Dr Carter has trained in the latest and best practices for diabetes treatment, diet, and prevention. The great majority of mainstream practitioners and the dietitions who advise patients do not follow diet guidelines that prevent progression, decrease insulin needs, and decrease episodes of hypoglycemia. If you follow mainstream recommendations your disease will progress and you will experience end organ damage. Sorry to be blunt, but this is current failed state of diabetes guidelines in North America.

One example: If your doctor or dietician tells you it is OK to eat carbohydrates (sugars) as long as you "cover" them with insulin they are absolutely wrong. Your diabetes will get worse, end organ damage and cardiovasular disease will increase, your probability of vascular damage and amputation goes up significantly.

Early Diabetes Symptoms – These warning signs may be an indication that you have diabetes. It is very important so see your doctor without waiting; some of the symptoms can be life threatening.
Increased hunger and thirst, unexplained weight loss, frequent urination may indicate early symptoms of Type 1 diabetes. Other symptoms can include fatigue, blurred vision, and sores that do not heal.

There are four principle types of diabetes, Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes mellitus. A less recognized type of diabetes is Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA). Insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome is based on a defined spectrum of associated diseases.

Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Diabetes
If you have pre-diabetes or diabetes, you may have heard of the medical term insulin resistance syndrome or metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome describes a combination of health problems that have a common outcome - an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.
The combination of medical conditions that make up the insulin resistance syndrome and metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). About 70-80 million Americans have the combination of diseases caused by insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.
Several diseases are associated with insulin resistance, including the following:
· Obesity
· Type 2 diabetes
· High blood pressure
· High cholesterol levels
· Cardiovascular disease
· Polycystic ovary syndrome
 
Insulin Resistance
Food is normally absorbed into the bloodstream in the form of sugars such as glucose, fats and protein breakdown products. The increase of sugar in the bloodstream signals the pancreas to increase secretion of the hormone insulin. Insulin attaches to cell receptors, helping remove sugar from the bloodstream so that it can be used for energy.
With insulin resistance, the body's cells have decreased ability to respond to the action of insulin. To compensate for insulin resistance, the pancreas secretes more insulin.
People with this syndrome have insulin resistance and high levels of insulin in the blood as a sign of the disease rather than a cause.
Over time people with insulin resistance develop high sugars (diabetes) as the high insulin levels can no longer compensate for elevated sugars.
What Are The Signs of Insulin Resistance?
The signs of insulin resistance syndrome include:
· Impaired fasting blood sugar, impaired glucose tolerance, or type 2 diabetes. This occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to overcome the insulin resistance. Blood sugar levels increase and diabetes is diagnosed.
· High blood pressure. The mechanism is not clearly defined, but studies suggest that the worse the blood pressure, the worse the insulin resistance.
· Abnormal blood lipid levels. The typical cholesterol levels of a person with insulin resistance are low HDL, or good cholesterol, and high levels of blood fat known as triglycerides.
· Heart disease. Insulin resistance syndrome results in atherosclerosis (artery plaque) and increased risk of blood clots.
· Obesity. Obesity is a major factor in the development of insulin resistance, especially in the abdominal region. Obesity increases insulin resistance and negatively impacts insulin sensitivity. Weight loss improves the body's ability to use insulin appropriately.

Diagnosis
The following tests are used for diagnosis:
· A fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test measures blood glucose in a person who has not eaten anything for at least 8 hours. This test is used to detect diabetes and pre-diabetes.
· An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) measures blood glucose after a person fasts at least 8 hours and 2 hours after the person drinks a glucose-containing beverage. This test can be used to diagnose diabetes and pre-diabetes.
· A random plasma glucose test measures blood glucose without regard to when the person being tested last had food. This test, along with an assessment of symptoms, is used to diagnose diabetes but not pre-diabetes.

Fasting Plasma Glucose Results and Implications (mg/dL).
99 or below is normal
100-125 is pre-diabetes, impaired fasting glucose
126 or above is diabetes. This test result is confirmed by repeating the test on a different day

Random plasma glucose test
A random, or casual, blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher, plus the presence of the following symptoms, can mean a person has diabetes:
· increased urination
· increased thirst
· unexplained weight loss
Other symptoms can include fatigue, blurred vision, increased hunger, and sores that do not heal. The doctor will check the person’s blood glucose level on another day using the FPG test or the OGTT to confirm the diagnosis.

Other tests that may be used
Insulin – Type 2 diabetics usually have increased fasting insulin levels due to insulin resistance
Hemoglobin A1C – The A1C test is a lab test that reflects your average blood glucose level over the last 3 months. The blood sample can be taken non-fasting
Estimated Average Glucose (eAG) is a calculated result based on A1C levels. The purpose of reporting eAG is to help you relate you’re a1c results to your everyday glucose monitoring levels. The eAG is still an evaluation of your glucose over the last couple of months. It will not match up exactly to any one daily glucose test result. The American Diabetes Association has adopted this calculation and provides a calculator and information on the eAG on their web site.
Microalbumin measures the amount of protein loss through the kidney. This is usually tested annually after a diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension in order to detect early kidney damage.
Microalbumin/creatinine ratio(ACR) is another test of kidney function that can detect damage caused by diabetes
Insulin levels help evaluate insulin production, diagnose an insulinoma, and to help determine the cause of hypoglycemia.
C-Peptide may be useful if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome and there is a need to determine if you are producing enough of your own insulin, if you are insulin resistant, or if it is time to supplement oral medication with insulin injections.

Treatment
Type 1 Diabetes
It is essential that type 1 diabetics inject the correct dose and formulation of insulin on a daily basis; failure to do so results in serious negative health consequences, including coma and death. Type 1 diabetics can reduce their insulin requirements through following diet and exercise recommendations.

Type 2 Diabetes
Following a whole food diet that eliminates simple carbohydrates (sugar), restricts the consumption of carbohydrates, supplies good fats and moderate protein, is key to controlling blood sugar and decreasing insulin resistance. The correct diet also helps decrease obesity. Type 2 diabetics can benefit from lower carbohydrate levels in the diet than those recommended by organizations such as the American Diabetes Association.
Exercise helps decrease obesity and improves insulin sensitivity.
Specific supplemental nutrients and herbs improve insulin sensitivity.