Everything you need to know about Diabetes and Prediabetes.
Understanding how glucose (blood sugar) and insulin work in your body is one of the foundational concepts of understanding how to feel, look, and perform at your best. If you want to have optimal health, you have to understand how what you eat affects the way your body and brain functions. With the stereotypical SAD “Standard American Diet” exacerbating many of our medical and health ailments, keeping an eye on your glucose levels is very important. Going on a “blood sugar balancing diet” was one of the very first steps I took in my journey to recover my health. I immediately (within days) felt tremendously improved in body and mind.
Sometimes it takes more than a balanced diet to keep your blood sugar in optimal ranges. If you are running into high blood sugar and insulin problems, a product like Xymogen’s CinnDromeX is a great option - not only for its purpose, but the brand’s positive reputation and feedback as well.
Did you know that over 29 million people nationwide deal with diabetes and another 86 million adults have pre-diabetes? Diabetes is reaching epidemic-level numbers, and according to the WHO, diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and lower limb amputation.
Before we look into Xymogen’s formula for supporting glucose and insulin, let’s go over some important terms and concepts:
Type 1 Diabetes: This form of diabetes is commonly found in young people. It is referred to as Juvenile Diabetes. This type of diabetes occurs when there is a high blood sugar level due to a lack of insulin. The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the beta cells that produce insulin for the body.
Type 2 Diabetes: This form of diabetes occurs in mostly older adults, but is increasingly common in adolescents and even children. Chronically high blood sugar causes the pancreas to lose the ability to make and release insulin correctly. Your cells become resistant to insulin because they can’t take in any more sugar. This is called insulin resistance and is common in Type 2 Diabetes.
Glucose: A simple sugar that provides an important source of energy to the body.
Sugar: Many people get sugar, glucose, and sucrose confused. Sugar is a carbohydrate that has a sweet taste. Different types of sugars include glucose, fructose, and sucrose, and lactose (found in milk).
Sucrose: This is a type of sugar made of glucose and fructose. Also known as table sugar, sucrose is mainly found in sugar cane. But the cheap granulated sugar you buy at the store is usually made from (GMO) genetically modified sugar beets.
Insulin: Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells properly utilize the consumed glucose. Glucose is then used for energy.
Pancreas: An organ in your body that makes, stores, and releases insulin.
Gestational Diabetes: This is a special form of diabetes, as it only occurs when someone is pregnant. It usually disappears after delivering the baby, but there is an increased risk that the mother will develop diabetes later.
Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c): A test that measures a person's average blood sugar level over the course of two to three months. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to the cell. Also called hemoglobin A1C or glycosylated hemoglobin, the test shows the amount of glucose that sticks to the red blood cell, which is proportional to the amount of glucose in the blood.
Antibodies: Proteins created by the body to protect against foreign substances like viruses. Type 1 diabetes is the result of antibodies attacking insulin-creating beta cells in your pancreas.
Pre-diabetes: This condition is characterized by high levels of blood sugar that are higher than average, but aren’t high enough to warrant a diabetes diagnosis. If you have prediabetes, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased 50%. In other words, out of 2 people with prediabetes, 1 of them will develop diabetes. Additionally, they are at a higher risk of stroke and heart disease.
Type 3 Diabetes: As far back as 2008, studies have shown that Alzheimer’s disease is associated with high levels of inflammation in your brain. Researchers started calling Alzheimer’s disease, “Type 3 Diabetes” because they found evidence that the amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer’s patients were associated with insulin dysfunction.
Xymogen, Glucose, and Insulin
Besides a low-carb diet and lifestyle improvements, I recommend supplement support for regulating your blood sugar. For individual coaching to improve your diet and tackle diabetes or pre-diabetes, schedule with me. 
Xymogen’s CinndromeX is a powerful vitamin and herbal formula to support:
- Blood sugar balance
- Healthy blood lipid levels (triglycerides)
- Improve and maintain healthy nerve function
How is this accomplished, you might ask? It’s all about the ingredients that are used in the formula:
The first major ingredient is CinSulin®. This is not the same thing as the cinnamon that you have in your spice cupboard. This is a water extract of cinnamon. CinSulin® is a natural way of managing sugar levels in your body. It has been thoroughly tested and scrutinized by healthcare professionals nationwide. This study from 2015 describes cinnamon’s potential for controlling obesity, glucose intolerance, and diabetes. The extract strengthens cells and allows them to be more sensitive to insulin, which allows sugar to enter the cell for energy.
