Diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in the United States and a growing epidemic worldwide. Roughly one out of every three men and two out of every five women born after the year 2000 will suffer from diabetes in their lifetime. Chances are, you or someone you know deals with the daily trials of this condition.
And the repercussions are not small. The life expectancy of an adult diagnosed with diabetes at age 40, is shorted, on average, by 12-15 years. The disease also takes a huge financial toll, accounting for about $132 billion of the $865 billion spent in health care annually.
The good news is that many diabetics have seen dramatic improvements through positive diet and lifestyle changes, and some have even become able to manage their health without medication. Now researchers have found exciting evidence that chiropractic adjustments might be able to make a valuable contribution to an overall program of wellness care to help diabetes sufferers.
A study published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR; http://www.jvsr.com) focused on the positive response to chiropractic when used as part of an integrative treatment in the care of a patient with adult onset diabetes. Because chiropractic care aims to correct misalignments in the spine (vertebral subluxations) it can affect the relationship between the nervous system and organs. This means that it can help the pancreas regulate blood sugar levels as it should.
After one month of being on the program, the patients’ glucose blood and urine levels had normalized and remained stable. The medical doctor who monitored the progress, Dr. Harry Blum, said the patients would not need insulin if the condition remained stable.
"Given the devastating effects of diabetes on people's health and the economic implications it is well worth investigating other treatments like chiropractic for diabetes," Dr. Blum pointed out. "We need to examine if chiropractic can help with improving a patient's sugar handling difficulties or even just help a patient under medication improve their quality of life and only further research and investigations will uncover these answers."
The study was one of several recent research projects exploring the impact of vertebral subluxations on human health and well-being and the potential benefits of chiropractic. Traditionally, chiropractic has been thought to be of help mainly to adults suffering back pain, but current research is showing it has far broader applications.
"This type of study is popping up everywhere," stated JVSR Editor Matthew McCoy, DC. "For more than 100 years, chiropractors have maintained that what they do affects organ system function and general health. Case studies like this demonstrate the urgency for more research funding from the public and private sector on chiropractic and its effects beyond neck and back pain."
If you or a loved one has diabetes, talk to Dr. French about incorporating chiropractic care into your wellness lifestyle. If you do not have diabetes, be sure to prevent adult onset with a healthy diet, exercise, and periodic chiropractic adjustments.
Posted on
Mon, May 9, 2011
by Livewell Family Chiropractic Center