Reverse

HIDDEN CAUSES of

High Blood Sugar

BY J U L I A N W H I TA K E R, M D

Topics

in

This Report

Hidden Cause #1: Daily Consumption of Red MeatEspecially Processed......1

Hidden Cause #2: Drinking a Sugar-Sweetened
Soft Drink Each Day.........................................................................................2
Hidden Cause #3: Having Too Much Visceral Fat and Not Enough
Subcutaneous Fat..............................................................................................3
Hidden Cause #4: Prescription Drugs..................................................................4
Hidden Cause #5: Smoking..................................................................................5
Anti-Psychotic Drugs Linked to Blood Sugar Problems....................................5
Hidden Cause #6: Nutritional Deficiencies.........................................................6
The Link Between Vitamin D and Blood Sugar............................................8
In Closing.............................................................................................................8

Note: Julian Whitaker, MD, has extensive experience in the areas of preventive
medicine and natural healing. All recommendations in this report have met stringent criteria for safety and effectiveness; however, they have not been reviewed by
the Food and Drug Administration. The recommendations in this report are not
intended to replace the advice of your physician, and you are encouraged to seek
advice from competent medical professionals for your personal health needs.

Reverse Hidden Causes of

HighBlood Sugar
Blood sugar problems are primarily a result of an unhealthy
lifestyle, which is why, in most cases, a few adjustments in how you
go about your daily life can lower your risk. Some of these changes
are obviousavoid sweets, maintain your optimal weight, get more
exercise, etc. But there are other things that you may not realize
are contributing to the problem.
In this report, Im going to tell you about some of the hidden
causes of high blood sugar, and show you how easy it can be to
eliminate them from your life so you have a better chance of maintaining healthy blood sugar.

Hidden Cause #1: Daily Consumption of Red Meat

Especially Processed
If you enjoy eating a couple of slices of bacon every day, you
are wreaking havoc not only on your waistline but on your blood
sugar as well. As early as the 1920s it was demonstrated that a high
saturated fat diet causes weight gain and decreases insulin sensitivity.But newer research has found that red meatparticularly processed red meatcan really raise your risk for high blood sugar.
According to research conducted at Harvard and published in
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, frequent consumption
of processed meats such as hot dogs and bacon doubles your risk
of blood sugar issues. More specifically, the researchers discovered
that people who ate 50 grams of processed meat, which equates
to one hot dog or sausage or two slices of bacon, every day had
a 51percent greater risk of blood sugar problems. They also
found that eating 100 grams (about the size of a deck of cards)
of unprocessed red meat daily was associated with a 19 percent
increased risk.

The good news is the researchers also found that for the people
who ate one serving of red meat daily they could lower their risk
by replacing it with a serving of whole grains (23 percent reduction), nuts (21 percent), or low-fat dairy (17 percent).
My advice is to limit your consumption of red meat to no more
than one serving per week and incorporate the foods mentioned
above into your daily diet.

Hidden Cause #2: Drinking a Sugar-Sweetened

Soft Drink Each Day
If you want to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, daily consumption of red meat isnt the only dietary culprit to watch out
for. If you have a habit of drinking a soda or some other sugarsweetened soft drink (iced tea, energy drink, fruit juice, etc.)
every day, you are putting yourself at increased risk of developing
blood sugar problems.
A meta-analysis published in the journal Diabetes Care found
that people who drank 12 sugar-sweetened beverages per day had
a 26 percent higher risk of blood sugar issues compared with those
who never drank them or had less than one serving per month.
There are two primary types of sugars that are added to foods:
sucrose and fructose. For years, conventional wisdom believed that
sucrose (or white sugar) was to blame for virtually all of the health
problems associated with excess sugar intake. Meanwhile, fructose
(sometimes called fruit sugar since it occurs naturally in fruit) got
off scot-free.
This partly explains why high fructose corn syrup has overtaken sucrose as the sweetener of choice in drinks and processed
foods. But the latest research suggests that fructose has unique,
even more harmful effects, which contribute to a host of blood
sugar issues. This doesnt mean sucrose is healthierit is rapidly
broken down into about the same percentage of fructose as high
fructose corn syrup. So from a health perspective, high fructose

corn syrup, sucrose, and most other sugars are more similar than
different. They all drive up blood sugar and insulin and provide
no significant nutritional value other than calories. Thats why its
best if you cut them out of your diet.
And, if you think artificial sweeteners are a healthy alternative, think again. There is a wealth of research documenting the
harmful effects of artificial sweeteners. For example, more than
75 percent of all non-drug complaints to the FDA are about
aspartame. These complaints include headaches, dizziness, mood
changes, numbness, vomiting or nausea, muscle cramps and
spasms, and abdominal pain and cramps.
The bottom line: If you truly want to lower your risk of blood
sugar problems, you should avoid sugar- and artificially-sweetened
beverages and stick to water, coffee, and tea. And if you want to
sweeten your coffee or tea, use natural sugar substitutes instead.
My two favorites are stevia and xylitol.

