Physical Wellbeing Archives - Page 4 of 5

Let The Sun Shine!

But What About Sunscreen?

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

**This is the second part of a two-part series on vitamin D and sunlight. Please find the first blog post of the series here.**

Summary: Living in a desert with abundant sunshine, the author explores sunlight as a potential key to healing Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Acknowledging risks like skin cancer, the author opts for “sensible sun exposure” and consider what this might look like for different locations, skin colour, and body size. The author supplements with Vitamin D when needed, ensuring holistic health amidst sun-rich living.

Since I decided to set off on this journey to heal my diabetes, I have found myself relocated to a country with a lot of sunshine. A lotta, lotta sunshine… I now live in the desert! It’s coming into summer time now so the temperatures are getting up to the late-40s or hotter and I am being met by the blazing sun every time I leave my house. It started me thinking that maybe God had actually intended to make the sun a key piece in the puzzle to healing my T1D.

I am also aware that Daniel Darkes, who healed his own Type 1 Diabetes, does a lot of running outside all year round. I suspect that, even in the UK where he lives, he will still be exposed to a fair amount of sun on a weekly basis.

I discussed in my previous blog post about the importance of adequate vitamin D in controlling blood sugars and also its potential in healing T1D. I outlined the sources of vitamin D through diet, supplementation and sunlight and then demonstrated how I felt sunlight offers the optimum solution for vitamin D deficiency. In this post, I am digging deeper into sunshine exposure, its benefits and risks.

Safe Sun Exposure

So am I supposed to just let my skin soak up the sun?? What about skin cancer…?!?! I’ve grown up in a culture, probably like yours, where I’ve been told that the sun is dangerous and skin cancer is a big risk. I get it! Skin cancer is not something I want!! Having seen my father die of cancer, it’s not something I would ever personally wish to go through or ask my family to witness again. But I don’t think it has to be all-or-nothing. Instead, I am inclined to agree with Dr Holick’s promotion of ‘sensible sun exposure’.

How Much Sunlight Is Enough Sunlight?

You don’t need a lot of sun to get Vitamin D sufficiency… For Caucasians, just 13 minutes of exposure to the midday summer sun in the UK is sufficient to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels. Similarly, just 30 minutes of midday sunlight exposure in Norway produces enough Vitamin D to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels.

There are, however, a series of factors that will affect the required exposure time for various individuals. Firstly, there is the issue of location, location, location. People living further from the equator require more sunlight exposure than those that live in equatorial regions. Indeed, some research studies have found that people living in particularly northern countries, such as Norway , Boston (USA) and Edmonton (Canada), struggle to produce any vitamin D from sunlight in the winter months. At the other end of the spectrum, Vitamin D deficiency is also common in extremely sunny climates, such as the UAE, where the sun is so pervasive that people often stay inside in air conditioning all day to avoid its impact. However, sun exposure in these latitudes is much more full-on and thus less time in the sun is required. But it still needs to be done!

Secondly, skin colour is important. The pigment of your skin is a result of the amount of melanin it contains. The darker your skin, the more melanin it is likely to have. Melanin acts as a natural sunscreen. Therefore, people with darker skin tones require longer in the sun to produce the same amount of Vitamin D in their skin, with estimates suggesting that darker skin tones may need anything up to three hours more of sun exposure each day. For example, 30 minutes in the summer sun in a bathing suit can initiate the release of 1.25mg of Vitamin D in white people, versus 0.65mg in tanned people and 0.25mg in dark-skinned people.

Thirdly, body size impacts the absorption of Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is more common in the obese population, with deficiency increasing with the degree of obesity. This is because overweight people have an excess of adipose tissue, which binds Vitamin D to it as part of its metabolic process. Therefore, in order to counteract this ‘kidnapping’, even more Vitamin D needs to be produced by the skin to ensure there is sufficient Vitamin D in the system available for bodily processes.

Lastly, the less skin you expose, the more time you need in the sun to meet your vitamin D requirements. So, if you dress modestly, you will need to spend more time in the sun to get the remaining exposed skin producing enough vitamin D. I prefer to wear a hat and sunglasses in order to prevent sun damage on my face. However, since this is a relatively small area of skin on my body, this is unlikely to dramatically affect my rate of vitamin D production.

What About Sunscreen?

I know for certain that avoiding sunburn is a must. The links between sunburn and skin cancer are well-documented. But would I go far enough to agree with Baz Luhrmann’s famous advice…?

Actually, no, I don’t agree with Baz. I think there is a better middle ground. Going out in the sun without sunscreen for the first 10-30 minutes, depending on the time of day and strength of the sun in any given latitude, is enough to give me the benefits of sun exposure to ensure adequate vitamin D absorption and serotonin production.

How Am I Translating This Information Into My Day-To-Day Life?

I have decided that, for me, sunlight is my number one source of vitamin D sufficiency. As I live in such a sunlight-rich part of the world, I have decided to get my sun exposure after the main heat of the day. I take some time 3 or 4 times a week to go and watch the sunset with my husband for about 20 minutes. It increases my level of enjoyment in life, gives me intimacy and connection with my husband and gives me adequate sun exposure.

On days that I go to the pool or the beach, I apply sunscreen when I arrive there. It takes approximately 15-20 minutes for sunscreen to be absorbed into the skin so, during that time, my skin is getting its required exposure.

However, there are still weeks when I might not get to the sunset or the pool. Therefore, to make sure I still get my vitamin D during these busy times, I also take vitamin D supplements. I take 250 mcg a day. However, for me, these are an additional top-up. I suspect that very little of them will actually be absorbed by my system.

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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September 6, 2021

Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin

Reduces the onset risk and honeymoon phase of Type 1 Diabetes

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

**This is the first part of a two-part series on vitamin D and sunlight. Please find the second blog post of the series here.**

Summary: Vitamin D is crucial beyond bone health, impacting Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) by reducing its onset risk and potentially extending the insulin-free “honeymoon” phase post-diagnosis. Despite widespread deficiency among T1D patients, dietary sources like fish and fortified foods are inadequate, prompting exploration of supplements. However, natural sunlight, which boosts serotonin, aids sleep, and reduces inflammation without risk of toxicity, emerges as an optimal source for holistic healing.

The Importance Of Vitamin D In Type 1 Diabetes

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because the body requires Vitamin D to metabolise calcium for bone health. However, the importance of Vitamin D extends well beyond this one factor for those currently with the condition of Type 1 Diabetes.

The link between Type 1 Diabetes and Vitamin D is very interesting. For example, it has been clearly demonstrated in the scientific literature that adequate Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of later developing Type 1 Diabetes. This therefore makes me wonder if it’s therefore also a necessary factor in reversing T1D…?

Preliminary research findings also suggest that Vitamin D supplementation in the initial period following diagnosis may also successfully extend the honeymoon period in Type 1 Diabetes, meaning insulin will either be not required or will be required at much lower doses for a longer period of time.

