Statistics show that diabetes is on the rise in America. In 2010, 25 million Americans had diabetes, whereas today over 29 million people have this disease. What’s even more frightening is that type 2 diabetes, which was once considered an adult onset disease only a few years ago, is now more prevalent in our children as well. In 2008 and 2009, only 24,000 Americans under the age of 20 had diabetes. Compare that number to 208,000 kids who have it now and you can see that diabetes is a growing problem in America today.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that stops the pancreas from producing insulin. Type 1 diabetes often shows up in younger people and is much more uncommon than type 2. There is no cure for type 1 diabetes and patients have to inject insulin for the rest of their lives.

Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1. Of the 29 million Americans who have diabetes, 90% have type 2. This type of diabetes is largely caused by lifestyle, diet and genetics. The Standard American Diet (SAD) of processed foods that are high and fat and sugar is definitely contributing to the rise in the number of diabetics, especially in children. A lack of lifestyle education and physical activity, as well as a sedentary lifestyle are also playing a role in the rise of type 2 diabetes.

What’s worse is that the diabetic community is typically given no medical direction to restore their health. Instead, every diabetic is given the same advice of diet, exercise and lose weight, which is ineffective at reversing diabetes. Many patients do these things and experience little to no results in effectively managing their diabetes. This is because the root cause of the diabetes is being overlooked.

Believe it or not, there are many factors that can cause diabetes and it is different for everyone. This is why a “one size fits all” model for care rarely achieves any results for patients. It’s important to work with a practitioner who understands that comprehensive testing in order to determine underlying causes, and customized care tailored to each patient’s specific needs are crucial to their patients recovery. How do you find this type of practitioner? Look to functional neurology.

This type of practitioner offers safe, natural and drug-free care that is focused on your individual needs. It all begins with comprehensive testing to determine exactly what’s causing your diabetes and then works to correct those imbalances with customized care. If you’re ready for a fresh approach to care that is comprehensive, customized, and focused on long-term results, then you’re ready to seek out a functional neurologist.