What Diabetics Should Know About Diabetes

A Diabetes Quiz

98% of diabetics do not know what actually caused their diabetes. They assume that it was an unfortunate result of genetics. 99% could not outline the history of diabetes. The majority of diabetics know that medications can cause damage to their liver, but could not tell you why, or the result of that damage. The majority of diabetics are not aware that, because they are diabetic, they are chronically deficient in five essential vitamins and minerals. Two of those vitamins and minerals are pivotal in the body's management of glucose and insulin. Don't be surprised to learn that most doctors cannot list them either, because they have no training in nutrition. Most diabetics know that vitamins and minerals are good for their bodies, but could not tell you, specifically, what they do to help the body. It goes beyond saying, that it is not possible to properly care for diabetes if you do not understand the disease. To take complete charge of your diabetes, you need to know the answers to these questions, with the exception of the history of diabetes, plus the following:

How does glucose function in the body, where is it produced, and how does it impact diabetes?

What is insulin resistance, what causes it, how can you control it?

Why do diabetics struggle with weight loss and control?

How does body fat complicate diabetic control?

How do you know if you are getting 100% of the daily requirement of vitamins and minerals?

Can you explain the oxidation process, describe how it contributes to out of control diabetes, and how to stop it?

Can you explain how diabetes causes high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, and how to prevent it?

Can you explain how diabetes causes blindness, or identify the steps necessary to prevent it?

Can you explain how diabetes damages the liver, pancreas and kidneys, and how to prevent it?

Can you define fatty liver?

Do you know where the immune system is centered, and how it works?

Do you know what peripheral neuropathy is, or how to control it?

Do you know why many diabetics suffer from constipation, or how to fix it without drugs?

Do you know what beneficial flora is and why it is crucial to diabetics?

Did you know that most diabetics have parasites, or what the symptoms are?

Do you know how your body picks up parasites, what damage they cause, or how to get rid of them?

Did you know that observing the characteristics of your urine can give you important clues about your disease?

Do you know how you can help your body control blood pressure, besides not eating salt?

Do you know how to control depression naturally?

Do you know how you can control your body's metabolic rate?

Do you know how fasting can become a powerful diabetes tool?

Do you know the real reasons why exercise is vital to diabetics, besides the obvious?

Do you know how the body regulates toxins and how to help the body eliminate them?

Can you define enzymes, phytonutrients, or flavonoids and describe their functions in detail?

Can you define glycemic index or glycemic load, and the benefits or risks to diabetes?

Do you know why diabetics have cravings and how to prevent them?

Do you know which spices are anti-inflammatory, or what inflammation is?

Do you know your doctor's limitations, and where to get help?

Do you know what alternatives are available for treatment and management of diabetes?

How did you do? Don't feel badly if you didn't do well, most diabetics have no clue what most of these topics are. In fact, the average diabetic can partially answer only three of these questions. But clearly, these are very important topics that every diabetic should understand. Most doctors merely seek to manage the progression of diabetes. The burden is on you to take charge of your diabetes, and stop the progression of damage. 

Despite what most diabetics think, it is possible to stop diabetic damage, and even reverse some aspects of it. It should be obvious that your diabetes management would be improved immeasurably if you knew the answers to these questions. Those that have taken charge of their diabetes are describing huge improvements in their control. Many have substantially reduced their dependence upon medications: have lost large amounts of weight; have substantially reduced the amount of plaque in their arteries: have nearly eliminated the risk of heart disease and stroke; stopped cataracts from developing: have improved their eyesight; stopped neuropathy: and have improved bowel, kidney and liver function. The side effects of better control will result in the elimination of other problems like allergies, skin problems and the elimination of constipation. All the things that you wish you could do, but it all is such a mystery!

Obviously, your doctor cannot spend the amount of time that would be required to explain all of these topics. Most doctors are members of large medical groups. Doctor's offices are a business, and are run like a business. Doctors are limited in the amount of time they can spend with a patient. Most doctors spend less than 10 minutes with each patient per visit. But on the other hand, the time that it would take to research all of these topics would total in the thousands of hours. The good news is that it is all done for you if you know where to look. The important thing is, learn all that you can about your disease. They payoff is huge.

You can read the answer to the first question - "what actually causes diabetes?" at the site listed below.