Some may find this read interesting.
http://www.adriangilbert.co.uk/docus.../diabetes.html

Brian

This was really interesting,thanks so much Brian....Hugs to all Sue

Thanks for putting it up.

The only thing missing is inositol.

I especially found this interesting.

"There is some good news from Great Britain. Nutritional supplements of gamma linolenic acid, an essential fat, effectively slows down, stops, and even reverses the progression of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Without questions it is the best treatment available for this condition. Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) commonly found in seed oils such as corn oil and sesame oil. However, in order for the body to use the linoleic acid, it must convert it into GLA by adding an additional double bond between two carbon atoms. In diabetics, the enzyme systems necessary for this conversion are lost or hampered. Consequently, the body can't convert linoleic acid into GLA, the active component. However, as in so many other incidences, plants have come to the rescue, converting linoleic acid into GLA.

As previously noted, In a British study, 111 patients with diabetic neuropathv were given either a placebo or 480 mg of GLA daily. Sixteen measurements were made throughout the study, and at the end of a year, the group taking the GLA improved in all 16 measurements. The researchers concluded that "administration of GLA to patients with mild diabetic poly-neuropathy may prevent deterioration, and, in some cases, reverse the condition." I suggest that all diabetics start GLA supplementation at about 400-600 mg a day."

Now where does one find GLA?? And isn't the amount of B-12 WAY OFF??

I have gla forte. I think it is borage oil. Correct me if I am wrong. I bought the supplement cause the doc told me too. I think for me it is for inflammation. You can get it online or maybe at the store. My brand is metagenics gla forte. I am suppose to take 3 daily. Each is 240mg.

Can one just walk into a GNC and buy GLA???

Well I guess you never read my EFA posts?

GLA is an intermediate player in the metabolism of alpha linolenic acid to long chain fatty acids EPA and DHA (yes we make the same thing that is in fish oil)

It does not work if the beginning substrate Omega-3 contained in flax oil is not present. So look at your diet and see if you are getting enough or ANY beginning essential ALA (not the same as ALA alpha Lipoic acid--which shares this abbreviation.)

If you choose to do GLA, you find it in evening primrose or borage oil.
Taking it in a vacuum will not do much. If you want results you have to have flax oil in some form to work with.

Too much GLA I found can fuel excess PGE2s which are inflammatory and come from Omega-6 fatty acid linolenic acid.

So 1) you need flax with GLA, and 2) don't take really high doses.

The GLA data is very old. Much of it was done in Britain and other European countries. We used it here over 10 yrs ago, but as our fatty acid levels became normal I found we didn't need it.

Proper utilization of fatty acids requires also magnesium and vitamin B6.

Ok this is what the doc told me Melody and it may not be right but to take 3 dha:epa pills and 3 gla forte. I think I may have seen gla at walmart but could be wrong. This doc though seems to be promoting very high doses for me of supp so check cause I am not too sure I like his approach and he makes money of the things he is having me take aka why I am not seeing him again.Also when I went to the eye doc he wanted me to only take one kind either fish oil or flax oil in the pill. He said that mixing the oils confuses it in the body so it won't work the way I need it to. I have no clue if this is correct because he was confused on the dosage.

I am totally lost in all this GLA, EPA, etc. etc.

You guys are so much more knowledgable than I can ever hope to be. And while I am not stupid, and thankfully, I can still learn stuff, there is so much information to absorb (well, to me at least), I'm going to keep it simple.

I'm going to eat what I eat, and drink my Brita Water, and not use aspartame or sugar. I take the B-complex, the Methyl B-12, the vitamin C, the magnesium, the Omega 3 pill, and every morning I will do my juice thing.

I just came home from Cornell.

It was the BIG exam. And I did ask them what was going on with the Cornell thing. They have no idea why people died. It's being investigated, and when the investigation yields results WE SHALL ALL HEAR ABOUT IT, because it will be published.

My sugar was fine, my blood pressure was fine, they examined my feet and they did the vibrating tool on me instructing me to 'TELL US WHEN YOU STOP FEELING IT". Worked fine on one foot but not so fine on the other foot.

Then they did the filament thing on both fee and I felt absolutely EVERYTHING. So she was pleased as punch over that. And so was I.

She explained that because more people died in the intensive program than in the standard program, there is now no more Intensive program. And everyone's goal is to have an a1c of 7.0 to 7.5.

I then said "but my last a1c was 6.5"??? And the doctor said 'well, you are very different because you yielded results as if your body was in the intensive program, but you are in the standard program, so we are dropping your Lantus from 26 to 22". I said 'oh good, that means my body will start losing weight better because insulin is stored in the fat cells". She said "you got it, and keep doing whatever you are doing, because your are doing great".

So as far as they are concerned, I'm doing great.

Why I'm not a size 8, well I have no idea, but they say I'm doing great.

I did not lose any weight since November (but then again, with the cold weather, I can't exercise). So I have to begin walking again (when I get my body to straighten out lol).

They measured my waist and did some calculations. and they told me nothing because I gave them orders never to tell me what I weigh or what my waist size is. Not unless I start to look like Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Imagine, I started at Cornell using 46 of the Lantus, and I'm now (as of tomorrow morning) down to 22.

Wouldn't it be something if down the road I can maintain my sugar control simply by dieting?.

The doctor did say one thing. "We feel that the people in the starndard program (I guess we were on less meds), did better than the people on the Intensive Program (more of them died). She then said 'well diabetics do die of cardiovascular disease" I said "no kidding".

So they tend to believe that diet, nutrition, and exercise play an even greater role than just taking the meds alone.

I'll keep eating my greens, thank you very much.

Hi Melody:

Should it really be news to anyone that good nutrition and exercise are very effective? Meds alone, not as effective as the combination? Sometimes I wonder about all these studies. Common sense tells me that a well balanced diet and forgoing many sweets, trans fats, saturated fats, prepared foods, etc. make us healthier even if we don't have diabetes. It seems to me so many of these studies just tell us what our mothers already knew.

Shirley H.