I also found another interesting study that demonstrated how Vitamin D deficiency contributes to the development of Type 2 Diabetes. The author discusses how low levels of Vitamin D lead to increased insulin resistance, which in turn leads to beta-cell burnout. In healing my T1D, I believe that minimising my insulin resistance is likely to give my healing pancreas more of a chance to produce adequate insulin for my body’s needs if I am asking it to produce less.

Furthermore, Vitamin D deficiency has also been shown to inhibit insulin production in the pancreas. This is exactly what I don’t want to be doing if I want to heal so vitamin D sufficiency is a must!!

What I find particularly heartbreaking is that, despite the benefits to T1D and healing, the majority of people going through the condition of Type 1 Diabetes have Vitamin D deficiency. It is very common, with a prevalence ranging from 15% to 90.6% in clinical samples. Since Vitamin D treatment has been shown to improve both blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity, this deficiency is hugely detrimental to the T1D population.

Sources Of Vitamin D: Food, Supplements And Sunlight

Okay, I am definitely persuaded that Vitamin D is vital to my healing journey due to the raft of health benefits it provides. So how do I get enough of this little beauty??

Vitamin D In Food… Fish, Mushrooms And Fortified Foodstuffs

Very few natural foods contain a good amount of vitamin D. Those that do include several types of fish (salmon, herring, sardines and tuna) and mushrooms. Other food sources that provide vitamin D are fortified foods, where vitamin D has been artificially added. These include cow’s milk, cereal, orange juice and soy milk. but the chance of being able to fully consume the required daily allowance of Vitamin D purely through what you eat is pretty low. We just don’t eat enough of these kinds of foods. So whilst I do now eat a good amount of fish (see my blog post here on that topic), I feel I need to look beyond food for additional sources of vitamin D.

Vitamin D Supplements

The next obvious place to look for additional sources of Vitamin D are through supplements. They are easy to use and provide a guaranteed level of Vitamin D each day. Easy! Or is it?

The thing is…. I spent most of my early thirties being Vitamin D deficient. I took supplement after supplement – some prescribed by doctors, some purchased privately from ‘top of the range’ supplement providers, some just from pharmacies. I took them all diligently but none – NONE! – of them got my Vitamin D back in range. During this time, I became aware that Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, needing the presence of fat to be properly absorbed. So then I took my supplement with my meals. Yet I still remained Vitamin D deficient!!

This changed for me after my daughter was born. When she was six months old, I attended a talk at my local nursery on weaning. The nurse practitioner running the class was wearing a badge that read ‘Ask me about Vitamin D’. So I did. She said that, because we were so good these days at protecting our children with sunscreen, the rate of rickets is rising in children. So she wanted to advise us all to give our children supplements to counteract this. At this point my intuition started screaming at me… This seemed absolutely mad…! We are supposed to use a manufactured product (sunscreen) to protect our children but then need to use another manufactured product (vitamin D supplements) to counter the side effect?!?! And, from my own experiences, I knew that this Vitamin D wouldn’t even necessarily be an effective solution… It wasn’t for me!! The simple solution I landed up was simply letting my child play in the sun, in the same way generations before her have also done!

Vitamin D From Sunlight

My intuition has now been supported by the work of Dr. Michael Holick. He highlights how more than 90% of Vitamin D is actually produced inside the body using the ultraviolet rays contained in sunshine. He has found that the recommended doses for Vitamin D supplementation are often inadequate. Indeed, Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in adults of all ages who always wear sunscreen or limit their outdoor activities. In fact, Holick states that it is difficult to maintain adequate Vitamin D levels in healthy concentrations without sunlight.

Benefits Of Sunlight

However, the benefits on health of sunlight go way beyond avoiding vitamin D deficiency. I include herewith a whole host of other factors that support the inclusion of safe sun exposure as part of daily life…

Avoidance Of Vitamin D Toxicity

An additional benefit of using sunlight as my source of Vitamin D is that it avoids the potential for vitamin D toxicity. Although rare, it is indeed possible to develop vitamin D toxicity from over-supplementation. This can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness and frequent urination. Unlike other sources of vitamin D, sun exposure does not typically lead to vitamin D toxicity due to the body’s ability to naturally regulate production.

Increased Levels Of Serotonin – The Wellbeing And Happiness Hormone

I know that when I have spent time in sunlight, I feel better… Whether that’s lazing in the grass with a book or even just sitting in a graveyard for an hour whilst I had lunch (yeah, I know it’s weird but it was the only outside space near where I used to work…!!). Sunshine just seems to make me feel better and give me more joy. It feels good on my skin.

The scientific literature appears to provide an explanation for my increased joy… It would appear that sitting outside in the sunshine kickstarts your brain’s serotonin production. Serotonin is one of a series of hormones in the body. It acts as a mood stabiliser, providing feelings of wellbeing and happiness. It also promotes a healthy sleep cycle and aids digestion.

Serotonin production fluctuates with the seasons, with higher concentrations being produced in the body in late summer and autumn than in winter and spring in the Western world. The reason for these fluctuations are not completely understood but one strong hypothesis suggests that the skin is responsible for the majority of serotonin production and therefore, as the skin is exposed to less sunshine in the colder months, less serotonin is produced in the body.

So… The more sunlight I can get, the more joyful I will generally feel! I outlined in my post on Dr Kelly Turner’s research that increasing positive emotions has been identified as one of the nine key healing factors so that makes sunlight exposure even more vital to healing.

Better Sleep

Sun exposure on the skin produces the chemical melanin, which is needed to produce the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is necessary to maintain the daily circadian rhythms of the body, rhythms that are essential for regulating sleep.

Reduced Weight

Some preliminary studies (here and here) suggest that vitamin D supplementation reduces body fat. However, this meta analysis suggests that Vitamin D is not associated with weight loss. Therefore, the impact of Vitamin D on weight loss is unclear and any mechanism by which this occurs is also unclear. It may, for example, be due to better sleep regulation, rather than a direct effect on fat cells. However, for my healing journey, the less excess weight I carry, the less insulin resistance I will have and Vitamin D at safe levels may help.

Better Mental Health

Vitamin D supplementation has been found to reduce anxiety and improve mood in female diabetic patients. However, Vitamin D has not been found to impact depression.

Improved Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

Vitamin D has also been found to play a key role in the process of cell proliferation and differentiation in the human body. As I intend to encourage more beta cell proliferation and also conversion (differentiation!) of my delta cells to beta cells, Vitamin D is crucial to my healing journey!

Reduced Inflammation

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an increase in body-wide inflammation. I believe that inflammation increases insulin resistance and decreases healing. It is something I continually strive to minimise in my body.

Summary

In this blog post, I have discussed how important vitamin D is for health and healing in Type 1 Diabetes. For Type 1 Diabetes specifically, I highlighted how vitamin D has been shown to improve blood sugar control, reduce insulin resistance, prevent development of Type 1 Diabetes. I continued by outlining three sources of vitamin D – food, supplements and sunshine. I discussed why I felt sunlight was the preferable source for vitamin D production and the many benefits additional to vitamin D production that sunlight provides. In my next blog post, I will talk more about ensuring adequate sun exposure in a safe manner and how I am incorporating this into my life.

