By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Your body is a host to many types of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. Some good, some not so good. One of the most common types of fungi in the body is candida albicans.

Perhaps you’ve heard of candida before, maybe in passing conversation or reading a health magazine, and dismissed it as another health buzzword. However, it may be time to pay attention because this opportunistic fungus could be quietly taking over your body! Candida, specifically candida albicans, is a yeast fungus that naturally resides in your body, usually without causing any harm.

Don’t let its benign presence fool you, though. When left unchecked—or when the conditions are right, this crafty organism can quickly overgrow, leading to a condition known as candidiasis, or candida overgrowth. This can wreak havoc on your health, causing symptoms ranging from digestive issues to depression. It’s not fun, and can be serious at times—especially those with a compromised or weakened immune system.

Candida has a unique ability to adapt and thrive in various areas of your body, including your mouth, digestive tract, skin or nails, vagina, and even your bloodstream. Its versatility and opportunistic ability to grow in dark moist places is what allows it to cause such a wide array of health problems.

Our immune system and healthy gut bacteria generally keep candida in check. However, candida is a very opportunistic type of yeast, so when conditions are optimal, it can turn into an uncomfortable overgrowth almost overnight. Conditions that encourage candida growth include:

• High carb, high sugar diet
• Broad spectrum antibiotics
• Corticosteroids
• Food sensitivities/food allergies
• Alcohol—especially wine and beer
• Environmental allergies
• Weakened immune system
• Inflammation
• Stress
• Fighting off another illness
• Vegan diet
• Anemia and other nutritional deficiencies
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes/pre-diabetes
• Oral contraceptives/the ‘Pill’
• Smoking
• Immunosuppressive drugs
• Cancer
• Being in warm, humid weather
• Mold infestation in home
• HIV/AIDS
• Artificial nails

Like a stealthy invader, Candida often slips under the radar because its symptoms are wide ranging and frequently mistaken for other health issues. In fact, many people live with candida overgrowth without even realizing it. How can you tell if this unpleasant guest has taken over your body?

Candida naturally ‘lives’ in the vagina and the digestive system. When one—or more of the conditions listed above are present, candida can quickly start multiplying—often in the gut and the vagina (for women).

Candida overgrowth affects energy levels, brain function, skin, digestion, and moods. Sufferers often report severe brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, joint pain, sinus infections, rashes and weakened immunity. None of this is surprising really, when you consider how closely your gut health is linked to every part of your body.

What Happens if I Have Candida Overgrowth?

1. Yeast Infections–For women, recurring vaginal yeast infections are a sign of candida overgrowth that often starts in the gut and spreads to the vaginal area. Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection typically include redness, intense itching, pain during intercourse, thick white discharge, and ‘yeasty’ odor. Yeast infections in the vagina can be transmitted to your partner (men or women) as well. Yeast overgrowth can also occur in the mouth, causing thrush. Thrush causes painful red, raw patches in sensitive mouth tissues, as well as white patches of fungus, making it painful to eat or drink certain foods.

2. Extreme Fatigue–Candida can interfere with the way your body absorbs nutrients. Healthy bacteria in the gut help break down and metabolize food. Candida overgrowth slows this process down, and causes additional gut inflammation, leading to nutrient deficiencies. Candida overgrowth has been linked to low magnesium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin B6. Low levels of these nutrients often lead to poor energy. People who have chronic fatigue syndrome may be suffering with a candida overgrowth.

3. Brain fog–Candida produces a toxin called acetaldehyde. This is the same toxin that comes from drinking alcohol (ethanol). Acetaldehyde is a known neurotoxin and carcinogenic as well. The toxic chemical that contributes to bad hangovers is the very same toxin released by the candida living in the gut. With a candida infection, you may feel like you have a bad hangover: foggy head, headache, can’t concentrate, extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating. Acetaldehyde also overloads the liver, making it work overtime. Candida infections can also cause moodiness, depression, and irritability.

