Diabetes is becoming one of the leading causes of death among Americans, and cases of this disease are growing at an alarming rate. Diabetes literally has become a modern-day, silent epidemic. More than 29.1 million Americans are estimated to have diabetes, with many of these cases going undiagnosed.

Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to utilize glucose (sugar) for energy. We currently recognize two types of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body produces either low levels of insulin or no insulin at all. Insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, is necessary for the regulation of the glucose we ingest in our diet. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, and develops over time. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not use insulin effectively to regulate glucose levels, which results in a condition known as insulin resistance.

The critical first step in addressing diabetes is changing to a lifestyle of more exercise to use excess glucose taken in, a healthy diet to minimize the intake of glucose taken in, and frequent (but small) meals to minimize the development of insulin resistance. The goal in preventing diabetes is to address rising fasting glucose levels long before they reach 100 mg/dL. To do that, there are a number of nutritional and herbal supplements that have been shown to be helpful in regulating glucose and addressing problems before they start.

Hazle Health’s brand of Alpha Lipoic Acid is a unique antioxidant that has been shown to be helpful in maintaining blood sugar levels and minimizing some of the neurological side effects of diabetes, such as diabetic neuropathy. Berberine, which is found in our Hazle Health Berberine Support product, has been shown to regulate not only glucose levels, but modulate lipid levels as well. Chromium and zinc have been shown to be essential minerals in helping manage blood sugar and support insulin production. Hazle Health’s brand of Diabetes Balance is a unique formulation that features a wide array of natural products that have been shown to regulate blood glucose levels and keep them from elevating.

For more information on Diabetes Management, please contact our Certified Clinical Nutritionist and Compounding Pharmacist, Bill Spear, R.Ph, CCN at Hazle Drugs, 1 E. Broad St., Hazleton, Pa. 18201, 570-454-2476, www.hazledrugs.com