Three MUST-KNOW methods to protect your heart when you have diabetes
It’s a tough moment, any way you look at it. Learning that you have type 2 diabetes is a life-changing blow.
To start, you now have a dangerous disease that not only complicates health issues throughout your body, but sharply increases risk of other serious conditions. Most notably, your risk of heart disease just skyrocketed.
And that’s our focus today: Every diabetic has the opportunity to make daily choices that will support heart health and significantly reduce heart disease risk.
Deterring heart disease — the highs and lows
The February issue of the Harvard Heart Letter (HHL), aims to help the type 2 diabetic set a course that’ll navigate away from heart disease.
Their first heart-protecting tip focuses on diet and exercise. And kudos to HHL for including lean protein and healthy fats in their quick dietary overview that also includes vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Of course, protecting your heart isn’t just about what you eat. What you DON’T eat also plays an important role. And it’s absolutely essential to avoid processed foods—especially products that contain refined sugar.
Excess sugar, by the way, puts anyone at much higher risk of heart disease. I recently touched on how the Sugar Research Foundation purposely distorted studies that would’ve linked sugar intake with heart disease more than 50 years ago.
And HHL also gives a proper nod to sufficient exercise. Their recommendation: at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, most days of the week. That’s a challenging lifestyle change for anyone who’s not accustomed to that kind of exercise schedule, but it’s absolutely necessary to avoid heart disease.
And then, HHL moves on to the money-maker: diabetes drugs.
Their first recommendation is metformin — an inexpensive generic. And, as far as drugs go, metformin generally gets a stamp of approval from most doctors (even many natural medicine practitioners). It’s been proven over many years to be an effective blood sugar regulator, causing only a few mild side effects with one notable and potentially dangerous exception: B12 deficiency.
Low levels of B12 can cause anemia (which can eventually become debilitating), as well as disrupt critical processes in brain, nerve, and red blood cell formation. For this important reason, Dr. Fred Pescatore recommends a daily B12 supplement dose of at least 1,000 mcg daily for anyone taking metformin.
And if the recommendations ended there, we’d be in good shape. But many mainstream physicians want to treat diabetes as aggressively as possible. And that means additional diabetes drugs.
The HHL report features two newer drugs shown to be helpful in not only controlling blood sugar, but also lowering the risk of dying of heart disease.
That’s an impressive benefit, but unfortunately, there’s a big trade-off: much higher risks for some brutal side effects you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.
First up: Jardiance. HHL notes that this drug works by redirecting sugar from the blood to the urine and a quick exit from the body. That’s a clever solution, but the downside for some patients can be extreme. Side effects include serious urinary tract infection, infection of the genitals, and acute kidney injury.
The second drug, Victoza, is taken by daily injection and works in part by slowing digestion. But this can result in gastrointestinal issues including nausea and lack of appetite.
For some reason, HHL ends its description of Victoza there, without mentioning that this drug has earned a black box warning for increasing the risk for thyroid tumors. Other side effects include pancreatitis (“fatal and non-fatal”), serious hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and kidney impairment.
These are frightening risks, to say the least. And not to mention, a Harvard doctor observes that both drugs are “very expensive, costing hundreds of dollars per month.”
Instead of going the route of pricy, potentially dangerous drugs to control blood sugar and reduce heart disease risk, there is still a different and far safer path.
Three superstars of heart support
One of the key steps in Dr. Fred Pescatore’s Metabolic Repair Protocol is giving your body additional nutrient support. He says nutritional supplementation can help “ensure optimal blood glucose metabolism,” and “support and protect the organs and systems that do the bulk of the metabolic ‘heavy lifting.’”
Of course, those organs require a strong heart to keep everything running smoothly, so today, I’ve picked out three supplements from Dr. Pescatore’s protocol shown to give your metabolism and your heart the support they need.
- Selenium
Dr. Pescatore calls selenium an “element that’s painfully absent from a modern diet.” Among the large body of research that shows selenium’s benefits for diabetics, this study tracked the combined use of selenium and coenzyme Q10 and their long-term effect on heart disease…
“After 5 years, results showed that 12.5 percent of people in the placebo group died, while only 5.9 percent of those in the supplemental group died. That’s a 6.7 percent decrease in absolute risk! Researchers also found that the combination improved overall heart function as well.
“My recommendation: Work selenium into your diet by eating white button mushrooms, tuna, salmon, cod, halibut, shrimp, beef, turkey, and lamb.”
- Pycnogenol
Believe it or not, this diabetes support is derived from the bark of a tree…
“Researchers have discovered a wonder nutrient in pine bark that lowers blood sugar, slows or prevents retinal diseases (common in diabetics), and improves blood flow. In fact, a group of Swiss scientists recently found that patients had a 32 percent improvement in blood flow after just 8 weeks of Pycnogenol treatment. And a new study shows that this already-impressive supplement can also improve memory, focus, and decision-making ability.
“My recommendation: 50-100 mg of Pycnogenol a day.”
- Benfotiamine
This is fat-soluble form of thiamine (vitamin B1) helps the body rid itself of dangerous Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs)…
“AGEs form as a result of simple carb and sugar consumption. They damage arterial walls and leave behind a ripe breeding ground for plaque accumulation, which is a huge contributor to high BP, heart attacks, and strokes. Research shows that benfotiamine halts AGE formation 320 percent better than other forms of thiamine. A recent study also showed benfotiamine having a positive effect on patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
“My recommendation: 200 mg of benfotiamine a day.”
Dr. Pescatore notes that when you take them together, these supplements perform complementary functions which can increase their effectiveness. Dosages should be adjusted accordingly. He also stresses the importance of working with a good doctor to monitor your blood sugar levels as you discover which supplements work best for you and in what dosages.
For more drug-free strategies to safely lower your blood sugar and prevent (and even reverse) diabetes, refer to Dr. Pescatore’s Metabolic Repair Protocol. Learn more or enroll today by clicking here.
SOURCE
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/deterring-heart-disease-if-you-have-diabetes
Deterring heart disease if you have diabetes
Harvard Heart Letter
February, 2018