4. Food sensitivities and digestive disorder–Yeast infections in the gut can cause leaky gut. Once candida is able to root down into your gut lining, it can create a “leaky gut” situation. Partially digested food particles then leak into the bloodstream, causing inflammation and a weakened immune system. This leaky gut condition then creates increased reactions to many foods, nutrient deficiencies, bloating, gas, indigestion, constipation, or diarrhea.

5. Cravings for starchy sugary foods–Candida living in the gut can influence the body to send signals to the brain and cause you to crave the very foods that candida yeasts feed on—sugary, starchy foods. The best thing to do is to avoid all foods with any added sugar, all grains and grain products, fruit, wine, and beer until the overgrowth clears.

6. Skin Problem–Many people suffering from candida overgrowth have skin problems—itchy, peeling skin, dry patches, acne, or rashes. Candida can grow in the folds of your skin as well, such as under the breast area, the buttocks, or in the groin. This dark moist environment is the perfect place for candida to flourish and is difficult to eradicate.

7. Sinusitis– Chronic sinus problems are often the result of fungal infections like candida or mold. These little organisms like to hang out in dark, moist areas inside the nose. Your sinuses are the perfect place for them to multiply, causing you to have a stuffy nose, red, raw patches inside the nose, and sinus headaches.

8. Hormonal imbalances– can be a symptom of candida as well. It is important to recognize that a candida infection can cause worsened menopause/perimenopause symptoms, PMS, low sex drive, migraines, endometriosis, water retention, mood swings, and an inability to lose unwanted pounds. Candida overgrowth causes your body to become inflamed, as the yeast spreads beyond the digestive tract. One of the byproducts of candida can mimic estrogen, leading to a serious hormonal imbalance.

Getting and Keeping Candida Under Control

While it can be nearly impossible to fully eradicate this sneaky fungus, you can take steps to get it—and keep it—under control. Candida generally always lives in your gut—and in small amounts, as it is beneficial. The important thing is to keep it under control.

There are medications that can help kill off candida, but these antifungals often have harsh side effects such as liver toxicity, and candida ‘die-off’. What is candida die-off? Candida die-off may cause symptoms of your yeast infection to temporarily worsen, or it may even cause new symptoms, such as a fever or stomach pain. It is often called the “Herxheimer reaction.” Scientists do not fully understand what causes candida die-off, but it is thought that as the candida cells break open and die, they release harmful substances that temporarily make the symptoms worse.

While medication may temporarily kill of candida, without the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes to keep candida in check, it will just return.

Making dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle changes to keep candida levels low and in balance with the other friendly gut bacteria is the best way to reduce the overgrowth and get candida in check. Preventing candida overgrowth means supporting a healthy immune system in the gut, religiously avoiding sugars and refined carbohydrates, and taking specific probiotics and nutritional supplements.

Here are some simple rules to follow on a Candida Cleanse diet:

1. Avoid all added sugars—sucrose, fructose, cane sugar, beet sugar, glucose syrup, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, agave, etc.
2. Avoid processed foods—they are almost always high in carbohydrates, inflammatory seed oils, processed starches and grains, and sugar.
3. Eat non-starchy vegetables—avoid carrots, beets, potatoes, parsnips, squash, corn, etc.
4. Eat low-sugar fruits—strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and blueberries okay in very small amounts. Avoid bananas, mangoes, pineapple, watermelon, apples, peaches, plums.
5. Enjoy healthy proteins—grass fed meat, organic free-range poultry, wild caught fish, pastured eggs.
6. Use healthy fats and oils—Avoid all omega 6 processed vegetable oils.
7. Avoid all grains.
8. Fermented foods are ok to eat: plain yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchee, cheeses.
9. Avoid alcohol—especially wine and beer or sugary mixed drinks.

It is most important to avoid all types of sugar. Candida albicans uses the sugar in your diet for fuel and to multiply. It also uses sugar to create biofilms that disguise it from your immune system.

