Do You Have Type 2 Diabetes? Consider the Benefits of Olive Leaf Extract!
A diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes Diet used to be a death sentence. Today, it’s possible to manage your condition and enjoy excellent health for decades. While there are oral and injectable medications that can help, not every type 2 diabetic requires daily doses of medicine to keep blood glucose levels within a safe range. Especially in the early stages, a combination of dietary changes, exercise and the right nutritional supplements will be the key to managing your condition. One of the supplements you need to consider for your management program is olive leaf extract.
Understanding the Nature of Type 2 Diabetes
Sometimes referred to as adult onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body can no longer produce enough insulin to properly manage the breakdown and use of carbohydrates. The result is that more glucose collects and remains in your bloodstream for longer periods of time. It’s not unusual for your glucose levels to spike in the hours immediately after a meal. Over time, those spikes pave the way for a number of other health issues.
In spite of what some products may claim, there is no known cure for type 2 diabetes. Once you are diagnosed, the focus is on managing your glucose levels. By making the adjustments needed to keep those levels within a reasonable range, you’re more likely to avoid many of the problems associated with this chronic condition.
Why Is Managing Blood Glucose Levels so Important?
An ongoing elevated level of blood glucose is known as hyperglycemia. While every type 2 diabetic will experience some higher readings from time to time, the level paired with how long those levels remain above an acceptable range determine the risk of developing complications.
When your glucose levels are not controlled, fatigue is something you feel on an almost constant basis. You’re also thirsty much of the time. You may find it harder to concentrate. The need to urinate more frequently is not uncommon. Over time, you may begin to notice a loss of sensation in your feet or hands. Even your blood pressure and your vision can be adversely affected eventually.
Choosing to make changes that lower your glucose levels and ensure spikes don’t last very long allows you to minimize and possibly avoid these effects. With proper management, you are likely to feel more energetic, sleep more soundly and feel more alert during the day. Excessive urination is less likely to occur, and managing your blood pressure will be easier. There is also less potential for the diabetes to affect your visual acuity.
How Olive Leaf Extract Makes a Difference
Where does olive leaf extract come into the picture? Assuming your doctor believes your condition can be managed with diet and exercise, adding this particular supplement will make a difference. That’s because the extract acts as what’s known as a hypoglycemic agent.
Essentially, the proper extract dosage helps the insulin that your body is producing to be more effective. Instead of having as much glucose collect in your bloodstream, more of it is converted into energy and fuels your muscles and vital organs. Because you have more energy, it’s easier to get up and exercise. The exercise in turn promotes more efficient use of the glucose, allowing your levels to remain within a healthy range.
You do need to utilize a form of the extract that retains the natural chemical composition of the olive leaf itself. There is an extract called d-Lenolate that’s made using a process designed to ensure users receive the maximum effects. Available in tablet form, it’s easy to take the recommended amount shortly before meals. Assuming you stick with a meal rich with protein, vegetables that are lower on the glycemic index and limit your consumption to reasonable portions of complex carbohydrates, the possibility of a blood sugar spike is kept to a minimum.
Does Olive Leaf Extract Help With Related Conditions?
Olive leaf extract also helps with some of the other health issues that type 2 diabetics are more likely to develop. High blood pressure is an example. An extract that retains the natural chemical composition helps to dilate blood vessels and make it easier for the blood to carry essential nutrients throughout the body. Along with keeping your blood pressure within reasonable limits, it also promotes heart health in general. That reduces your chances of diabetes-related cardiovascular problems.
Type 2 diabetics are also at a higher risk for excessive amounts of bad cholesterol. There is also the possibility of lower levels of good cholesterol. Olive leaf extract helps your body eliminate more bad cholesterol and prevent it from remaining in your bloodstream. It also counteracts some of the fatigue you feel from high glucose levels, so it’s easier to exercise. That exercise in turn helps elevate good cholesterol levels.
Using Olive Leaf Extract Along With Diabetes Medications
The day may come when diet, exercise and the right nutritional supplement is no longer enough to manage your type 2 diabetes. At that point, your doctor will likely recommend taking low dosages of an oral medication. Will you be able to continue taking olive leaf extract? In most cases, the answer is yes.
Tell your doctor about the extract and what it’s done for you up to this point. That makes it possible for the doctor to take those effects into consideration and adjust the medication dose accordingly. Doing so reduces the risk that your blood sugar level could dip a little too low, a condition that comes with its own set of health issues.
Even if you are already taking oral medication for type 2 diabetes, talk with your doctor about adding olive leaf extract to your treatment regimen. You still need exercise and a diet that’s low in carbohydrates, but adding the extract could make it easier to manage your levels and feel better in general.
Author Bio:
Geoff Melcher is the Vice President at East Park Research in Las Vegas, NV. East Park Research has studied the healing properties of the olive leaf, resulting in the development of a unique olive leaf extract formulation – d-Lenolate.