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Recent Comments:

August 30, 2021

Cortisol: The ‘Stress’ Hormone

Can Cortisol Actually Induce Healing?

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: The author explores exercise-induced cortisol levels and their impact on T1D healing, influenced by an article from Shape. It discusses cases of spontaneous remission linked to stress-induced cortisol spikes, suggesting a potential mechanism akin to Peter Levine’s stress cycle theory. This hypothesis prompts consideration of re-enacting past traumas for healing benefits.

Since writing my post on the fight-or-flight response, I have come across an article that has further developed my understanding and thoughts around this…! It all started when I was musing about what form of exercise I wanted to select as part of my healing process. I like doing weight training but I always come away from my sessions feeling pumped up and ready to fight or punch someone. It made me think about how I might be encouraging the fight-or-flight response in my system. Therefore, I wasn’t sure that that feeling was inducive to my healing. So I started Googling to see what I could learn about this. One of the articles I came across was this article in Shape. It reassured me that the cortisol from my gym workouts were not going to be troublesome to the health of my body or to my healing.

This article, though, also mentioned the risk of high cortisol levels from ultra-marathon running (which Daniel Darkes does) and from CrossFit (which Johan Kotze does). That peaked my interest! So do elevated cortisol levels somehow help in healing T1D?

I looked to see if this idea could be seen in the other cases of spontaneous remissions I discussed in my post here. I got stuck when it came to the case of the 32-year-old female who spontaneously healed from T1D whilst detained in prison. It was only when I talked this through with a friend who also has T1D that it landed for me… My friend pointed out that this woman was likely to have been under a lot of stress in a prison environment and without the supply of insulin she needed to keep alive. So, again, elevated cortisol levels appear to heal not harm!

My friend and I then wondered why elevated cortisol might be useful in healing T1D. This idea brought me straight back to the work of Peter Levine (see my post here for more information on that). Perhaps Daniel, Johan and the unnamed 32-year-old female all healed their Type 1 diabetes by elevating their cortisol levels back to the way they were at the time of diagnosis and then this time were able to complete the stress cycle in a healthy way. This is much like Peter Levine describes. In other words, they took their bodies back to the same condition it was in when T1D arrived but this time gave a route to healing instead. It’s only a hypothesis and I suspect it may be difficult to prove but the idea seems to sit well with the case studies and my own intuitive feel. It is making me think about, from here, how I may also safely re-enact my early life traumatic experiences and lead them towards a better outcome this time.

GET HEALINGT1D’S FUTURE ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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August 16, 2021

Fight-or-Flight Response

Considering Type 1 Diabetes As A Prolonged Fight-Or-Flight Response

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: The fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction to perceived threat, which activates the sympathetic nervous system for survival. Could ongoing activation of this response be linked to Type 1 Diabetes? Exploring trauma as a cause, the author considers if unresolved stress may perpetuate this response, hindering healing unless discharged through physical release or other means.

What Is The Fight-Or-Flight Response?

The fight-or-flight response is a name given to a multifaceted automatic physiological response to real or perceived threat. This stressful, alarming or frightening situation leads the body to deactivate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating the body’s rest and digestion responses. In its place, the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system is activated. This results in a cascade of bodily changes, which include increased respiration, increased heart rate, increased hormonal production and decreased digestion. These changes prepare the body to fight or flee from the perceived danger. This danger can be real or perceived as real and can be physical or emotional in nature. Any perceived threat will kick the parasympathetic nervous system into life. Then, once the danger has passed, the system is re-regulated by the sympathetic nervous system, with rest and digestion resuming.

Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems consist of a series of nerves that are connected via the spinal cord. From the spinal cord, these nerves feed into a series of organs in the body. Interestingly, functions of the pancreas are regulated by the opposing effects of both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems with both having an effect on insulin production in the beta cells. The parasympathetic nervous system stimulates insulin secretion. By contrast, the sympathetic nervous system shuts down insulin production, in order to ensure higher levels of glucose are available in the body in order to facilitate a fight/flight response.

Defining Trauma

I think, before I go on, I need to make it clear what I mean by ‘trauma’. I like to use Bessel van der Kolk’s definition of trauma as being any ‘inescapable stressful event that overwhelms [the individual’s] existing coping mechanisms’ [1]. Sounds like moments in life with diabetes to me! For the purposes of this discussion, trauma can include both the huge, life-altering experiences of war or natural disasters, as well as the smaller, insidious traumas of neglect or the loss of a loved one or potentially the daily infractions against the body of medical interventions, such as those used for Type 1 Diabetes.

Can Trauma Be The (Ongoing) Cause of Type 1 Diabetes?

I am starting to wonder whether Type 1 Diabetes may be the result of a triggered fight-or-flight response that has never reset itself. This triggered response would switch off insulin production and raise blood sugar levels to facilitate escape or a fight. However, if the body then does not realise or learn that it is now safe again, this fight/flight response will just continue and Type 1 Diabetes occurs. So could Type 1 Diabetes in fact be an ongoing trauma response for a trauma that has never been fully processed?

Across the years, I have talked to a number of Type 1 Diabetics and asked them their stories of developing diabetes. What was going on in their lives at that time? Again and again, I have heard them say that they suffered a loss, an abandonment, isolation and/or anger. I heard them say how the person they relied on was no longer there, perhaps due to death or a change of circumstances. Did these losses trigger a fear response, a fight-or-flight response in their systems? If the person they relied on was no longer there, they would have had no one to process this through with. They would have had no way to discharge this response and reset their bodies into using the parasympathetic nervous system. Their trauma story gets stuck in their bodies and is perpetuated on a daily basis with a ‘diabetic response’ – the continuous and repeated activation of diabetes in the body.

Completing The Fight-Or-Flight Cycle…?

I am wondering if the way out of this continuously evoked fight-or-flight response is to find a way to fully discharged it. If it is pent up in the body, it needs releasing. Dr Peter Levine, author of ‘Waking The Tiger: Healing Trauma‘ [2], writes about how animals discharge the fight-or-flight response by vibrating, twitching, and lightly trembling. This sensation spreads throughout the body from the head to the toes and, in the process, resets the system to a resting state. Dr Levine goes on to discuss how, like animals, humans have instinctual power to heal that just needs tapping. The question is…. How?

My mind is going to Daniel Darkes as I write this. He is an ultra-marathon runner. Did he manage to discharge the trauma response from his system, and thereby restore his pancreatic functioning, by enacting the flight response through is running? If running does it, do other forms of exercise that stimulate similar levels of movement (swimming and cycling, for example) also provide the body with this flight response? As yet, I don’t know so, for now, I will sit with the question!

References:

[1] van der Kolk, B. A. (1996). Trauma and memory. In: A. C. McFarlane, L. Weisaeth, & B. van der Kolk (Eds.), Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society. (pp. 279-302). New York: Guildford Press.

[2] Levine, P. A., & Frederick, A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books.

