Blood Sugar Balance Take Charge of Your Health!

By Jhoane Robinson, Herbalist

November is National Diabetes Month, with this year’s theme “Take Charge of Tomorrow: Preventing Diabetes Health Problems.”

The numbers are quite staggering. 37 million Americans of all ages are affected. That’s a whopping 10% of the American population! On top of that, more than 1 in 3 adults in America are now at risk of having prediabetes, and most don’t even know it!

The surprising thing is that for most people, these problems are largely preventable. There are actions you can take to protect your health from the serious issues associated with high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and even high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It just takes making healthy lifestyle choices and sticking with them!

Because this is a health crisis that now touches all our lives in one way or another, I’m dedicating this blog to tips on how you can build better health for yourself and your family members specifically regarding blood sugar balance.

First, let’s get a better understanding on what it’s all about, and then we’ll explore what we can do in our everyday lives to protect our health through healthy lifestyle choices. Let’s start with the different sugars and their effects on the body.

Basically, there are two types of sugars. 1. Those that are processed into glucose in the liver, the normal way sugars are supposed to be utilized in the body, and 2. The fructose group that bypasses the liver and goes directly into the cells. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCA) and Corn Syrup (CS) are fructose that bypass the insulin control response, flood the cells with excess fructose sugars, and appear to be most associated with hyperinsulinemia (also known as insulin resistance), the most common form of prediabetes and type-2 diabetes in America.

HFCS and CS are now the most common fructose-based sweeteners in foods, beverages, and confections, even more prevalent than cane or sugar beet sugar! Fructose has direct access to cells, which is especially problematic for the fat cells of the body because the fat cells do not utilize fructose like other cells of the body do, so the fructose loads up in fat cells drawing more excess fluids and making it harder for fat cells to be utilized for essential metabolic needs. So, the first thing in taking charge of your health is to avoid HFCS and CS as much as possible.

And now, let’s talk about insulin.

WHAT IS INSULIN?

Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that is essential for blood sugar level regulation. Insulin helps glucose go into your muscle, fat and liver cells to be used right away for energy or stored for later use. One of the healthy forms of glucose storage is in the muscles and liver as glycogen.

HOW IS INSULIN SUPPOSED TO WORK?

The food you eat is broken down into glucose (a sugar). This is your body’s main energy source. Glucose goes into your bloodstream, which signals your pancreas to release insulin. When glucose enters your cells and bloodstream, insulin causes levels of glucose to decrease, which signals your pancreas to stop producing insulin. This is how our bodies keep healthy blood sugar balance, called homeostasis.

WHAT IS INSULIN RESISTANCE?

Insulin resistance is when the cells in your muscles, fat and liver don’t respond as they should to insulin and allow too much sugars to enter your cells. This resistance to insulin also causes too much sugar to be in the blood. Blood glucose levels that are chronically higher than normal puts a person at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

WHAT IS PREDIABETES?

When your body is resistant to insulin (can’t use insulin like it should), and blood sugar levels are elevated but not high enough to be considered fully diabetic.

CAUSES AND FACTORS THAT INCREASE YOUR RISKS ARE:

 EXCESS BODY FAT, ESPECIALLY BELLY FAT: Belly fat actually makes hormones that increase long-term inflammation in the body, which can play a part in insulin resistance.

 PHYSICAL INACTIVITY: Exercise helps move sugar into your cells, helps your body need less insulin to transport sugar to your cells, and helps you maintain healthy weight levels.

 DIET: We need carbs, but a diet high in carbohydrates, especially HFCS/CS, contributes to insulin/blood sugar issues. Your body breaks carbs down into sugars/glucose, which raises blood sugar levels. Keep reading for more important diet recommendations.

 LOW THYROID: When your thyroid function is low, your glucose metabolism slows also.

NOTE: If you are concerned that you may be having issues with blood sugar and insulin levels, blood pressure levels, or cholesterol levels, seek medical advice from your professional health provider.

WAYS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR HEALTH AND REDUCE YOUR RISKS.

Sometimes, when it comes to taking care of our health, we are our own worst enemies. Our hard working bodies can’t function at their best when we do things to sabotage all the good that’s being done for us every moment of every day. Making healthy lifestyle choices helps support our body’s work to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. 

