Diabetes vs. Diabetesing

How do you feel about the following statements:

I am a diabetic. (The word ‘diabetic’ is a noun)

I have diabetes. (The word ‘diabetes’ is a noun)

I am diabetesing. (The word ‘diabetesing’ is a verb)

My teeth have cavities. (The word ‘cavities’ is a noun)

My teeth are cavitying. (The word ‘cavitying’ is a verb)

Yes, the words ‘diabetesing’ and ‘cavitying’ aren’t even recognized words. Our language only recognizes diseases as things which must first be diagnosed. Then, they are managed for you either with insulin from your doctor or dental fillings from your dentist, neither of which are in your control. The verb form describes the process your body is going through in order to deal with the situation it is being presented with at the time. Quite a difference relative to who is in control.

Diabetes is a significant problem, not only for an individual who has it, but also because it is becoming an epidemic in today’s society. Dentistry is concerned because diabetics tend to have more serious periodontal problems. They also age faster than normal and have more cardiovascular problems. Furthermore, 65% of diabetics have sleep apnea which is a serious health concern because they simply can’t get enough rest. (watch for more information in a future issue of Dental Currents) Additionally, diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness and diabetics often lose the feeling in their feet which makes it harder to walk. Drugs to treat diabetes are very expensive and long term. The pharmaceutical companies love it because insulin taken by injection really doesn’t cure you but you have to take it for the rest of your life like an addict. The more successful insulin is at managing diabetes (noun), the less likely we are to alter our lifestyle and halt or reverse the process of diabetesing. (verb)

Simply put, it takes lifestyle changes to alter your course and get your body to quit diabetesing. But, for those who are interested, there is a way. Since it is one of her specialties, I’ll let our nutrition consultant, Briana, comment on halting and even reversing 'diabetesing'.

Comments from Briana Southward, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

There are various types of diabetes. In my practice, our focus is on reversing type 2 diabetes. Therefore, I will focus on that specific form while providing my opinion of diabetesing. From a holistic standpoint, when the body displays a disease like type 2 diabetes, it is important to ask the question, why? I have heard many people indicate genetics as the reason. I want to start out by saying that in many cases, genetics do play a role. I believe that people can be genetically predisposed and therefore have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, for the majority of people who have this illness, the cause is not genetics. The cause is various environmental and lifestyle factors that “flipped the switch” and turned on this disease process. One could say, “Genetics may load the gun but lifestyle pulls the trigger.”

Some of these factors include poor diet, lack of physical activity, exposure to toxins leading to toxicity in the body, stress, poor rest due to sleep apnea, etc. If these factors have played a role in creating the disease in the body, it makes sense that making significant changes to these factors has an effect on reversing the process as well. When we think of the disease in the verb sense, as Ken has done above by referring to it as diabetesing, it becomes an action rather than a state of being. I like this way of thinking because it illustrates that change is possible. If the disease was created, there is the possibility of it being reversed. Many people who take steps towards not just managing the disease but actually reversing it, are able to reduce or eliminate dependency on medication. This happens as the body again becomes able to function normally on its own. If you or someone you know is interested to learn more about what is involved in reversing a disease process like type 2 diabetes, I have provided my contact information below.

Briana Southward, CNP, NNCP, HBBA is a registered holistic nutritionist. Briana runs a practice called Revercell Nutrition out of the Integrative Health Institute in Toronto and is available every other Friday in Beamsville at the Southward Dental Clinic to consult clients one-on-one. For more information or to book an appointment with Briana please send an email to bsouthward@integrativehealthinstitute.ca

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