GET HEALINGT1D’S FUTURE ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Recent Comments:

July 26, 2021

Hippocrates’ Wisdom

An Alternative View On Healing

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, founded modern medicine and his principles still guide medical ethics today. Exploring his teachings on nature, illness origins, and patient involvement sparks deep introspection into the author’s healing journey. While some ideas challenge, like self-contribution to illness, they offer holistic insights crucial for balanced health and wellbeing.

Who Was Hippocrates?

Hippocrates was a Greek physician who lived in Ancient Greece (c. 460 – c. 370 BC). He is thought of as the founding father of modern medicine, having established it as a distinct practice from the more spiritual practices of the time. Indeed, Hippocrates’ medical assumptions and beliefs still form the foundation of the Hippocratic Oath that new medical practitioners swear to upon completion of their training.

Why Is Hippocrates Relevant To My Healing Journey?

I think there is great benefit looking back at the old masters, when the field of medicine didn’t exist and spirituality and science were mixed in equal measure. Healing is a force that has always been present in human culture and I wonder whether its nuances may have been easier to see in ancient times, when life and medicine were much less complicated and the body and mind were not considered distinct entities.

I have been having a wander through some of Hippocrates’ writings and have fallen into deep inspiration… I’m having an inspiration bath today! I’m grabbing my rubber duck, my favourite soap and a good book for this one because I think I may be here a while!!

So, without further ado, I’m diving into Hippocrates’ observations and teachings to light my way on my journey…

Hippocrates On The Healing Force:

As I have read more and more on cases of spontaneous remissions (which, to be honest, are never spontaneous… They take months or years of hard work by the person involved… It’s just in the doctors’ eyes that the person was ill one day and well the next!), I have come to realise that our intuition is always available to us and is continuously trying to steer us towards better health. We just need to lean in closely and learn how to listen to it.

So I make it a priority to keep asking myself the question… ‘What are my mind, body and soul really asking for today?’.

Hippocrates On Nature:

I think, when Hippocrates talks about nature here, he is referring to it in ways that, today, we would understand as two distinct components. Firstly, there is the nature around us in the world. Trees, plants, forests, lakes, rivers, the sea, deserts, mountains. Being in nature restores me in a way that the modern world of cities and urban landscapes just doesn’t. I am therefore taking the reminder from Hippocrates to access it more. I need to find ways to make it a more consistent part of my life, even in the hot, arid climate I now live in.

Secondly, I think Hippocrates could also be referring to nature as the internal body system we have, made up of cells and organs and tissues. My own body can heal me better than any medicine, if I just let it. And, each time I am living in excess in any part of my life – diet, exercise, laziness, stress, work, too much sleep – I am contravening this natural force. A striving for moderation is key (without, well, striving because that would to excess too!). Balance is healing.

Hippocrates On The Origins Of Illness:

Now this quote really peeked my interest. When my daughter was a year and a half old, her blood sugars started oscillating quite violently. A diabetologist confirmed my worst fears – she was in the latter stages of developing Type 1 Diabetes. He suggested, as a last resort, that we could try giving her a range of vitamins and probiotics to support her gut health since research was starting to suggest that Type 1 Diabetes may in fact be a gut disorder. Roll forward six years, my daughter still takes her supplements each day and is still a non-diabetic.

Hippocrates’ observation that illness results from ‘small daily sins against Nature’ resonates with how I have come to understand my T1D (see my post on allostatic load for a deeper explanation). It’s great to have my thoughts supported by someone in a different country, in a different time. I feel like we’re both somehow tapping into the universal healing that has always existed across time.

Hippocrates On The Patient’s Contribution To Their Illness:

Okay, so now I’m heading into choppier waters. This section is looking at how the patient may have contributed to their illness. I want to make clear at this point that I am in no way blaming myself, or any other Type 1 Diabetic, for creating their own illness. I don’t think any one of us, having any choice in this disease, would have chosen to have this. This is not about objective choice. But I am starting to come around to the idea that maybe, somehow, my body developed the diabetes in me as a way to process the ‘small daily sins against Nature’ that Hippocrates refers to. And I do believe that these ‘daily sins’ are not necessarily just physical in nature, not just what we eat and drink or how much we exercise or rest or sleep. I think they also fall into the mental, emotional and spiritual fields – the ‘thoughts’ that Hippocrates refers to in the second quotation here. So, again, Hippocrates is supporting those small whispers of intuition I have that say that who I am, how I turn up in the world, and how I respond emotionally and mentally and spiritually, are also important in this healing journey. Healing involves all aspects on myself, not just a selected few.

The two latter quotes of this section don’t sit so easily for me. I guess I need to ask myself the question… How much exactly do I have to give up?? I suspect that there may be a lot of unlearning to do before true healing is obtained. Through my years of healing so far, though, I have learned that you are never presented with more than you can contend with at each stage of healing. You are asked to stretch but not to the point of breaking. It isn’t easy, it isn’t pretty but eventually you get there. Like, right now, I feel that I am being asked to give up sugar. Like, totally. It feels like an impossible stretch. But three years ago, the idea of meditating every day was too much of a stretch. One year ago, forgiving anyone for anything was just too hard. Slowly but surely, the process unfolds and I find that I unfold with it.

Hippocrates On Tools For Healing:

I think that Hippocrates seems to offer a fair number of insights for me to pursue on my journey from here. Of course, as I have just mentioned above, I feel that food is important on a healing journey and the next step of mine is asking me to be sugar-free. I am not ready for that yet but I suspect that my future will possibly contain that truth. I am reminded about how it is often cited that our bodies are made up of the food we eat so do we want our bodies to be made of french fries or healthy proteins, fat and carbohydrates? Of course, when put like that, it’s a no-brainer. But maybe this is where the second quote here comes in… I need to apply the warmth, sympathy and understanding to myself with this current struggle of mine. Removing the judgement around my current struggles with what I eat are more likely to lead to a better outcome than continually beating myself up for what I put in my mouth. Perhaps it is that hostility towards my perceived flawed nutrition that requires the healing, rather than the nutrition itself. I suspect better nutrition would naturally result if it wasn’t dragged through such hostility on a daily basis!

Okay, so maybe there is new ground for me to cover here… The spine and astrology! I know that Dr Joe Dispenza, as well as being a respected healer, is a trained chiropractor. Whilst I don’t necessarily want to do all that training, I wonder if an adventure into the world of chiropractics might yield insights for me. Similarly, I know very little about astrology and I’m not quite sure how it may be useful to me but, until I investigate, I won’t know more!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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July 19, 2021

The Curative Effects of Swimming

And The Added Benefits Of Sea Swimming

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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So now, at this point in my healing journey, I am turning my attention towards exercise.

I think we all know the general benefits of exercising… Lower weight, better blood pressure, improved mental health, lower risk of heart problems, and so on… Basically, exercise gives you a longer and better quality of life. So I’m not going to try to sell you on the general idea of exercise. I’m going to assume you’ve already received that telegram!

Exercise As A Tool For Healing

I’m more specifically interested in what exercise might do for healing Type 1 Diabetes. Dr Kelly Turner highlights in her book ‘Radical Hope’ that exercise is also a crucial component of a healing journey. I also know that the two ex-Type 1 Diabetics Daniel Darkes and Johan Kotze both place great importance on exercise in their daily lives. Daniel Darkes is an ultra-marathon runner. Johan Kotze enjoys CrossFit and circuit classes.

