Thyroid problems, polio
Q: Dear Dr. Sears,
My cortisol is chronically low and my insulin is low. I am very hyperglycemic and my thyroid needs a little help. Am I the opposite of a diabetic?
And my second question is for my friend who had polio as a child and the nerve pain is back! She takes fish oil every day but
cannot get the doses high enough because of a restructured bowel. Any suggestions for her as well would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you for all your hard work. Most Sincerely, Kate
A: Dear Kate,
Actually it sounds as if you are a type 2 diabetic as your low insulin levels indicate that your beta cells (that produce insulin) may be nearing failure. That is why your blood glucose levels are high. The Zone Diet will put a much lower stress on your beta cells and give the pancreas a chance to rebuild insulin secretion. It is common that low thyroid levels go together with low cortisol levels. To address that problem, I suggest contacting the Broda Barnes Foundation at 203-261-2101 for more information.
The re-occurrence of nerve pain is probably due to post polio fatigue syndrome in which after a long period of inactivity, the virus begins to replicate again. The best course of action is to rigidly follow the Zone Diet so she will need less fish oil to help control the pain.