EXERCISE & WEIGHT

 Stay physically active! Regular exercise and movement are very important.

1. Aerobic Exercise – do higher intensity exercises at least once a week.
2. Resistance Exercise – strength training two to three times per week.
3. Flexibility Exercise – yoga, tai chi, stretches, etc.

 Maintain healthy body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

Health Tip #1:

Often simply reducing your caloric intake by reducing your serving sizes and not going back for seconds helps with weight loss. Also, drink plenty of water throughout the day.

DIET

Build healthy habits! Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals causes insulin and blood sugar levels to swing and get out of balance.

 Carbs: Reduce saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and sweets. Cut back carbs and pick good nutritionally-dense carbs over bad nutritionally empty carbs.

 Fiber: Increase whole fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains to have more fiber in your diet.

 Eat foods that are high in nutrition and fiber and low in fat and calories.

 Water: Staying hydrated helps your kidneys do their job to flush excess blood sugar through the urine.

Health Tip #2:

Choose a variety of veggies with a variety of colors. They provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are essential for health.

REDUCE OR REMOVE FROM YOUR DIET:

 Unhealthy fat and fried foods. Lightly steamed or baked is best.

 Sugar – it should go without saying… avoid sugar. That especially includes HFCS, high fructose corn syrup. Avoid sweetened drinks: soda, fruit drinks, sweetened iced tea, and anything with corn syrup!

 Fatty meats, especially processed meats.

 Processed foods: If a food comes in cans, a box or a bag, it’s most likely processed, and often has added sugar, fats, and salt.

 Saturated fats and trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils). Stay away from packaged food, shortening, fast foods, and processed baked foods.
 Reduce starchy vegetables – potatoes, peas, corn. They have more carbs, so they act more like refined grains.

 Limit alcohol consumption: Alcohol spikes blood sugars. 

 Don’t smoke. Nicotine affects the nervous system which affects hormones, blood pressure, and increases nitrogen displacement of oxygen in the blood and body.

Health Tip #3:

Become a label reader. If there are lots of ingredients, especially ones you don’t recognize, don’t buy it!

STRESS

 De-stress your life. Stress causes cortisol, the stress hormone, to release stored glucose into the bloodstream, which in turn causes the rebound effect of systemic inflammation.

Health Tip #4:

Avoid the middle of the grocery store! That’s where most of the processed foods are.

HERBS FOR YOUR HEALTH

Certain herbs support the healthy blood sugar levels, the pancreas, liver, and digestive system. While each one has a different action in the body, read on for more information on herbs that support healthy blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol balance.

CEDAR BEAR® HERBS CAN BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR HEALTH SUPPORT!

Blood Sugar Support – Supports Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
Helps your body metabolize blood sugars and supports the pancreas and liver in their work in dealing with glucose and insulin.

When Cedar Bear’s Founder and Clinical Herbalist L. Carl Robinson set about to create the best herbal support for helping the body maintain blood sugar homeostasis using herbs from all over the world, the result was this amazing formula. Blood Sugar Support is an all-natural liquid herbal formula utilizing bitter melon, gymnema, prickly pear, cinnamon, fenugreek, chanca piedra, ginseng, holy basil, milk thistle, and bilberry, all working together to benefit pancreatic
function and healthy insulin and blood sugar levels. While Blood Sugar Support is helping your body metabolize sugars, its antioxidants support healthy liver and kidney function. 

Herbal Minerals – Total Health Support
Provides essential nutrients to help build your general health and immunity.
(Has Stinging Nettle, Heal All, Holy Basil)

Magnificent Mushrooms – Immune Function & Health Strengthener
Helps strengthen overall health, supports the cardiovascular system and liver, and supports healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. (Has Lions Mane and other health supporting mushrooms)

Thyro Boost – Activates & Builds the Thyroid
Low thyroid function slows metabolism, including blood sugar metabolism, and effects every organ system and function of your body. A key to healthy hormone balance!

Nascent Iodine by Cedar Bear® – Iodine is essential for your thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, as well as for overall endocrine function, metabolic balance, immune function, cardiovascular health, and healthy DNA integrity.