So it would be pretty obvious that, at this point, I can just conclude this post by saying ‘Right, I’m going to run a long way regularly and do circuit classes. See ya!’. The thing is… I HATE running! And I’m not sure my body can do it any more either. I used to run. I even trained for a marathon in my twenties but, in the process of doing that, my leg broke and I got a blood clot. A kindly physiotherapist at the time told me that some bodies are just not designed for running and maybe I was one of those…!! I might have been adamantly against that sentiment at the time but I’ve grown to agree with her now, although for a very different reason. My reason is… I just don’t like it. And Dr Kelly Turner highlighted in her first book ‘Radical Remission‘ that it is important to increase positive emotions and remove negative/repressed emotions. So running flies in the face of that. I started to look for an alternative.

Finding My Form Of Exercise

I knew that I needed to find something that I could enjoy as well as challenge my cardio fitness. I also knew that I wanted it to be an activity based in nature. I believe that nature is deeply healing and gets our bodies to reset back to the way they’re actually supposed to work. I have always found that to be true for my mental health. When I’m all wound-up and stressed out, taking a walk in nature brings me right back to myself again. I suspect the power of nature works the same way for the physical body.

My first thought was to walk. It has a tonne of really great benefits without putting any part of the human anatomy (knees, lungs, heart) under unnecessary stress. But I suspected that in itself might be a problem. If it’s not stressing the cardio system, I won’t be exercising similarly to Daniel and Johan. On top of that, I live in a city so there’s not a lot of readily available nature around me. I would have to travel quite a distance to get somewhere nature-based and that would probably involve me walking in the desert. Anyone up for insane amounts of dehydration?! Yeah, me neither!

My next thought was the gym. I love lifting heavy weights, it makes me feel like superman. I have been to the gym off and on for years. A few months ago, I was attending regularly and, in a pretty short period of time, made some impressive improvements in the amount I could lift and felt like this was it for me! I also did back-to-back exercises so that kept my heart rate up too. But, after a while, I realised that I was coming away from each workout feeling extremely pumped up and a bit, well, edgy and aggressive. I was ready to fight. Weightlifting seemed to put me into a fight-or-flight mode, with the emphasis on fight. That just didn’t sit well with me. I wanted something that would reduce the inflammation, the fight-and-flight in my system, not increase it! So I stopped doing that. I needed to find something else.

Interestingly, I just found a passage in Dr Kelly Turner’s book ‘Radical Hope’ that adds weight to my intuitive stance that weightlifting is not good for my healing. In the book, there is a case study of a woman called Mary, who used to be a competitive weightlifter. She subsequently got diagnosed with cancer and then proceeded to heal herself from it. When deciding on what exercise to do as part of her healing work, she chose to avoid the weightlifting and instead chose yoga and gentle rebounding on a trampoline. She said she felt that going back to the gym was not right for her healing. My intuition seems to be agreeing with hers!

My Choice Of Exercise: Swimming

Both Daniel Darkes and Johan Kotze chose exercise formats that kept them moving and on-the-go. They effectively put themselves into flight mode (in the fight-or-flight response) during their training. So I had to pick something that enabled movement. I also wanted to choose something that I could do year-round. I live very close to a swimming pool so thought that might be a good option. It is a form of movement, it challenges my cardio system, it can be nature-based (when swimming outside) and is less likely to put unnecessary strain on my body, in the way that running did for me.

The thing is… I’m not very good at swimming! As a kid, my parents quite rightly insisted that I learnt to swim. So I went along every Wednesday afternoon when school finished to learn to swim. I hated it!! I kept asking my parents again and again if I could stop. And again and again they said no. In the end, my parents said that I had to keep going until I could swim 50 metres. They felt that would make me an adequate enough swimmer to keep me safe around water. The day I hit that target, I left my lessons and didn’t go back. The result was an adult who felt comfortable enough in water but swam slowly. I was the ‘doing-breaststroke-without-getting-my-face-or-hair-wet’ kind of swimmer!! I was functional in the water but it could not, in any vein, be considered aerobic exercise.

Four months ago, I changed that. I decided, at the ripe old age of 41, to take swimming lessons! I hoped to get more confident in my ability to swim, improve my stroke and get myself fast enough to actually challenge my lungs! It worked. I am now swimming 30 lengths of front crawl twice a week at my local pool. I feel proud of myself and I’m looking forward to improving more still.

Swimming In The Sea

Now that I feel I have a certain amount of prowess in the water(!), I have decided to take on my next personal challenge… Sea swimming. I wanted to escape from the chlorine and other chemicals in the pool environment and instead take myself to a more natural, and therefore more healing, environment.

I live pretty close to the sea so I felt that sea swimming would be a great option. This week, with my newly-gained swimming ability, I went and swam in the sea. I was terrified! I thought I might be dragged out to sea my some unseen current or be eaten by that Great White Shark that no one knew was in the water!! But it was actually fabulous. Being in such a wonderfully healing and natural environment just resonated with some part of me that had been thirsting for something unspoken. My self-confidence and self-esteem have also increased by taking on this challenge and facing this irrational fear of mine.

I hope to swim in the sea at least once a week now. It feels restorative. It feels good!

Health Benefits Of Sea Swimming

It turns out that my intuitive pull towards swimming in the sea actually comes with great merit. It turns out that the sea environment can reduce stress, promote deep sleep and relax the body. Furthermore, Wallace J. Nichols highlights in his book ‘Blue Mind‘ that swimming actually stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system – the system that is engaged when the body is not in fight-or-flight and is responsible for resting and repairing the body. This is the mode in which healing takes place.

The sea is also rich in a wide range of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium. Magnesium is an important nutrient for Type 1 Diabetes. I will talk about this in a later post but, for now, I will simply state that people with diabetes are likely to have lower magnesium levels due to insulin resistance and/or excessive loss due to fluctuating insulin sensitivities. Moreover, increased magnesium intake is associated with better blood sugar control. So, if it’s available to you, go and paddle in the sea!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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July 12, 2021

Bedtime Routine

A Better End To The Day For Better Healing

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Previously resisting structure, the author has finally embraced a bedtime routine for healing. Yoga stretches, skincare, dental care, hydration, gratitudes, and prayer now anchor her evenings. Planning the next day ensures productivity without stress. Fiction reading and experimenting with sound frequencies add relaxation. Candlelight aids skincare, all in pursuit of restful sleep and holistic healing.

The Bedtime Routine. I don’t know why I have resisted this concept for such a long, long time. It could be that it’s because I’m a night owl. I love those deeply quiet and restful hours of the early morning when the world is asleep and peaceful. Or it could be because, as a parent, those few hours after the little ones are asleep seem so short and so full of possibility.

Whatever the reason, I resisted and resisted giving my evening hours to something as structured as a ‘routine’. It felt onerous and long-winded and, well, just hard work at the end of a long day. But I knew that it was a brilliant time to be working on healing, rather than my total number of accumulated telly hours, so I took the plunge. And, as is my way, I went at it with full force…!