Where possible, you should also avoid inflammatory foods like processed foods, alcohol, and caffeine as much as possible while on your anti-candida diet. By doing this, you can lower inflammation, boost gut health, and speed up your recovery.

You can also help your immune function by getting regular sleep of 7-8 hours nightly, getting outside, and getting 30-60 minutes of exercise daily.

Supplements that Help Fight Candida

Any supplements that help boost the immune system are also helpful in regaining control of candida. Over the last decade, common fungi like candida albicans are beginning to develop resistance against prescription antifungal medications. Many people are resorting to natural antifungals instead. These tend to be well-tolerated, have fewer side effects, and are highly effective.

Caprylic acid–Coconut oil is made up of three fatty acids: caprylic acid, capric acid and lauric acid. Of these, caprylic acid is the most important. Taking caprylic acid during your treatment can get your gut health back in balance and help to prevent candida overgrowth again. Studies have shown caprylic acid’s potency to be similar to prescription antifungals.

Caprylic acid damages the cell walls of Candida yeast cells. The short chain fatty acids penetrate the cell wall, where it enters the cell membrane and ruptures it, destroying the entire yeast cell. Multiple studies have found caprylic acid to be effective at killing Candida albicans yeast cells, as well as reducing symptoms in those with chronic Candida infections.

Oregano Oil– Oregano oil capsules may improve gut health in several ways due to its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antibacterial properties. Research shows that the compounds in oregano oil, carvacrol and thymol, can help to treat small intestine bacterial overgrowth, as well as candida overgrowth. Oregano oil is especially effective in killing off candida albicans in the gut. Yeasts and fungi do not develop a tolerance to oregano oil.

Probiotics—Adding healthy bacteria to your gut can help crowd out the unwelcome guests, and protect your digestive system from further invasions. A high-quality probiotic helps restore the healthy diversity of good bacteria in your intestine. There are also several fermented foods that are also very beneficial, if they do not contain any added sugars. Those foods include plain unsweetened yogurt, kimchee, sauerkraut, and some cheeses.

While probiotic supplements can be an individual fit, the best probiotics to battle candida include:

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• L. acidophilus
• L. casei
• L. fermentum
• L. paracasei
• B. lactis
• Bifidobacterium

Berberine—This popular blood sugar-lowering natural supplement is also powerful as an antifungal agent. Berberine is the active ingredient found in barberry, Oregon grape and goldenseal.

A 2016 study found that berberine has antifungal activity against several types of yeast, including antifungal-resistant Candida. Berberine killed off the yeast cells by breaking down the yeast’s membranes. Berberine can also be used alongside antifungal medications to enhance its overall antifungal activity.

Berberine can also be used as an immune stimulant. Its ability to activate macrophages (white blood cells) has been shown to enhance the body’s overall defense system, allowing it to fight not only Candida infection but other invading pathogens.

After your symptoms have subsided, you should continue eating a diet that is high in protein and low starch vegetables, while limiting or avoid grains, fruits, sugar, and high-starch vegetables like white potatoes. Continue to consume fermented foods to help keep your gut in balance and prevent any more candida invasions. Prevention is the key to good gut health.

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References
https://www.mygenefood.com/blog/which-probiotic-strains-get-rid-of-candida/
https://draxe.com/health/candida-symptoms/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21513811/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667795/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4860025/
https://www.apathtonaturalhealth.com/blog/is-your-sugar-addiction-feeding-your-intestinal-candida
https://www.thecandidadiet.com/why-does-candida-need-sugar/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/candida-die-off#causes

The post Candida overgrowth – This Sneaky Fungus Can Take Over Your Body appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

We all want to stay young, energetic, and healthy forever. But unfortunately, that isn’t entirely possible. Longevity is much more than just living a long life, longevity means living the longest, healthiest life possible.

