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Read more about the benefits of ionized alkaline water in the newspaper "Diabetes" published by the Lithuanian Diabetes Association: Click here...
RITA'S STORY - HOW HAS IONIZED WATER HELPED TO LIVE WITH DIABETES?
Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest-growing diseases globally, including in Lithuania. There are currently more than 51,000 people having diabetes in our country, and doctors speculate that the real numbers are probably double because the same number of people are undiagnosed.
We ask Rita Milinaviciene, a health psychologist and a member of the UK Diabetes Association, what diabetes is and how dangerous it is for us. "Type 2 diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism that leads to an increase in blood glucose," - explains Rita. She has been able to curb this insidious disease on her own using traditional and non-traditional therapies. "Diabetes is very dangerous because it can lead to major health complications like cardiovascular damage, kidney problems, eye disease, even a heart attack or stroke if left untreated or having the wrong treatment."
Type 2 diabetes is closely related to modern lifestyle and eating habits. An excessive and unbalanced diet can lead to overweight and excessive amounts of carbohydrates in the diet. And that is how you end up at the doctor's office. "Obesity accounts for as much as 80 percent of the risk of developing diabetes. This is especially true for people with an "apple" type, i.e., those overweight in the lumbar region, ” - says the interviewee.
Rita is a patient with almost 20 years of experience. The woman managed to get acquainted and learn to live with the disease during that time, trying out many treatment methods. Also, living with diabetes taught Rita to live DIFFERENTLY and even forced her to change her profession: the former financier became a professional psychologist and health consultant. "I used to be very overweight, had a lot of trouble in my family, and a difficult depression. All of these factors contributed to the fact that I had an attack that almost ended in death one fine day. I was taken to the hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit. When an experienced endocrinologist immediately suspected diabetes and measured my blood sugar, the entire team of doctors was stunned: 18 millimoles! Every person with diabetes knows that it is a deadly indicator of sugar content," - Rita recalls.
- What treatment methods have you tried and what has helped you the most?
"Over the years, I have tried many treatment methods, and in the end, I have chosen what works best for me. I started like everyone else from traditional medicine - insulin injections. But diabetes is not a simple disease but a way of life. If you want to feel good and avoid disability, you have to change your lifestyle and mindset fundamentally. The problem of being overweight had to be addressed first. You can't get rid of it mechanically - you have to work hard with yourself. Here, too, I began to delve into the disciplines that helped me get to know myself better. I discovered cognitive psychology and spiritual practice - various forms of meditation. Today, I can say with certainty that the main task of a slimming person is to control the mind; otherwise, one will not achieve a sustainable result. I later attended a number of courses to help people get rid of excess weight. I studied at the most famous nutritional adjustment centers in Russia. Here I learned to distinguish between hunger and appetite, physiological causes of overeating, and psychological ones."
- Breaking point was the discovery of ionized alkaline water...
"Adjusting the diet and restoring the state of mind helped stabilize the disease, but I sought better results. I’ve always been concerned about finding out if I can adjust my blood sugar with natural remedies. I didn’t want to be addicted to drugs for a lifetime… The breakthrough came when a friend I helped improve my English and gave me a water ioniser. At first, I didn’t believe water with altered properties could help with a disease as serious as mine. Still, the device intrigued me. As I began to delve into the specialized literature, I learned that Japan, South Korea, Germany, and other developed countries had conducted a number of studies and researches that have revealed the benefits of ionized alkaline water for people with diabetes. I tried this type of "therapy" myself with great curiosity. Today, I can confirm that alkaline ionized water helps regulate blood sugar based on personal experience. About a year after I started drinking more alkaline ionized water, I went to my doctor’s endocrinologist for a regular health checkup. After measuring my blood sugar, the doctor found that my blood sugar had improved significantly and asked me what treatment I was taking. After finding out that my treatment was drinking water, the doctor was shocked and noted that natural therapies usually do not show such good results in such a short period. Acknowledging that as a doctor, she couldn't say that water "heals," she encouraged me to continue drinking it. That's what I did - I drank water and practiced. I do regular blood sugar tests. Before the tests, I had an intake of higher alkalinity of ionized water for some time. For instance, the last time I did so, I noticed that the morning sugar level had dropped to 6.4 millimoles instead of 11 millimoles. They used to be a little higher, about seven millimoles. This is the optimal sugar level for a person with diabetes. It is generally allowed to maintain it in the range of 6.8 to 7 millimoles. I'm always happy watching my result being impacted by just drinking water. Without taking any more radical measures. No medication changes, no diet changes, and so on. My sugar is changing."
- I wonder what properties of alkaline ionized water have a beneficial effect on the body of a person with diabetes?
"Maybe we should start with the question, why do we get diseases like diabetes? I was strongly impressed by the discovery of Japanese and Korean scientists at that time that one of the causes of many chronic diseases, including diabetes, is the accumulation of acidic waste in the body. The harmful effects of acids lead to a deficiency of calcium ions and a decrease in insulin production, making it difficult for glucose to be delivered to cells. Many reasons cause acid waste, but malnutrition is most important. Therefore, no form of therapy will be effective enough without cleansing the body and reorganizing the diet. A young organism is still doing well with harmful substances, but its ability to neutralize acidic waste and resist oxidative stress weakens it in the long run. Acidification of the body's internal environment interferes with blood flow and creates conditions for pathology. Acid waste accumulated in the pancreas interferes with insulin secretion and can lead to diabetes."
- A precept for diabetics: drink water!
"Water helps control blood glucose levels, essential for people with diabetes. It is imperative to drink enough water. Women should drink an average of 1.6 liters a day and men 2 liters a day. However, the exact amount of water should be calculated individually by one's weight. Why should this be important for people with diabetes? The body loses a lot of fluid due to high blood sugar. When the kidneys try to eliminate the excess glucose in the blood with urine, they want to visit the restroom more often."
- Ionized alkaline water - useful for diabetics?
"Although water is very beneficial for people with diabetes, it is important to know what water to choose. I recommend drinking ionized alkaline water instead of regular drinking water. First of all, the pancreatic juice is one of the most alkaline body fluids, with a pH of 8.8. The body needs to get enough alkaline mineral ions, especially calcium, to maintain good pancreatic function. The body uses these substances to neutralize acidic waste, as the accumulation around the pancreas weakens the latter's functions. Alkaline ionized water provides it with the essential alkaline minerals in the form that is best absorbed. Calcium ions, obtained with alkaline water, neutralize the acidic waste accumulated at the pancreas, thus helping the pancreas function better and preventing the formation of glucose and protein complexes that clog capillaries and disrupt blood circulation. As a result, the tissues do not receive the necessary nutrients, which can lead to complications of diabetes. It is important to note that ionized alkaline water, a natural antioxidant, protects pancreatic cells from oxidative damage."
By the way
Today Rita is already counseling people with diabetes by herself. In collaboration with the British Diabetes Association, the woman has started leading groups to get rid of overweight and control their blood sugar. After choosing the practices that helped her achieve the best results, the woman developed an original wellness methodology consisting of a special diet, group psychotherapy and meditation sessions, and regular use of alkaline water.