Designing My Bedtime Routine

I considered many options for my bedtime routine. Audiobooks, reading, baths (with or without essential oils, epsom salts and all other kinds of healing products), hydration, reflections on my day, gratitudes, affirmations, yoga, stretching, journalling, diffusing essential oils, facial cleansing routines, drinking herbal teas and so on…!

I started to realise that, if I didn’t narrow down my to-do list, I would actually still be awake in the early hours of the morning but, this time, it would be because I was still slogging through my bedtime routine! I decided to trust my intuition on this and go with what I felt drawn towards. Some things jumped out at me immediately…

Yoga Stretches (10 Minutes)

I felt some yoga stretches before bed sounded great. I love yoga and always feel restored and relaxed after spending some time on the mat. However, it’s something I only seem to do sporadically these days so the idea of incorporating that into a daily routine ticked both boxes. So yoga was in.

Cleanse, Tone And Moisturise (5 Minutes)

My appearance, and more importantly how I feel about my appearance, has become more important to me over the preceding months. I have never really invested in my skin and have always found beauty regimes to be too much effort for too little output. But a simple cleansing and moisturising routine felt doable. So that made the list.

Brush And Floss Teeth (5 Minutes)

Of course, dental hygiene goes without saying! I would like to have teeth when I get to old age and diabetics are at increased risk for a whole host of dental problems, including being more prone to gum disease. As part of my intention to reduce toxins in my life, I considered using herbal toothpaste. I actually started this and bought a well-known brand. However, within three months of using this, I was found to have my first ever filling. Perhaps coincidence, perhaps not. But I didn’t want to risk any more problems so I’ve scrubbed that idea and gone back to standard toothpaste. So… Teeth brushing (with a standard toothpaste!), check. Flossing, check.

A Glass Of Water (1 Minute)

Hydration. So, as you know, I now live in an extremely hot desert climate so hydration is on my mind at all hours! I never used to drinking water at night because it often disrupted my sleep due to much needed loo break. However, out here, I am now waking up each morning feeling very thirsty and that doesn’t create a good bodily environment for healing. A glass of water is now part of my night-time ritual.

Gratitudes (5 Minutes)

I tried to make a gratitude practice part of my morning routine but I struggled to name lots of things I was grateful for when I’d just staggered out of bed! I always seemed able to remember to be grateful for my sleep but that was about it!! I hope that, by making this part of my evening routine, I will be able to reflect on my day and all the wonderful moments in it. I hope it will therefore strengthen and deepen my gratitude practice. For now, I will start with three gratitudes every night.

Prayer (1 Minute)

How much did I resist prayer in my life?? Wow, it has hardcore! For years, I didn’t want to pray to a god that I felt had cursed me with diabetes. I didn’t feel He/She deserved as much as a hello from me! I think that the addition of prayer into my night-time routine shows just how far I have come on my healing journey already. I don’t have any set format for praying. I just treat it as a time for me and God to talk, for me to say whatever’s on my mind and, when I can, offer gratitude for all that He/She has done for me and given me.

Plan For The Next Day (18 Minutes)

i have been getting more into self-development lately and I have heard again and again the phrase ‘those who fail to plan, plan to fail’. I don’t know how much that is true but I do know that, on the days that I have made a plan for my time, I get a whole lot more done than on the days when I don’t plan. So planning is in there. But please note that this is not an all-out plan-every-minute kind of thing. It’s more ‘these are the things I want to get done and what is the best order I can do it in’. If I plotted every minute of my day, I dissolve into a stress heap when I got five minutes behind schedule. That isn’t good for creating a stress-free environment for my healing to take place!

Reading Fiction (15 Minutes)

Ah, reading! I love reading!! I have found that, as my healing journey continues, I seem to be devoting more and more of my time to reading factual books about healing. Consequently, less and less of my time is devoted to reading fiction. I feel the balance between work and play is important in life so time needs to be made for enjoyment and relaxation. Reading fiction answers this call for me. Moreover, a gentle story sets me up well to drift off into the land of nod so I have added 15 minutes of reading fiction to my plan.

Finishing Touches

Once I’d worked out what I wanted to include in my bedtime routine, I then had to figure out how long to allocated to each item (see above). I didn’t want to spend more than an hour on my routine so I allocated that hour according to how long I felt each activity would realistically take. I might have to adjust as time goes on.

Then, the last thing to do was decide the order of the activities. I decided I would start in my bathroom as this was the furthest from my bed. That meant doing my ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise face’ and ‘brush and floss teeth’ first. I followed those with my yoga stretches in my bedroom, since these needed to be completed before I could get into bed. Then, from the comfort of my bed, I chose to plan my day first. I knew that this activity would wake my brain up a bit and I needed to save some more calming, less engaging activities for after that. I therefore follow my planning with my glass of water, gratitudes and prayer. I complete the routine with reading my fiction book for fifteen minutes and then turn the light off. Job done! Night night, sleep well.

A Couple Of Extra Things

You might have noticed that I have added candlelight to my skincare routine and sound frequencies to my yoga stretches. The reason for the candlelight is due to something I read in the book ‘Sleep by Nick Littlehales’. He discusses the importance of avoiding bright light on the run-up to bedtime. I really recommend that book if you need to improve the quantity and/or quality of your sleep!

The reason for the sound frequencies is a little less delineated in my mind. I have been hearing great things about the healing qualities of sound frequencies and so I have started to experiment with solfeggio frequencies. Because of the link diabetes has to past trauma and the solar plexus chakra, I am focussing on the frequency of 417 Hz. At the moment, the only time I play solfeggio frequencies is during these ten minutes that I’m doing my bedtime yoga poses. But it’s a start!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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June 14, 2021

Get Yourself a Hug!

Hugging Others And Hugging Yourself Leads To Healing

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Hugging triggers oxytocin release, promoting social bonding and reducing cortisol. Early-life touch shapes vagus nerve development crucial for health. The author’s Type 1 Diabetes led to touch aversion due to medical interventions. This aversion resembles sensory defensiveness. The Hoffman Process helped the author embrace hugs, easing stress responses. During COVID, when human touch can be risky, self-hugging offers similar benefits, promoting relaxation and healing.

When I was growing up, I had a teddy bear called ‘Fete Day’. My great aunt won him for me at our village fete when I was one year old. That day, I received Fete Day… And also my diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. Fete Day was by my side during my stay in hospital and was with me throughout the whole of my childhood. I loved him until his leg fell off and had to be ‘operated on’ (sewn back into place!) by my mum. To me, that bear was, and still is, ‘real’. (If you’re not sure what I mean by ‘real’… Please, please, please read the Velveteen Rabbit. It’s an absolutely beautiful book!)

I never used to like being hugged. Fete Day was the exception. He was a safe option. Thankfully, I came from a family where hugs were generally not high on the priority list and certainly didn’t feature in my daily life. I felt safer when I wasn’t hugged. This is unlikely to be without consequences, though.

