A signifi cant way to improve the impact of diabetes educa- tion is to include these concepts in discussions with family members, your own healthcare practitioners, and if applicable, your patients, too. When people have a basic understanding of how blood sugar affects every aspect of their bodies, they can formulate better questions for those who help manage their health, and make much more well-informed decisions about the medications they take, the food they eat, and the activi- ties with which they involve themselves. We need to educate ourselves with information (sometimes, down to the most microscopic detail) in order to help empower those around us battling this disease. With diabetes predicted to become the 7th leading cause of death by the year 2030, it is incredibly impor- tant to explore prevention and long term care avenues now.
With that said, the reality of how to move forward after reading this primer in cellular endocrinology is quite simple. Until advanced pharmaceutical interventions that directly ad- dress the metabolic pathways discussed here are developed, we turn to current medications and interventions that have mounting evidence in support of their use. As the research shows, Metformin, often considered fi rst line therapy for newly diagnosed diabetes and pre-diabetics, is not only a moder- ate glucose lowering agent, but also has the ability to inhibit mTOR, which promotes proper cell apoptosis and autophagy. The drug also has positive effects on the SIRT1 pathway, restor- ing insulin sensitivity in podocytes, which is critical to healthy kidney function.
For the more naturopathically inclined, natural sources
of mTOR-inhibiting, SIRT1-promoting, ceramide fl ow-freeing substances are abundant. In his paper entitled, “Inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling by Natural Products,” Dr. Shile Huang compiles an excellent resource list for natural ways to reduce oxidative stress from glucolipotoxicity. Perhaps the most surprising endorsement his writings provide is for non-GMO soy, a rich source of isofl avones. Oft the victim of much nutri- tional scrutiny, perhaps more investigation and consideration is needed before we as a society can write off an entire food source of nutrition and benefi cial antioxidants.
All things considered, cellular endocrinology is an ex- tremely nuanced fi eld with vast opportunities for diagnostic and clinical investigation. With each discovery of pathways infl uenced by sugar dysregulation, we fi nd more and more validation of the overarching benefi ts of complete nutrition and healthy lifestyles. This can only be seen as a growing body of evidence in favor of natural medicine integrated with conven- tional healthcare, and should ultimately promote changes to the education of medical professionals in the management of chronic diseases like Diabetes mellitus. Deeper understanding of human anatomy and physiology, combined with the use of integrative methods to address dysfunctional cellular metabo- lism, may just be the 1-2 punch we need to knock out this public health crisis.
Dr. Andrea Colon and Dr. Lauren Young are naturopathic physicians at Collaborative Natural Health Partners in Manchester, CT. Dr. Colon is accepting new patients and accepts insurance. She loves working closely with patients of all ages to tailor customized treatment plans. For an appointment call 860.533-0179 or visit
ctnaturalhealth.com. See ad on page 28.
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