One of the most serious health problems facing our society today is adult onset diabetes. This is a problem with the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, leading to serious health problems for adults. It leads to insulin therapy, constant blood sugar monitoring, and constant worry about health problems. We have seen rates of adult onset diabetes skyrocket over the past few decades and, unfortunately, it shows little sign of slowing down.
Perhaps the saddest feature of adult onset diabetes, or type 2 diabetes, is that it is seen in younger and younger children. What used to a problem for middle aged people is now being seen in teens and young children, leading to a lifetime of therapies meant to help them live with this disease. And this problem is slowly getting worse, costing society millions of dollars and causing parents significant stress. Unfortunately, the younger a person contracts this disease, the greater the likelihood of a serious health event caused by the diabetes.
The reason we have seen such a spike in adult onset diabetes is that many Americans have an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. Some people assume that diabetes is a genetic problem that they have little control over. In fact, almost all cases of adult onset diabetes is due to poor lifestyle choices that do not promote health. These choices include diets high in sugar, fat, salt, or high in processed foods. It also includes a sedentary lifestyle that involves little to no activity. In children, this is due to the fact that many kids come home from school and spend hours in front of the TV playing video games instead of being outside playing. Likewise, adults now spend most of their time at a desk and not on their feet. All of these have come together to create a serious crisis in American society.
Fortunately, there are options for people living with adult onset diabetes. By working with a functional medicine doctor experienced in patients with diabetes, it is possible to avoid the serious health problems that can be caused by Type 2 diabetes. Simple lifestyle changes can have a major impact on not only living with this disease but also potentially reversing it. Instead relying on insulin therapy and blood sugar monitoring, a person can be proactive with their health and begin to live a healthy lifestyle. This means that even for a young child diagnoses with diabetes, they can still live an active, healthy life and avoid problems with health in the future.
If you have adult onset diabetes and want to begin correcting it, contact a functional medicine doctor and learn about all-natural diabetes therapies. By adjusting your lifestyle and devoting yourself to wellness, it is entirely possible to live a long, healthy life even with diabetes. If you or your children have diabetes or have a high risk for developing it, don’t sit idly by. Take control of your health by working with a functional medicine provider who is skilled in diet and lifestyle choices today.
-Dr. Ashley Woyak, Forward Natural Medicine