Diabetes is a complicated disease that requires the proper care in order to avoid other health complications. Eye, foot and kidney problems are just a few of the complications that can arise from diabetes. It can even lead to issues as severe as heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. The problem with diabetes is that many people don’t even know that they have it because a lot of the symptoms can be attributed to other health issues.

Some of the symptoms associated with diabetes are: excessive thirst and appetite, dry mouth, blurred vision, fatigue, increased urination, unusual weight loss or gain, and slow-healing sores or cuts. Many people with type 2 diabetes don’t even have any symptoms. With type 1 diabetes, symptoms sometimes come on very suddenly and are often severe. It is estimated that of the 26 million people that have diabetes, around 7 million aren’t even aware that they have the disease.

Type 2 diabetes is caused largely by diet and lifestyle. With the proper care it is often possible to manage and even reverse it. It’s important to understand that reversing diabetes does not mean that you return to your pre-diabetic lifestyle, it simply means that you are controlling your diabetes well enough that you are able to eliminate your medications. It still takes determination and commitment to the lifestyle changes that are necessary to manage your diabetes, but you can feel much better and enjoy a higher quality of life when you reverse your diabetes.

The first step is finding the right practitioner to partner with. Unfortunately, traditional medicine doesn’t usually give patients many options other than medications. The problem with that model of care is that medications are designed to alleviate symptoms and not causes; and they often cause unwanted side effects that leave the patient feeling worse.

Many patients are achieving results by working with functional wellness practitioners. These providers evaluate the body as a whole, rather than just a set of isolated symptoms. They understand that all body systems must be in balance in order for the patient to achieve optimum health.

The first step will be to determine the root cause of your diabetes and pinpoint exactly where your body systems are imbalanced. In order to do this they will run comprehensive testing that will be checking your liver function, GI system, adrenal system as well as your pancreas. Did you know that all of these systems play a part in regulating your blood sugar?

After analyzing your test results, your functional wellness provider will create a customized care plan that is tailored to your individual needs. They will partner with you by educating and mentoring you through the recovery process. This is truly the most effective way to manage your diabetes and get you back on the path to wellness.