Hidden Cause #3: Having Too Much Visceral Fat and

Not Enough Subcutaneous Fat
Most people know that being overweight and having too much
body fat increases risk of blood sugar problems. But what they may
not realize is that all fat isnt created equal. There are two main
types of body fat: visceral and subcutaneous.
Most visceral fat (or belly fat)lies within the abdominal cavity, surrounding the intestines, liver, kidneys, and other organs,
and too much of it is associated with increased risk of blood sugar
problems, cardiovascular concerns, and other health issues. In fact,
many scientists believe that waist circumference may be the most
reliable predictor of blood sugar and heart problems.
On the other hand, subcutaneous fat, which tends to accumulate on the hips, thighs, arms, and elsewhere may not be any
prettier, but it poses less of a health risk. Thats because its stored
right under the skin. In fact, research has shown that subcutaneous

fatparticularly in the glutescan actually help prevent blood

sugar concerns.
Based on this research, when it comes to losing weight in
order to get a handle on blood sugar, you should focus on losing
your belly fat. The good news is visceral fat breaks down more
quickly than subcutaneous fat. So for starters, exercise more. As
stored fat is mobilized for energy, the fat cells in your belly will
be the first to shrink. According to American College of Sports
Medicine guidelines, a minimum of four hours of moderately
intense physical activity per week is necessary for clinically significant weight loss. Unfortunately, virtually all experts agree
that you cant depend on exercise aloneyou also must make
changes in your eating habits.
Some people do well simply by cutting portion sizes and eating a healthier diet. A study involving nearly 500,000 European
men and women found that those with the greatest adherence to
a Mediterranean diethigh in fiber and plant foods and low in
saturated fatwere the least likely to have abdominal obesity. My
experience, however, has been that a low-carbohydrate diet works
best when insulin resistance is an issue. It puts your body in a fatburning mode and helps control appetite by cutting down on blood
sugar swings that cause food cravings.
Men, if your waist circumference is more than 40 inchesand
women, if yours is more than 35 inchesyou need to take action
now. I know from personal experience that weight loss can be
tough, but its worth it. Dropping just 10 percent of your current
weight provides tremendous and lasting health benefits.

Hidden Cause #4: Prescription Drugs

Taking certain prescription drugs can increase your risk of
developing blood sugar problems. Common culprits include: statin
cholesterol-lowering drugs, antidepressants, corticosteroids (to
treat asthma and autoimmune disorders), thiazide diuretics (for
heart failure and high blood pressure), beta blockers (to treat

Anti-Psychotic Drugs Linked to Blood Sugar Problems

Although its not widely publicized by mainstream media and even
doctors, anti-psychotic medications have been linked to an increased
risk of blood sugar issues.
In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology,
researchers from the University of Illinois followed approximately
16,000 patients who had no history of blood sugar problems and
started taking either Zyprexa (olanzapine), Risperdal (risperidone),
Seroquel (quetiapine), or Haldol (haloperidol) for a little more than a
year. They found that all of these medications were associated with the
development of blood sugar problems.
Furthermore, there have been several case reports and subsequent
studies on the association between blood sugar issues and Zyprexa,
which is one of the top-selling anti-psychotic drugs. One such study
published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that Zyprexa
increased risk of blood sugar issues by 90 percent; and after just three
months of using the medication. And other research that was conducted before the FDA even approved the drug (but was withheld)
found it more than tripled the risk of blood sugar problems!

hypertension), and anti-psychotics (for bipolar disorder and other

psychiatric diagnoses; see the box above for more about the link
between anti-psychotic medications and blood sugar problems).
If you are taking these medications talk to your doctor about safe,
natural alternatives to these side effectriddled drugs. Note:Dont
stop taking your medication on your own, as this can be dangerous.

Hidden Cause #5: Smoking

Everyone knows smoking increases your risk of cancer, but
many probably dont know that it is also linked with an increased
risk of blood sugar problems. People who smoke are more likely
to have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and other lipid
abnormalities as wellrisk factors that are associated with insulin
resistance and other blood sugarrelated issues.

I recognize that quitting smoking is easier said than done. For

most folks, the desire to quit smoking is there, but the intense
cravings for nicotine thwart even the best intentions. Here are a
few tips to help you kick the smoking habit:
1. Take a walk. Exercise can help suppress nicotine cravings.
2. Take 5001,000 mg of buffered vitamin C whenever you feel a
craving, up to a maximum of 10,000 mg per day (high doses may
cause GI upset).
3. Consider cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES). Most commonly used to treat stress, anxiety, insomnia, and pain, this therapywhich works by transmitting microcurrents to the brain via
electrodes that clip onto your earswas recently put to the test
in a group of 1,000 smokers. A whopping 97.2percent reported
that a 20-minute session of CES eliminated their desire for a
cigarette, typically in as little as one to five minutes. And cravings were held at bay for an average of two to eight hours.

Though this study only examined the effects of CES on a single

craving episode, the overwhelmingly positive results suggest that
regular use could potentially aid in permanent smoking cessation.
The best-studied brand is Alpha-Stim (alpha-stim.com). CES units
are somewhat pricey, and they do require a prescription. However, if
you or a loved one need some extra help with smoking cessation, I
suggest you consider this therapy.

Hidden Cause #6: Nutritional Deficiencies

I believe that a good daily multivitamin is essential for optimal
health, especially as we get older. Therapeutic doses of a broad
range of vitamins and minerals help protect against some of our
most prevalent health concerns, including blood sugar issues. (See
the box on page 8 for more about how nutrient deficiencies can
cause blood sugar problems.)

Thats why I recommend that everyone, regardless of age or

health status, take a high-quality multivitamin every day. See
below for the nutrients and dosages I recommend:
Recommended Ingredients and Dosage Levels
for a Multivitamin
Vitamin A (as beta-carotene
15,000 IU
from mixed carotenoids)
Vitamin C

5001,000 mg

Vitamin D3

a minimum of 800 IU

Vitamin E

200300 IU

Thiamine

50 mg

Riboflavin

50 mg

Niacin

100 mg

Vitamin B6

75 mg

Folic Acid

800 mcg

Vitamin B12

150 mcg

Biotin

300 mcg

Pantothenic Acid

50 mg

Iodine

150 mcg

Magnesium

250500 mg

Calcium

1,000 mg

Selenium

200 mcg

Chromium

200 mcg

Manganese

10 mg

Zinc

30 mg

Copper

2 mg

Choline

200 mg

Molybdenum

130 mcg

The Link Between Vitamin D and Blood Sugar

Several studies have demonstrated that there is a close association between low levels of vitamin D and increased risk for developing
blood sugar problems. Vitamin D deficiencies have also been directly
linked to metabolic syndromea condition characterized by insulin
resistance, excess weight, and multiple cardiovascular risk factors.
In one study, which appeared in theBritish Journal of Nutrition, New
Zealand researchers concluded that increasing levels of vitaminD can
improve insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity, two major risk factors
for developing blood sugar concerns. According to the researchers, participants taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily for six months showed significant improvements in both insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance.
These improvementswere alsoaccompanied by a decrease in fasting
insulin levels, which is more great news for those struggling with blood
sugarrelated health concerns.
As you may know, vitamin D is synthesized when your skin is
exposed to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation from the sun. This fat-soluble
vitamin is then transported to the liver and kidneys, where it is converted into the biologically active forms required by tissues throughout
your body. So if you dont get enough sun exposure, theres a good
chance you are deficient in this important vitamin.
Although people are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D during the winter season (due to spending more time indoors and the
suns rays are weaker), for optimal health and well-being it is important
to maintain adequate vitamin D levels year round. Thats why I recommend you spend some time in the sun whenever possible and also
have your vitamin D blood level tested and take enough supplemental
vitamin D3 to keep it in the optimal range of 5080 ng/mL.

In Closing
While addressing all of these hidden causes of high blood sugar
is the best approach, even tackling just a few of them can have a
tremendous positive effectnot only on your blood sugar but on
your overall health and well-being. So why not get started today?

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