult thing for the body: having to unlearn all it has been used
to, probably since birth and coming to terms with an entirely new style, all within
10 days. You can be assured that this stage will test every ounce of you. Your
smell sense will increase so much that you can smell marinara sauce from a mile
away, but we are not yielding, and we are pushing through to success. These ten
days will break every resolve you had and if you follow strictly, you will not only
be healthy but will have more control over what you eat instead of your body
being in control.
Benefits of this Stage
• You will break the dependency on carbohydrates. The more you eat carbs,
the more you want to eat more. Simple carbs are easy to break down by
the body, circulate in the bloodstream, and then you crave more. This
cycle will be easy to break down when your diet is cleaner and greener.
• You will lose weight without even trying: as the body understands that
carbs are not part of your diet, the body begins to use stored fat from your
arms, back, stomach, butt, hips, and thighs to supply the needed energy.
This will have you losing weight without any exercise. Now that’s some
real good news, is it not? Finally, there is a solution to shedding all the
excess fat you probably have been struggling with.
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• Your blood sugar will normalize. This is a good thing, isn’t it? No carbs will
allow the beta cells to take a vacation from being overworked due to your
bad diet. Cutting carbs will also re-sensitize the cells to lower their
dependency on insulin. This process can reverse your diabetes to normal
and lower the use of diabetes medication.
You can now see how important the first ten is to the whole process. It is not
only the stage where your body gets used to the new diet plan when properly
done, it also sets the tone for healthy living. Now let’s talk about the second ten.
The 2nd Ten
This stage is as important as
the first, maybe more. This is
where you will introduce
some food you love like rice,
potatoes, whole grains,
fruits and oils with plenty of
veggies. This stage also allows the intake of vitamins and supplements to help
cover for the lack during the first ten days. In this stage, people lose 10 to 15
pounds of their body weight on average. This weight loss gives you the power
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to control stress, sleep well and a better understanding of the impact of food on
your body and your disease.
By now, your body has gotten used to the new lifestyle. The working process of
your system begins to normalize. Although you still lose Weight, it is now more
gradual and consistent.
The 3rd Ten
At this stage, you have full control over your body and the food you eat. You are
able to make the right choices and hold your resolve on foods that hurt you. It
is the stage where you begin to reap more physical benefits of the 30 days detox.
Your body systems fully normalize and will surprise even you with the way it
functions.
Here are some of the benefits:
• At this stage, your blood sugar levels are minimal to normal.
• You have lost weight without any hype workout plan.
• Your pancreas is working better now.
• Internal inflammation has reduced because of less sugary foods in the
body.
• Since your body uses fat as energy, your fat storage is down a significant
percentage.
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• You feel energetic and full of life.
• Your mental articulation is increased as more nutrient and freshly
oxygenated blood gets to your brain.
• Your vision, movement, liver, kidney and heart are healthier and stronger.
The 30-day detox for a diabetic can be implemented for anybody that wants to
lose weight or change their lifestyle. It is difficult, and slip-ups are bound to
happen. We advise having your doctor or dietician involved during this program
in case of any complications.
Some Recipes to Try Out
Breakfast
• Quinoa topped with berries of your choice (blueberries tastes better and
is full of Vitamin C), almond milk (unsweetened Greek yogurt), and
almonds or walnuts.
• Poached eggs, avocados slices, and a slice of toasted whole grain bread
• Boiled eggs with a mix fruit smoothie of apple, avocado, coconut milk,
banana and ground flax seed.
Lunch
• Broiled chicken breast with garlic pesto on a bed of spinach and kale.
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• Chinese five spice chicken with shredded carrots, radishes, nuts, and a
drizzle of olive oil.
• Poached cod fillet, poached peas, French beans with Chinese sweet and
sour chili sauce.
Dinner
• Vegetable soup with garlic, onion, chili, zucchini, carrots, and chicken
breast with wild rice.
• Grill salmon fillet with baked potatoes, romaine lettuce, and a dash of
lemon.
• Stir fry tofu with asparagus, celery, and bell peppers with a touch of
sesame oil.
• Smoked salmon, quinoa, and sautéed runner beanstalk.
Other options to include in your diet are old fashion rolled or steel oats, white
oil fish like mackerel, legumes and greener veggies. In addition, spices and herbs
are good metabolic foods. Herbs and spices include ginger, mint, lime, lemon,
turmeric, and chili to name a few.
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Snacks
Snacks can include healthy nuts like
Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashew nut,
pumpkin seeds and fresh fruits. Please
avoid nuts that are coated with sugar
or any form of sweetener. Avoid
eating too many nuts because you can ass a lot of calories without even knowing
it.
Furthermore, you need to avoid meals that will take you 10 steps back and these
include but not limited to the listed below:
• Ice cream
• Food that are processed
• Processed sugar
• Alcohol
• Gluten
• Soya beans
• Sugary Snacks
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The above listed foods will set you back so make sure you steer clear of them
and focus on foods that will help you on your detox journey like these;
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Beans
• Fruit
• Veggies
• Water
The amount of information in this
book is enough for anyone
suffering with diabetes to manage
and reverse the effect of diabetes
in their lives. All we need is to
implement are small changes like exercise and a healthier meal plan. These small
changes will lead to extraordinary results. As we grow older, our bodies become
fatigued and stressed; doing what is right like cutting or refined carbs, processed
foods, canned foods and sugars in their entirety and incorporating healthier
options will affect diabetes and it’s underlying causes. The choice to life is in
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your hands. Make the right choice today because it all depends on you, so you
have to make the right choice.
Sticking strictly to the thirty days detox may seem like a lot of work, but it takes
determination and lots of hard work not to give up.
Look no further than the Kachins.
Diabetes virtually an unknown
disease in their culture. Why?
Because they practice everything
explained in this book. What
knowledge you have gained here, plus utilizing the fitness for diabetes program
and the diabetes reversing recipes, it is guaranteed you will lower blood sugar
levels, lose weight and reverse your diabetes. No more meds, no more shots no
more high costs medical and pharmacy bills.
I hope you have not only enjoyed hearing about my personal experiences and
battles with diabetes, but that you also are inspired. Additionally, I hope you
have gained an immense amount of power, knowledge and resources to get you
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started on the same journey that inspired me years ago, one that saved my life
and the happiness and sanity of family.
We are all in this together. If you ever have any questions, concerns or just
looking for support, reach out to us on our various social media profiles our
through our support email and we will get right back to you.
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Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kachindiabetessolution
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KachinDiabetes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kachindiabetessolution
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kachindiabetessolution
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References
1. Diabetes Atlas, third edition, international diabetes federation; 2017
2. British Journal of Nutrition 2008; 83(supplement sl)
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