There is good news for all those longevity enthusiasts out there: certain nutrients can actually help slow down the aging process. Longevity is a hot scientific topic these days, and many lifestyles, health habits, nutritional supplements, and medications are now being studied to discover their role in slowing the aging process.

Longevity is more about the “health span” of life, which can be defined as the period of one’s life that one is healthy. A more specific definition is being free from serious disease for as long as possible.

Successful aging means protecting your physical body as well as your mental health. Often, when we do things that are healthy for our physical bodies, these actions benefit our brain health as well. And vice versa. Exercise, for example, is one of the best ways to help protect both our physical health AND our mental health. Our bodies are all interconnected systems, so usually what helps one part of the body, helps the rest of the body.

That is one of the ways we look at nutrients and other supplemental substances—do they benefit more than one system in the body?

One of the most promising new areas of research has to do with energy pathways and metabolism. And one of the most promising supplements in this area is a natural substance called Berberine.

One of the most consistent findings in longevity research is the simple intervention of caloric restriction (CR) for expanding the lifespan. CR protects the body from the deterioration of biological functions, and reduces the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer.

Caloric restriction is defined as caloric reduction of around 20-40% in intake. Beneficial health effects have been shown in organisms such as yeasts, mice, all the way up to Rhesus monkeys and humans—and ongoing research is being conducted with humans.

More recent research has shown that periods of fasting and restricting eating to active hours also boost health. Other scientific studies show that those that lived the longest had much better metabolic health, lower overall blood sugar and better insulin sensitivity.

This is where berberine comes in. Berberine has been receiving plenty of scientific attention because of its ability to regulate blood sugar levels and to activate the longevity pathway AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) which is your metabolism’s “master switch.” AMPK is an enzyme found in cells, that helps regulate cell energy.

ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is an energy-carrying molecule that is found in the cells of all living things. ATP obtains energy from the breakdown of food, and releases it to fuel other cellular processes.

When ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) levels in the cells are low, berberine activates AMPK which in turn regulates the signaling pathways to replenish ATP supplies in cells and ramp up fatty acid oxidation. So berberine helps to boost your energy by telling the body to burn more fat for energy.

What is Berberine?

Berberine is an alkaloid compound made from plants such as the barberry plant. Berberine is being researched to be one of the most effective natural supplements available in terms of longevity, blood sugar metabolism, heart disease, cancer, weight loss, and diabetes management.

Berberine has some pretty awe-inspiring health benefits and impacts your body at the molecular level. Berberine is one of the few supplements that has been found to be as effective as a pharmaceutical drug—in several different ways.

Weight Loss

Because one of the primary actions of berberine is to lower blood sugar and mimic calorie restriction, berberine is effective in helping people lose weight. A study on the effects of berberine on body fat showed that a 500mg supplement of berberine three times a day (standard sized dose) for just 12 weeks, resulted in an average loss of 5 pounds—with no other lifestyle modifications such as calorie restriction or exercise. Body fat was reduced by 3.6%. Another study of people taking berberine showed an overall reduction in BMI—from 32 to 27.

Cholesterol-Lowering

This same study showed that participants’ cholesterol was also reduced cholesterol—primarily LDL and triglycerides—two types of blood lipids doctors consider to be risk factors for heart disease and strokes.

In this study, overall cholesterol was reduced by .61 mmol/L or 24 mg/DL. LDL decreased by 25mg/DL and triglycerides were reduced 44mg/DL.

Berberine studies have also documented lower apolipoprotein B by 13-15%, a critical risk factor for heart disease and strokes. Apolipoprotein B is a protein involved in metabolism of lipids and is the main protein component of lipoproteins like very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and low-density lipoprotein. VLDL is considered a major factor in heart disease.

According to some studies, berberine works by inhibiting an enzyme called PCSK9, which allows the body to remove more LDL and VLDL from the bloodstream.