The Psychobiology Of Hugging

The act of hugging produces a series of psychobiological effects in the body. Primarily, it releases the peptide oxytocin, which is responsible for facilitating social interaction and wellbeing, as well as reducing the stress hormone cortisol.

Regular hugging and touch is also essential in early childhood to facilitate the proper development of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a nerve that runs from the head to the gut. It is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which contributes to a wide range of bodily functions, including digestion and regulating heart rate.

So, without hugging in early childhood, and then into adulthood, the body will be rife with raised cortisol levels, poorer digestive function and inhibited social functioning.

Type 1 Diabetes And The Fear Of Touch

As I have worked on my healing and investigated my internal world, something has become clear to me about my aversion to hugging. I believe that my unwillingness to engage in this social norm is easily explained when you look at my experiences through childhood. In my life, human touch was often followed by sharp pain as the needle of the next syringe went into my bodily tissue or the next finger-prick was required for blood testing. The vast majority of interactions of touch followed this pattern. Therefore, the association of touch with pain was strengthened everyday in my mind. The next touch would most likely cause the next serving of pain. Touch became physically, and emotionally, painful to me.

‘Social Defensiveness’ And Type 1 Diabetes

The medical community have come up with some names for this response. Firstly, there is ‘sensory defensiveness’, where a person (adult or child) reacts with a strong ‘fight-or-flight’ (or ‘freeze’) response to a stimulus or sensation that most people wouldn’t consider threatening. Touch is one of these sensations.

Secondly, there is ‘haphephobia’. This is when the aversion to touch has become so marked that it develops into a full phobia. People with haphephobia will have strong fear or anxiety when thinking about being touched. This will demonstrate itself physiologically with an increased heart rate, sweating, hot flushes, tingling and other fight-or-flight symptoms. Social situations became near impossible for these people and life can become extremely difficult.

I don’t for one second think I have haphephobia but sensory defensiveness feels appropriate. For years, when someone came towards me for a hug, I would brace my body and hunch my shoulders. My breathing rate would slow or stop. I would turn side-on so that the person ended up hugging my side, rather than my vulnerable chest area. My whole body had effectively gone into a paused mode, a freeze response.

Medical News Today states that haphephobia can be caused by experiencing a traumatic event that involved being touched. I believe the continuous onslaught of invasive medical treatments, at an age when I could not understand, would have created such a ‘little t’ trauma that resulted in a strong aversion to touch.

Healing A Hugging Aversion

The turning point for me in hugging career(!) came when I attended the Hoffman Process. This process was life-changing for me. Whilst I will not be going into the details of what the process involves (I wouldn’t want to ruin the fun if you haven’t done it yet!!), I will say that it completely transformed my ability to hug. I learnt to feel safe in a hug.

I still cannot face being hugged, or touched in any way, when I am angry or extremely upset. When my fight-or-flight response is activated, hugging is off the agenda. But, normally, I now happily welcome hugs from friends and family. When I hug now, I feel this initial moment when my body is tense and my breathing subsides. But, if I wait maybe just five or ten seconds, I feel my whole system relax as this wave washes over me. It’s like my whole body is giving a long, slow exhale or sigh.

My self-observation of this effect is actually supported by scientific research. This study shows how many forms of physical touch, including hugging, is associated with lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, and higher oxytocin levels.

Hugging In COVID Times

Have you seen ‘The Minimalists: Less is Now’ on Netflix? The Minimalists are two guys, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, who promote the idea of living a good life with less stuff. I love that!

In their documentary, there is a scene where they explain that they are ‘huggers’. They like to hug, rather than shake hands when they meet people. (I assume this was filmed in pre-COVID days!). This scene got me thinking about how they have so successfully implemented a robust hugging schedule(!) in their lives without having to either add it to their to-do list or count their hugs to ensure they have hit a hugging minimum for the day. It just simply is… ‘See a person, hug them’!

I’d love to employ the same strategy, knowing that it is contributing to my health, healing and happiness so effectively. But, in these current COVID times, I’m not sure it’s the wisest idea for a diabetic. It certainly comes with additional risks!

Hug Yourself!

I believe that there are two workarounds for the ‘no hugging during COVID times’ conundrum.

Firstly, I intend to hug, and hug often, everyone I live with (as long as they don’t test positively for COVID or start exhibiting symptoms!), including my dogs! I’m sure they will benefit from this as much as I will.

Secondly, I can hug myself. This study has found that, like hugging others, self-hugging releases the love hormone oxytocin and also produces anti-stress effects, such as reduced blood pressure and cortisol levels. It also improves the function of the gastrointestinal tract. In other words, it takes the body from a state of ‘fight-or-flight’ to one of relaxation… And relaxation is where the healing takes place.

GET HEALINGT1D’S FUTURE ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Recent Comments:

June 7, 2021

NEWSFLASH!

The Fight-Flight Response Is Connected To Beta Cell Creation And Destruction

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Recent research confirms a link between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and pancreatic beta cell function in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), validating the impact of stress and distress on beta cell destruction and regeneration. Addressing chronic stress and promoting relaxation may potentially aid beta cell regeneration in T1D management.

The Relationship Between The Autonomic Nervous System And The Pancreas

Wow, wow, wow! I have just come across a research article that has blown my mind and I just had to share it with you!

I found an article in the scientific literature that has confirmed a hunch I have about the development (and maintenance) of Type 1 Diabetes. The article is entitled ‘Relationships between the Autonomic Nervous System and the Pancreas including Regulation of Regeneration and Apoptosis: Recent Developments’. It can be found in the journal ‘Pancreas’ (find the article here) . Fun title, eh?! Haha!

First, just a quick glossary for those that need it (like I did about ten minutes ago!!):

Regeneration = creation of new cells

Apoptosis = cell death

What is so amazing for me about this article is that it has confirmed to me for the first time in the scientific literature that there is a link between the fight-or-flight response of the autonomic nervous system and the creation and destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. MY INTUITION WAS RIGHT!! As I suspected…

Therefore, I am right to believe that sufficient trauma can result in destruction of insulin-producing cells, which would result in the development of T1D. Then, if the body gets stuck in a fight-or-flight response – either it doesn’t process that the trauma has passed OR the trauma is ongoing or chronic – the status of T1D is maintained in the body.

In other words, the body continually tells the pancreatic cells to stayed destroyed and not be regenerated because the autonomic nervous system is saying that there is something dangerous out there that the body needs to be ready for. So now the question becomes… If I find a way to tell the body (and mind and soul) that the threat is over and I am now safe, will the pancreas then regenerate beta cells and thus start producing insulin again?

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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May 27, 2021

Dairy Causes Mental Health Issues

Food Choices Can Impact All Levels Of Health

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Discovering a dairy intolerance at the age of 41 reshaped my understanding of its effects beyond digestion. After moving to the Middle East, reducing my dairy intake lowered my mood swings and energy dips, thus revealing a surprising link between dairy and emotional stability. Exploring casein’s role, I ponder its broader implications, including its possible influence on Type 1 Diabetes. Camel’s milk emerges as an alternative with unique benefits but watch for initial blood sugar spikes and potential weight gain.