You may have heard that cinnamon is good for blood sugar balance and diabetes. While this is true, it is difficult to get enough cinnamon in your diet to make a significant difference in your blood sugar levels. I recommend a cinnamon extract supplement instead.
American Ginseng has long been used in traditional cultures for many ailments. It also goes by the name of Panax Ginseng. Whether it is taken for stress, immune system support, or as an energy booster, American Ginseng has many uses. One of the more common uses is for diabetes, however. American Ginseng helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Check out this academic review here for how American Ginseng can help as an additional ingredient in your diabetic supplement regime.
Gymnema Leaf Extract is made from the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre. By reducing glucose absorption in the intestine, Gymnema enhances the effects of insulin. According to an article posted by Diabetes in Control, this leaf extract has had positive results in the tested patients. It has the added benefit of decreasing sugar cravings.
Green Tea Polyphenols enhance insulin activity. What is commonly seen as a day to day beverage is something far more complex and beneficial to many. Green tea polyphenols have the potential to change the way we look at diabetes medications by improving blood-glucose levels and insulin resistance. Take a look at this study done in 2013 for more information.
Alpha Lipoic Acid is a strong antioxidant that supports healthy blood sugar levels by sensitizing cells to insulin. Additionally it helps regenerate nerves that have been damaged by peripheral neuropathy. It is a strong antioxidant and protects pancreas beta cells from the damage of high blood sugar.
Chromium is an essential trace mineral. People with unstable blood sugar tend to have lower blood chromium levels. Chromium has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. I always recommend chromium to my clients who are struggling with high and low blood sugar.
Concluding Thoughts and Further Investigations
Interested in reading more? Here are a few academic articles I found interesting:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249697/
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=134&ContentID=166
https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-risk/prevention/high-blood-sugar
Diabetes is a worldwide epidemic. Children around the world, especially in our own country, are dealing with the life-changing consequences of dealing with diabetes. Whether it's a shortened lifespan, increased risk of chronic illness, or developing heart disease, diabetes generally leads to other serious health problems.
Whether it’s to set a good example for your kids, or just enhance your own life, we need to throw off the addiction to carbohydrate and sugar-laden foods. You can’t fight the diabetes and obesity epidemics without changing your diets and controlling your blood sugar.
FAQs
What is the difference between glucose and insulin?
Blood glucose and blood sugar are the same things. Glucose is the sugar/carbohydrate molecules that provide fuel for your cells. Insulin is the helper molecule that lets that sugar/glucose enter your cells. Without insulin, glucose stays in your bloodstream and your cells don’t get any fuel.
Does insulin increase blood glucose?
No, insulin does not increase blood glucose. It does the opposite. It decreases blood glucose. It pushes glucose from your blood into your cells. When you pancreas sends out insulin, your blood glucose/sugar goes down.
How does insulin decrease blood glucose?
When you eat something with sugar in it, your body begins to digest it. If the food has fiber, fat, or protein, the digestion is slow and your blood sugar rises relatively slowly. If the food has little fiber, fat, or protein, the sugar will be absorbed into your bloodstream very quickly and your blood sugar will spike.
For example, an apple has natural sugar (fructose) and fiber. When you eat an apple, your blood sugar will rise slowly as the fiber slows down the absorption of the natural sugar in the apple.
But, if you drink a slurpee, which has only water and sugar, your blood sugar will spike up very high and very fast. There is no fat, fiber, or protein in a slurpee to slow down the absorption of the sugar in your slurpee.
When sugar/glucose enters your bloodstream, it sends a signal to your pancreas. The signal is to alert your pancreas to release insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin is the key that unlocks your cells so that they can take in the glucose. Once your bloodstream is full of insulin, it forces the glucose/sugar into your cells, and you end up with lowered blood sugar.
Why is insulin given with glucose?
Insulin injections are prescribed when you are diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Insulin injections are used when your pancreas can no longer make insulin on its own. Insulin injections are used to control the amount of glucose that is in your bloodstream.