Berberine and Diabetes

Berberine has been studied for its effects on blood sugar. Study results showed a significant blood glucose-lowering effect with berberine. In one study, berberine was found to significantly decrease HbA1c levels in diabetic patients.

The effect of decreasing HbA1c was comparable to that of metformin, a widely used pharmaceutical oral hypoglycemic medication, also known as Glucophage. Several impressive studies show that berberine can lower blood glucose as effectively as metformin–without the negative side effects.

Taken alone, as monotherapy, berberine improved all glycemic parameters including HbA1c, Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) and Postprandial Plasma Glucose (PPG).

Berberine also decreased insulin resistance, helping to make the body more insulin sensitive, which makes insulin do its job at lowering blood glucose more effectively. In addition, berberine–

• Increases glycolysis, the breakdown of glucose inside cells.
• Decreases glucose production in the liver.
• Slowed the digestion of carbohydrates.
• Increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Two of the best-known peer-reviewed studies published in the journals Metabolism and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology compared berberine in one group to metformin (Glucophage) in another group. The berberine group had very similar blood sugar-lowering effects as the metformin group.

• Hemoglobin A1c decreased from 9.5% to 7.5%
• Fasting blood glucose (FBG) decreased from 190.8 to 124.2 mg/dl
• Postprandial blood glucose (PBG) decreased from 356.4 to 199.8 mg/dl
• Triglycerides from 100.5 to 79.2 mg/dl

In addition, utilizing berberine also effectively reduced the patients’ triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and blood pressure–three things that metformin does not.

Berberine and Cancer

Berberine’s health and longevity benefits are not limited to just blood sugar and cholesterol. Berberine is being studied for other health benefits including its ability to kill cancer cells and prevent their spread. Research conducted thus far has shown that berberine is effective at stopping the growth and spread of several different types of cancer including breast, lung, gastric, liver, colorectal, ovarian, cervical, and prostate cancer.

Berberine’s mechanisms of action include inhibiting cancer cell growth, suppressing cancer metastasis, inducing apoptosis (cancer cell death), activating autophagy (cell cleanup of dysfunctional cells), regulating the gut microbiota, and improving the effects of anticancer drugs and other natural anticancer supplements. Berberine has also been found to have a synergistic effect when paired with curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric), as well as several anticancer drugs.

This study published in Biomed Research International reported the synergetic anticancer activity of curcumin and berberine, inducing a cell death of more than 77%, compared to pure berberine, which was <45% and curcumin with <54% on average.

Other recent studies have shown that berberine can be used in combination with chemotherapy agents. Berberine seems to boost chemosensitivity, making the chemotherapy drugs more effective at lower doses, while reducing the unpleasant side effects of the chemotherapy.

Other Health and Longevity Benefits

Berberine also possess strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, fights depression, helps prevent or reverse fatty liver disease, reduces risk of heart failure, and fights harmful pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. It is safe to say that berberine is a healthy longevity supplement with many different actions. These positive health effects are so powerful that scientists believe that berberine truly can add to a person’s healthy longevity.

Researchers are hard at work trying to isolate and study substances in berberine that make it such an effective and powerful natural longevity supplement.

How to Take Berberine

Many studies discuss dosages of berberine from 500mg to 2700mg daily. A usual dose is 500 mg, three times daily before meals.

Berberine has a short half-life lasting only a few hours, so it is critical to spread your dosage several times daily to attain steady blood levels.

In general, berberine has an excellent safety profile. The main side effects of berberine are some reports of constipation, cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, or stomach pain.

Berberine is not very bioavailable, but new forms of berberine are becoming available as berberine hydrocholoride or liposomal berberine to help its absorbability.

While berberine has been compared to metformin, the diabetes medication, berberine has health and longevity qualities far beyond what metformin is capable of, with its long list of lipid-lowering, blood sugar lowering, cancer-fighting, heart disease fighting, AMPK-activating actions. As a natural supplement, it also has far fewer negative side effects than metformin as well.