I LOVE chocolate. And a nice french brie. And milk on my cereal. And… Well, dairy!!

However, the last couple of months have been a great learning curve for me. At 41 years of age, I have FINALLY discovered that I’m dairy intolerant! It would have been nice to discover I’m a secret millionaire but I guess I’ll have to settle for this insight instead!!

Unlike the majority of people who have issues with dairy, I have little to no digestive problems. I have no bloating, no diarrhoea, no nausea, no stomach cramps or pains. In fact, my digestive tract always appears to be sincerely contented. What was not contented, though, was my mood…

Dairy Impacts Mood Stability

Dairy affects my mood?! I never knew this!! When I moved to the Middle East six months ago, the amount of dairy in my diet dropped considerably. I just didn’t find it so readily available out here. I didn’t really notice how little of it I was eating until I moved into our new home and started reverting to my old way of eating. And, boy, did I get angry… And moody… And crabby… And exhausted… And tearful… And snarky… And, frankly, depressed.

But was this really a thing?? Having family members with debilitating IBS, which was always worse with dairy consumption, I thought I knew all there was to know about reactions to dairy. But it turns out that I didn’t know! So I did what all people lacking knowledge do… I hit Google!! And here is what I discovered…

Dairy’s Impacts On The Brain

The first thing I tripped across in my Google search was an article in the New York Post entitled “Your cheese addiction could be making you an emotional wreck“. It referenced a nutritional therapist Kay Ali, who stated that the protein ‘casein’, which is found in dairy, is associated with increased inflammation in the brain. This inflammation can then lead to depression.

I found this insight really interesting. The article did not reference any academic literature so I took to the academic journals to find out more. Unfortunately, I could not find anything to support this conclusion. Instead, I found an article suggesting that milk casein can improve stress in a mouse model of human behaviour. So the jury’s out on the association between dairy, inflammation and depression at the moment.

Whilst unsupported, this article did give me food for thought (pun intended!). My experience of mood swings as a result of eating dairy foodstuffs is not isolated. Anecdotal evidence of this link abounds with bloggers like ‘Danny + Mara‘ and Heather McGlees from ‘One Green Planet’ also highlighting the same issue.

I thought I had been suffering from unexplainable anxiety and depression for years. I would be feeling that I was making progress, feeling better and more optimistic about myself and life, then my mood would inexplicably crash down around my ankles again. It was hard, hard work. I attended therapy for years and worked on myself, both inside and outside the therapy room, for a long time. But this unpredictable oscillation in mood never abated and I ended up concluding that it must just be some randomness in me that I just needed to learn to live with. That is not the case for me anymore. I have done my therapeutic work and I have untied the knots in my psyche. Now that I have this final piece of the puzzle, I no longer consider myself to have mental health issues. I can now say (and truly believe myself when I say it!!) that I am ‘mentally healthy’ (even though I hate labels!!).

A1 Beta-Casein And Type 1 Diabetes

The nutritional therapist Kay Ali (referenced above) specifically mentioned that it is the protein ‘casein’ that is associated with increased inflammation, and therefore depression, in the brain. This is worth repeating for emphasis because I think it holds something highly valuable for me on my healing journey.

I first learnt about casein when I became pregnant with my daughter in 2013. At that time, I researched factors that may affect the potential development of Type 1 Diabetes in children. Type 1 Diabetes has a strong genetic inheritance in the female side of my family so I wanted to do what I could to prevent and/or delay any onset in my daughter. I found a series of articles that highlighted how the protein A1 beta-casein, found in cow’s milk, can be a triggering factor for T1D in individuals with genetic susceptibilities [see this article and this article as examples]. Therefore, for the first six months of my daughter’s life, I gave her no dairy, neither through my breast milk nor through top-up feeds of formula milk (I found a dairy-free version to give her instead).

Encountering casein in a different yet still T1D-relevant context now leaves me wondering about a potential, more general link between dairy intolerance (A1 beta-casein intolerance…?) and T1D. Is my body telling me to lay off the dairy because of a body-wide intolerance to it…? As of now, I just don’t know the answer to this. But I do know that dairy does not suit me, so the avoidance of it in my diet makes sense to me anyway.

BONUS: Camel Milk!

So what if you are thinking of giving up cow’s milk but you really, really like a cup of tea or coffee with milk? Or if you can’t do without that bowl of cereal and milk in the morning? I have an answer for you… Camel’s milk!

Camel milk lacks the beta-casein that cow’s milk contains. So this is a great substitute for avoiding the whole beta-casein issue. But, the superpowers of camel’s milk seem to also go beyond this…

Agrawal and colleagues have undertaken extensive research on the impact of camel’s milk on glycaemic control for patients with Type 1 Diabetes. They have found that camel’s milk is safe and can be used to improve long-term glycaemic control, as evidenced by improved HbA1c’s and reduced doses of insulin (see here, here, and here!). It appears that this may be attributable to the fact that camel’s milk contains protein that have a structure similar to insulin molecules and this similarity may be responsible for the significant impacts on blood sugar levels. Furthermore, for new Type 1 Diabetics, consumption of camel’s milk seemed to aid the maintenance of residual beta-cell function.

What I found particularly interesting was, in this study, it was found that C-peptide levels (used by doctors as an indication of type 1 diabetes – a low level indicates a Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis) were markedly higher in subjects who regularly consumed camel’s milk. In fact, those T1Ds that consumed camel milk had, by the end of 16 weeks, C-peptide levels that were equivalent to non-diabetics!!

And all this was achieved purely by drinking 500 ml of camel’s milk per day. Not bad, eh?!

Words Of Warning…

With such beneficial effects appearing achievable with camel’s milk, I thought I would give it a go. I have to say that, for the first few days, my blood sugars SOARED with the addition of camel’s milk in my diet. Whilst it may have good long-term consequences for diabetes management, in the short-term, it has been playing havoc with my blood sugar control. This has meant I have had to increase my insulin doses. I hope, as time goes on, I will start to witness the build-up of beneficial effects but these early days have no been without consequences! The studies appeared to be undertaken over periods of three months or longer so I wonder if this may be more of a long-term effect.

Furthermore, I noticed that a large number of these studies on camel’s milk showed a statistically significant increase in the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the study participants. Therefore, the extra calories consumed with the camel’s milk appear to cause weight gain. This has left me with two thoughts. Firstly, this is obviously not ideal when I want to decrease my insulin requirements since excess weight increases insulin resistance and therefore is unlikely to regress complete healing.

Secondly, these studies, whilst demonstrating weight gain in the participants, still showed a marked decrease in total insulin intake. Therefore, even with additional weight gain, camel’s milk (assuming all other variables, such as the Hawthorne Effect, were adequately controlled for) drastically improves insulin sensitivity. That suggests to me that it has a very robust and extremely powerful effect on blood sugars. Therefore, I am starting with smaller quantities of camel’s milk and will be working up to consuming the full 500 ml per day.

GET HEALINGT1D’S FUTURE ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX!

Get the latest musings and findings straight to your email inbox.

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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April 26, 2021

Category: Physical Wellbeing

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