Goji Berry – Supports healthy blood sugar balance and supports liver and kidney health.

Heal All Leaf – Supports the kidneys and fluid dynamics throughout the body, supports healthy blood pressure levels.

Holy Basil Leaf – Helps support healthy blood sugar balance, healthy blood pressure levels. (Blood Sugar Support)

Lion’s Mane Mushroom – Strengthens the digestive system, supports healthy cholesterol balance and healthy blood sugar balance.

Milk Thistle Seed – Support healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, liver/gallbladder health.

Motherwort – Calms and strengthens heart and nerves, supports healthy cardiovascular and cholesterol balance. (Do not use during pregnancy.)

Stinging Nettle Leaf – Helps support healthy blood sugar and blood pressure balance through fluid balance support.

Turmeric Root – Supports healthy cellular function, cardiovascular health, immune function, joint health, brain function, and healthy blood sugar balance.

DECADES OF HERBAL & HEALTH SUPPORT EXPERTISE!

At Cedar Bear®, we have decades of expertise in liquid herbal manufacturing and herbal formulations, with total commitment to providing you with the highest quality and most effective herbal products possible!

CEDAR BEAR’S GROUNDBREAKING TINCTRACT® PROCESS

It’s not just the herbs that makes Cedar Bear® herbs so effective at supporting your health. Over 40 years ago, using ancient alchemical principles together with modern technology, Carl developed a process that was totally new and the most ‘synergy-enhanced’ of all liquid processed herbal products. At the time there was nothing like it. Alcohol tinctures tasted nasty and alcohol denatures and breaks the synergy of many health benefits of the herbs, and existing glycerin-based extracts were weak.

More than a TINCture, (no alcohol ever used) and much more than and exTRACT, and working better than either, Carl called his revolutionary process the TincTract® process. From there, he began applying his training in phytopharmacology and biochemistry to formulate amazingly effective herbal remedies.

Cedar Bear’s TincTract® process makes herbs both bio-available and bio-utilizable, so every drop goes right to work supporting your health and well-being. Best of all, the TincTract® process not only makes herbs work better, but they taste better, too!

All Cedar Bear® herbs are totally alcohol-free. They have only three things in them, the herb, glycerin, and water. Nothing else! It’s the TincTract® process that brings it all together!

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!

LIFESTYLE SUPPORT:

• Exercise regularly.
• Work to maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat a healthy diet with whole foods and lots of veggies.
• Lower your carb intake.
• Avoid sugary drinks, snacks, and processed foods. 
• Hydrate. Drink around 64 oz water throughout the day.
• Reduce Stress. 

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!

WITH CEDAR BEAR’S HERBAL SUPPORT FOR BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE:

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!

BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE PROGRAM #1

(Phase #1 for endocrine system support)

Blood Sugar Support

Thyro Boost

Milk Thistle

Nascent Iodine by Cedar Bear®

Blood Sugar Balance Program Instructions

       (¼ tsp [teaspoon] = 2 droppers full)

Blood Sugar Support – ¼ tsp before breakfast.

Thyro Boost – ¼ tsp before lunch. 

Milk Thistle Seed – ¼ tsp before lunch.

Nascent Iodine – 6 drops before lunch.

Blood Sugar Support – ¼ tsp before dinner.  

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!

BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE PROGRAM #2

(Phase #2 for digestive/liver support)

Blood Sugar Support

Herbal Minerals

Liver Build

Nascent Iodine by Cedar Bear®

Blood Sugar Balance Program Instructions

       (¼ tsp [teaspoon] = 2 droppers full)

Blood Sugar Support – ¼ tsp before breakfast.

Herbal Minerals – ¼ tsp before lunch. 

Nascent Iodine – 6 drops before lunch.

Liver Build – ¼ tsp before dinner.

Blood Sugar Support – ¼ tsp before dinner. 

Follow the Cedar Bear® products regimen daily for 2 months or longer, (along with lifestyle support of regular exercise, working to maintain healthy weight, healthy dietary choices, and reducing stress,) as it takes time for the body’s blood sugar balance to reset.

NOTE: This program is okay to use while pregnant. Consult your healthcare provider if you are taking medication or have a medical condition. 

(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.)