While it’s attractive to just take a pill that helps to increase longevity, don’t forget the massive health and longevity benefits of exercise for both your brain and body, the power of a good night’s sleep, the rejuvenating effects of getting outside, the relief of stress reduction and the importance of lowering inflammation.

Here’s to your health on your 100th birthday!

References
https://www.testing.com/tests/apo-b/
https://www.britannica.com/science/adenosine-triphosphate
https://youthandearth.com/blogs/blog/berberine
https://longevity.technology/lifestyle/berberine-benefits-side-effects-and-dosage/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24058-autophagy
https://longevity.technology/lifestyle/how-long-does-it-take-for-berberine-to-work/

The post Is Berberine the New Longevity Solution? appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Type 2 diabetes is fast becoming a real epidemic in civilized countries. The statistics show an ever-increasing trend of obesity, diabetes and its related complications like heart disease, kidney disease and peripheral neuropathy. Many experts are convinced that this fast-growing tidal wave of diabetes is the result of the global expansion of sugar, sugary soft drinks and major food corporations getting people addicted to terrible processed foods that are cheaper than most healthy foods and are heavily advertised to the masses.

However, type 2 diabetes has the potential to be completely reversed following dietary and lifestyle changes that dramatically reduce or eliminate sugar and starches.

Relying on lowering blood sugar with medication or insulin will not improve one’s health, nor will it counteract the effects of diabetes. In fact, relying on medications to lower blood sugar actually does NOT reduce the risk of death from any of the related health complications of diabetes of stroke, heart attacks, infections, and kidney disease. Aside from the fact that diabetes drugs do not actually do anything positive for a diabetic’s health, there are many negative side effects, many of which can be downright deadly.

In one large study, called the ACCORD study, that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008, the 10,000 patients who were being treated with insulin or blood sugar-lowering drugs were monitored and evaluated for their risk of heart attack, strokes and death. The National Institutes of Health ended the study early because the medical intervention was leading to MORE deaths, heart attacks, and strokes.

Many of the conventional medical methods for lowering blood sugar actually increase insulin levels, which in turn causes more harm overall. Avandia, one of the world’s best-selling diabetes drugs, has over 50,000 lawsuits filed in the United States alone, because the drug makers failed to inform patients about possible life-threatening side-effects that include stroke, heart failure, heart attack, bone fractures, vision loss and death.

While many of these drugs do lower blood glucose levels, there seems to be no real evidence that any of the diabetes drugs actually reduce the risk of the complications of diabetes.

Most diabetes medications aim to increase insulin in the body to counteract the ever-rising levels of glucose. One of the big issues with this conventional treatment is the negative side effects that actually seem to exacerbate the complications of diabetes. Below is a list of most used diabetes meds and their primary side effects:

• Metformin — Metformin increases insulin sensitivity. Metformin also lowers glucose production in the liver. Side effects include nausea and diarrhea, and weight gain. Another significant, documented side effect of Metformin is Vitamin B12 depletion, further increasing the chances of neuropathy.
• Sulfonylureas—This class of medications help your body secrete more insulin. Side effects include low blood sugar and weight gain.
• Meglitinides – These medications stimulate the pancreas to secrete more insulin. Side effects include low blood sugar and weight gain.
• Thiazolidinediones – Like metformin, these medications make the body’s tissues more sensitive to insulin. This class of medications has been linked to weight gain and increased risk of heart failure and fractures. Rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos) are examples of thiazolidinediones.
• SGLT2 inhibitors. They prevent the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar into the blood. Instead, the sugar is excreted in the urine. Side effects may include yeast infections, urinary tract infections, increased urination and hypotension.
• Insulin therapy. Some people need insulin therapy as well. Insulin lowers blood glucose and is a fat storing hormone, so it causes weight gain. Insulin promotes inflammation in the body when used in excess, causes hormone imbalance and increases body fat storage.

