Type 3 Diabetes, What You Need to Know

Overweight and invisible toxins can shrink the brain.

Most people understand that insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is key to blood sugar control and diabetes. But did you know that it also plays a special role in learning and memory?

Numerous new studies suggest there’s a third kind of diabetes—what investigators are calling Type 3—that impacts cognitive function. Not only can obesity and diabetes cause neurodegeneration, but they also appear to significantly reduce brain weight, basically shrinking the brain itself.

“Not long ago, it was thought that there was no connection between insulin and the brain, that the brain was insulin-insensitive,” says William L. Klein, PhD, professor of neurobiology and physiology at Northwestern University. “But now we know that’s not the case.”

A new study at London’s National Institute for Health Research shows that poorly controlled insulin (as in diabetes) not only increases the risk for cognitive impairment and dementia—but also speeds up the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). And Chinese research finds that the higher the BMI (body mass index), the greater the impairment to the brain.

Dr. Ann Louise’s Take:

It’s no surprise to me that insulin impacts brain function. Anyone who has experienced blood sugar lows (usually following sugar highs) is likely to suffer brain fog and fuzzy thinking.

Unfortunately, damage to the blood vessels in the brain occurs well before any obvious signs of cognitive loss appear. It’s no wonder that diabetics have up to 65% greater risk for Alzheimer’s than healthy individuals.

Insulin resistance increases oxidative stress to glial cells, which provide protective insulation, in the form of myelin sheaths, for neurons in the brain and nervous system. In a healthy body, these cells appear highly specialized: some central cells protect the brain and spinal cord; other peripheral cells support nerve cells in the glands, muscles, and sensory organs.

When myelin sheaths in one part of the nervous system are damaged or destroyed, however, some studies suggest that glial cells can move to insulate these “needy” neurons. Because many central cells protect the blood-brain barrier, this shifting to other parts of the body may make the brain more vulnerable to toxins and other foreign substances in the bloodstream.

New, Invisible Toxins
Mercury and other heavy metals have been linked to both diabetes and weight gain. While human exposure to hormone-disrupters, pesticides, plasticizers, and other environmental toxins continues to grow, other invisible dangers—electropollution from cell phones and towers, cordless phones, microwave ovens, PDAs, wi-fi, even your flat-screen TV, and hair dryer—are largely ignored, even though they surround us 24/7.

Microwaves and other forms of radiation like EMFs can lead to a breakdown in the blood-brain barrier. High blood sugar is so often noted in research on electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that one researcher also calls this EMF-triggered condition Type 3 diabetes. But you don’t need to give up all your favorite gadgets to protect your brain.

Detox Regularly
I believe regular detox is critical in preventing toxic overload. Fat Flush for Life, the Year-Round Super Detox Plan to Boost Your Metabolism and Keep the Weight Off Permanently, helps keep insulin levels where they belong, while sweeping the body clean of dangerous toxins in our air, food, and water.

Certainly, detox has been proven effective for both diabetes and weight loss, as millions of Fat Flushers can attest. Insulin-resistant oxidative stress creates an inflammatory environment throughout the body, damaging the vascular system (and leading to heart disease) as well as glial cells implicated in Alzheimer’s.

Just exactly how you detox, though, varies according to each season of the year. In February’s colder, dryer weather, you need gentler detox than you do in summer’s heat and humidity. For winter, eat cooked, warming foods. With nature in full bloom, fruits and veggies fresh off the vine are just what you need for more accelerated summer cleansing.

Added Support
The mineral chromium helps turn blood sugar into energy, supporting healthy metabolism and weight loss. While this mineral is available in brewer’s yeast and brown rice, I’d recommend that anyone with blood sugar imbalance—or signs of Type 3 diabetes—take 200-400 mcg of chromium daily.

Some sensitive individuals cannot tolerate dietary supplements—as crucial as they are. If you’re one of those people, consider Trace-Lyte Minerals. This homeopathic form of organic minerals strengthens the cell walls to protect against both electropollution and other environmental toxins.

EMFs can seriously reduce the body’s production of melatonin, an antioxidant hormone that helps protect cells from damage. Melatonin is also able to cross the blood-brain barrier. I recommend taking 3 to 15 mg of melatonin (preferably in a time-release form) daily—especially for anyone over 60.

Sources:
Fat Flush for Life
www.burrillreport.com/article-1095.html
www.NaturalNews.com/z028164_diabetes_chemical_contamination.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20123114
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20101718
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2004465
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19917634
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18952836
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19885299
www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm