Affordable Alternative Healthcare for Uninsured or Underinsured Diabetics

The National Institutes of Health suggests that every 20 seconds an American is diagnosed with Type II diabetes. It is a deadly healthcare dilemma in the United States, a country whose population of diabetics outweigh just about every other nation on Earth. The disease can range from mild - when well controlled - to forced amputations and kidney failure at its worst and least treated. Many Americans do not consider the disease a threat, so commonplace is its settlement into our modern, fast-food lifestyle. But diabetes can kill, even before you know you have the disease, and once discovered, it can drain the finances of its victims who have little or no healthcare. But there are alternatives to conventional diabetes treatments, and safe natural additions to conventional medications, that while often not covered by traditional health insurance, can be affordable and life-changing even in their simplest forms.

Currently, diabetes medications come in five different categories. Most medications aim to control the amount of insulin produced by the body - to produce more of it since the pancreas no longer has the ability to regulate it naturally and effectively with diabetes. Any doctor will tell a newly diagnosed diabetic that weight control is often the most important and first step in treating this insidious disease.

Diet - Since most diabetics are, at least, somewhat overweight, and many are severely so, it is infinitely important for a diabetic to watch what they eat and how often they eat it. Simply learning how to live a diabetic diet can reduce the instability in blood sugar levels, and loosing even 7% of one's body weight (if overweight) can significantly reduce the dangerous effects of diabetes on the body. I have personally known more than a few people who have been diagnosed with a severe and advanced form of type II diabetes who have controlled its advancement mostly through the positive effects of diet and exercise. And this always saves the diabetic thousands of dollars in medical expenses each year.

Exercise - While exercise does not seem all that "alternative", it truly is. According to most health and fitness statistics, Americans get less than 30 minutes of meaningful and productive exercise each week. This is not enough to combat the symptoms and signs of premature aging, of heart disease, or diabetes. Controlling diabetes can often be as easy as eating right and maintaining a healthy and active exercise program. It is always important to check with your doctor regarding the best exercise program for you, but diabetes can be significantly altered with just simple and regular exercise. Even for more advanced cases the results can be astounding. According to the American Council on Exercise, "Acute and regular exercise impacts metabolic function and overall health in individuals with diabetes." A regular fitness program, designed with the diabetic in mind, could significantly lower healthcare costs for this segment of the American populace. Both Pilates and yoga are excellent forms of gentle exercise for the diabetic. Most health clubs and fitness centers have trained instructors who can help construct a fitness program just for the diabetic. But even if one can only afford a one-time consultation with a fitness instructor, often the routine can be designed for, but maintained by the diabetic alone.

Acupuncture - Not only does this, often, inexpensive and highly effective treatment aide in the many pain management issues with diabetics, it helps to lower blood sugar levels. Diabetics are often treated with a combination of acupuncture designed specifically for the diabetic, but also, with Chinese herbal treatments. For centuries, the Chinese have effectively treated this disease and much of it through acupuncture, herbs and a natural medicinally-relevant diet. Acupuncture is most effective for diabetics who have only had the disease for 3 years or less, in those who are younger, and with patients willing to take the course of their disease into their own hands through healthy living. Without the cooperation of the diabetic, it is often difficult for even strong conventional medications to fully tackle this disease. Diabetes, unlike so many other diseases, is very much affected by the amount of effort the diabetic puts into treating his or her own disease. The American society makes it difficult for any disease sufferers to realize their own responsibility in combating disease. While it is important not to feel guilt for the illnesses we suffer as humans, often, we lay claim to self-pity and lose the opportunity to realize the amazing healing capacity of our own bodies. If only we will aide and support the healing processes already naturally within us, many of our illnesses would not advance with the furious pace of America's declining health.

Guided Imagery - From migraines to labor pains, guided imagery (relaxing and mentally placing oneself in a perfectly safe environment) can take the afflicted from sufferer to conqueror in mere moments. Diabetes has been effectively managed through guided imagery for many years in American alternative health. Because the process involves several steps, it is best to read the excellent information provided at Holistic.com for diabetics and guided imagery. Click here for more information. There has been much evidence to support the effectiveness in treating blood sugar levels in diabetics by lowering stress. Diabetes is an inflammatory disease and stress encourages the destructive nature of diabetes. Relaxation aides the immune system and causes a natural anti-inflammatory response.

Aromatherapy - Often considered just a candle or a bit of incense, this highly effective and calming treatment for just about any ailment - from nausea to chronic pain - can also treat diabetes, and it can do so quite effectively and for very little cash. Along with the other aspects of treatment, aromatherapy can become a regular part of a diabetic's inexpensive healthcare treatment plan. "Aromatherapy is the practice of utilizing essential oils (extracted from plants and concentrated) to improve the condition of the mind or body," from www.readaboutdiabetes.com. Juniper and Eucalyptus have long been considered the most effective essential oils in treating this chronic and inflammatory disease, and like most other alternative treatments, as part of a whole, aromatherapy can create a home or office space for the diabetic that is, both, relaxing and emotionally strengthening. As stated before, learning to "de-stress" can be one of the most important aspects of combating diabetes, and aromatherapy always offers this alternative.*Because aromatherapy often involves baths, any healthcare program involving the skin and diabetes should first be discussed with your general practitioner.

While healthcare costs climb in the US, as does the diagnoses of diabetes across the country, there are more than just a few alternative treatments for diabetes that can save the diabetic money and prevent the illness from progressing at the often rapid pace with which it attacks its victims when it is left untreated. Learn the truth about diabetes and learn how you can take your disease into your own hands. In many cases, diabetes can be manageable through diet, exercise, and proper insulin production. Talk to your doctor about your alternative options, and treat your diabetes naturally before it takes control of your life.