Keep in mind, however, that while most of these diabetes medications may lower blood sugar levels, increase insulin, or make the body more sensitive to insulin, they still do not prevent the serious and life-threatening complications of diabetes: High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, poor sex drive, infertility, blood clots, kidney failure, infections and amputations, cancer, depression, heart disease, strokes, and Alzheimer’s, and more.

Insulin treatment also creates a greater susceptibility to cancer. The connection between diabetes and cancer is fairly clear—in fact, several studies have shown up to a 30% great likelihood that diabetic patients on supplemental insulin can develop colon, breast or prostate cancers.

Berberine for Type 2 Diabetes Shown to be as Effective as Diabetes Medication

There are a few natural solutions to helping to treat type 2 diabetes, and berberine is one that has a strong background of being especially effective for type 2 diabetes.

Berberine is a powerful plant extract with several impressive health benefits. It can effectively lower blood sugar, help with weight loss and improve heart health—two things that most pharmaceutical diabetic medications cannot do. It is also anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial and is effective against diarrhea, intestinal parasites, Candida albicans, and possibly Methicillin-resistant staph aureus.

Berberine works to:

• Decrease insulin resistance, making the blood sugar lowering hormone insulin more effective.
• Increase glycolysis, the breakdown of glucose inside cells.
• Decrease glucose production in the liver.
• Slow the digestion of carbohydrates.
• Increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
  
  

Berberine is a bioactive plant extract that comes from several different types of plants, including goldthread, Oregon grape root, barberry, tree turmeric and goldenseal. It has been used in both Ayruvedic and Chinese medicine for more than 2500 years and is now being used and studied extensively in the modern world.

Several impressive studies show that berberine can lower blood glucose as effectively as the drug metformin, without the negative side effects. Two of the best-known peer-reviewed studies published in the journals Metabolism and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology compared berberine in one group to metformin (Glucophage) in another group. The berberine group had very similar blood sugar-lowering effects as the metformin group. In addition, the berberine also effectively reduced the patients’ A1C, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and blood pressure… Three things that metformin cannot do!

• Hemoglobin A1c decreased from 9.5% to 7.5% (about a 21% reduction)
• Fasting blood glucose (FBG) decreased from 190.8 to 124.2 mg/dl
• Postprandial blood glucose (PBG) decreased from 356.4 to 199.8 mg/dl
• Triglycerides from 100.5 to 79.2 mg/dl

Berberine works by stimulating uptake of glucose into the cells, improves insulin sensitivity, and reducing glucose production in the liver. This review published in the International Journal of Endocrinology further expanded on berberine’s role in treating type diabetes:

            “BBR [berberine] is used to treat diabetic nephropathy (DPN), diabetic neuropathy (DN), and diabetic cardiomyopathy due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.”

How does berberine work?

Berberine works by activating a metabolism-regulating enzyme within the body’s cells called AMPK (adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase).  Yes, that’s a mouthful! AMPK regulates a variety of biological activities that normalize lipid, glucose, and energy imbalances. Think of AMPK as your metabolic master switch. Definitely something you want to keep switched to ‘ON’!

Metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes, occurs when these AMPK pathways are switched off. This triggers high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and energy issues. AMPK shifts energy to cellular repair and maintenance. Activating AMPK produces similar benefits for diabetes and metabolic syndrome as exercise, dieting and weight loss.

Berberine and Weight Loss

When overweight adults took 500mg of berberine 3 times daily for 12 weeks, they easily lost an average of 5 pounds. The researchers note that, “…berberine has potential clinical application in reducing visceral fat and controlling obesity.”

Berberine has the ability to inhibit fat storage and also improves insulin function, leptin and adiponectin. Leptin is a very powerful hormone produced by fat cells. It tells your brain whether you should eat or not. Leptin is the way your fat cells speak to your brain. If Leptin signaling is working, when fat stores are full, they cause a surge in leptin which tells your brain to stop eating and storing fat. The problem is of course, when this signaling goes awry, it causes excessive eating and fat storage.

Adonipectin is a hormone secreted by fat cells that helps control glucose regulation and fatty acid oxidation. Obese people are often low in adonipectin, but berberine helps to increase adonipectin which helps to normalize metabolic function.

So, the bottom line here is that berberine could reduce the size of your fat cells and cut down on the number of them as well.

Berberine is also thought to enhance brown fat, which is a heat-generating special type of fat that burns energy instead of storing it. It is loaded with active mitochondria cells that convert this fat into energy which produces heat. This animal study shows how berberine increases energy expenditure, helps burn fat, improves cold tolerance and enhances active brown adipose tissue.

Berberine for Memory and Cognitive Function

Blood sugar levels, insulin sensitivity and diabetes go hand in hand with memory and cognitive dysfunction. In fact, it is now thought that high blood sugar and diabetes are connected to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Berberine has been found to enhance memory function in some animal studies, by preserving a brain chemical, acetylcholine, that is important for memory, focus and cognition. The result for berberine was improved learning and memory, along with lower oxidative stress.

How to take Berberine

According to Dr. Josh Axe, berberine should be taken two to three times a day. Generally, most studies have used safe dosages starting at 500 mg a dose. So, 500 mg two to three times a day is a good place to start. Take berberine with a meal or on a full stomach to avoid any stomach upset and to take advantage of the post meal glucose and lipid spike that often occurs. It is best to start with just one dose/day and increase slowly to ensure they can stay in control.

When you take berberine, please note that insulin may need to be cut back significantly, so monitor blood sugar frequently.  Many diabetics have been able to totally stop their other pharmaceutical diabetes medications, with the inclusion of berberine. Be sure to monitor blood sugar regularly and consult your physician. Look for a berberine product with a standardized berberine extract so that the dosages and strength are consistent.

Berberine Side Effects

If you have a medical condition or are on any medications, including antibiotics, then it is highly recommended that you speak to your doctor. This is especially important if you are currently taking blood sugar-lowering medications, so that your physician can monitor your blood sugar and current medication levels.

Diabetics who are using other medications must use caution when using this supplement to avoid dangerously low blood sugar levels. People with low blood pressure should also be careful when using it since it can naturally lower blood pressure. Pregnant and nursing women should not take berberine.

Overall, this natural compound has an outstanding safety profile. Primary side effects are minor, but could result in some cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation or mild stomach pain. Stay with the smaller dosages — spread out through your day and after meals — to avoid most of these side effects.

In addition to its huge benefits for diabetes, berberine is helpful for other health issues as well including:

• Anti-aging
• Gastrointestinal infections
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Immune challenges
• Joint problems
• Low bone density

Stay tuned for more info on berberine, as there are many ongoing studies on its effectiveness as a powerful natural health aid.

Along with berberine did you know that this food is the fastest way to lower A1C, and big pharma wants this taken down immediately…

According to the US National Library of Medicine, there’s one special food you should be eating daily.

Because for folks with blood sugar issues, it works just as well (or even better) than metformin.

No one wants to take meds like metformin for the rest of their lives. So if you’d like to dump yours in the trash, you should try this out.

Put all the horrible side effects of metformin behind you. No more diarrhea, stomach aches, feeling sick or losing your appetite.

Instead, you just enjoy this tasty food every day to lower your A1C and lose weight at the same time.

To get the full story and learn which special food to eat, watch the complimentary video here.

P.S. Big pharma wants this taken down, so be sure to watch now while you still can.

References
https://draxe.com/berberine/
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms6493
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/06/22/berberine-benefits.aspx
http://www.life-enhancement.com/magazine/article/2439-berberine-is-superior-to-metformin
https://www.schoolafm.com/ws_clinical_know/blood-sugar-busting-berberine/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03029390
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351199

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