How to tell your body is struggling before something breaks down and you get a diagnosis

We all know we eat too much sugar. Nobody needs another lecture about that. But what we do need is to understand that chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol don’t just appear out of nowhere. Your body sends early signals—sometimes years in advance. The sooner you notice something’s off, the sooner you can do something about it.

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Chinese Medicine Gets It Right

One thing I love about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is it gets the body’s early warning system. TCM practitioners don’t just look at symptoms—they listen to your voice, check your skin, observe your emotions, even your scent (yes, really), and assess your level of awareness (ancient version of “being woke”—lol). The goal? Spot trouble before it becomes a full-blown diagnosis.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) picks up on early warning signs that Western medicine often ignores. In regard to blood sugar issues, early warning signs might first appear like:

• Voice tone – it becomes sing songy with tones that fluctuate up and down
• Skin color & texture – brown or discoloration, rough, dry or inflammed patches, slow healing, bruise easily
• Emotional changes – will show a predominance of worry, fear and anxiety.
• Breathing Changes – shallow, rapid, irregular
• Body Odor – When the spleen/pancreas are imbalanced, you will smell like cloying, cheap perfume. Alternatively, if the kidneys are declining your odor will be putrid and sour, similar to an old folks home. We love gross things in TCM.

If you do not catch the sugar imbalance with the early warning system, you will start to notice more serious signs appear. The following deeper symptoms of Insulin Sensitivities / Pancreas / Kidney issues will begin.

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Further Signs of Insulin Sensitivity Problems

• Weight gain, especially belly fat
• Fatigue, even with sleep
• Cravings or hunger soon after meals
• Brain fog or poor focus
• Increased thirst and urination
• Skin issues like dark patches (acanthosis nigricans)
• Elevated blood pressure
• Difficulty losing weight despite trying
• PCOS symptoms in women

If we catch those whispers early, we also make lifestyle shifts to stay well. These changes help avoid common diseases like, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

It is a big lie that something made in a lab is automatically safer. Natural products grown by the earth can be safer. More and more people are waking up to the healing power of natural remedies. Let’s learn more about how to significantly reduce your chance of getting common American Diseases.

Besides not taking their poisonous medicines and food additives, we are going to have to deal with a very common cause. TOO MUCH SUGAR. Our national sweet tooth and sugar obsession has turned into a national health epidemic. As our cuisine and pharmaceuticals spread across the world, so does our disease profile.

Here’s some holistic and TCM traditional recommendations to keep your blood sugar in check and prevent developing preventable diseases.

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DAILY PLAN FOR MANAGING INSULIN SENSITIVITY

1. Eat With the Sun – Daylight Eating (Ancient Intermittent Fasting)

In TCM, digestion is strongest from 7am–7pm. This mimics the body’s natural qi flow through the Spleen and Stomach.

• Eat your first meal after sunrise (around 8–11am)
  • If intermittent Fasting – delay breakfast until later to meet your fasting window (12, 16, or 18 hours depending on when you stopped eating last.)
• Stop eating by sunset (around 6–7pm)
• Fast 12–16 hours overnight (Follow the Dao Life Fasting Calendar)
  This protects insulin function, balances digestion, and lets your organs rest.

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2. Weekly Exercise Schedule (Realistic for Busy People)

• 3x/week HIIT or Cardio (20–30 mins)
  Example: brisk walk + hill sprints, jump rope, bike intervals
• 2x/week strength training
  Focus on large muscle groups: squats, push-ups, resistance bands
• 2x/week recovery/stretch
  Tai Chi, yoga, walking in nature, foam rolling

Movement helps shuttle glucose into muscles — even without insulin.
HIIT + strength training is especially powerful for improving insulin sensitivity.

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DAILY FOOD FRAMEWORK

What to Eat

• ✅ Complex Carbs – Legumes, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, squash
• ✅ Healthy Fats – Olive oil, avocado, walnuts
• ✅ Lean Proteins – Fish, chicken, eggs, lentils
• ✅ High-Fiber Veggies – Broccoli, leafy greens, Brussels sprouts
• ✅ Spices That Help – Turmeric, garlic, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon

What to Avoid

• ❌ Added sugars & refined carbs (cereal, white bread, soda)
• ❌ Eating late at night
• ❌ Skipping meals during the day (it spikes cortisol & blood sugar)

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SUPPLEMENT GUIDE

You don’t need to take everything. Stick to 3–4 at a time, rotating depending on your needs. Start slowly and build up. Always consult your practitioner if on medications.

Morning Supplements (Support metabolism + blood sugar)

Supplement	Dose	Benefit	Notes
Berberine	500mg 2x/day	Mimics metformin, lowers blood sugar	Best taken before meals. 4–6 week cycles.
Cinnamon (Ceylon)	1,000–2,000mg/day	Enhances insulin sensitivity	Avoid if you run hot (TCM heat constitution)
Chromium Picolinate	200mcg/day	Helps glucose metabolism	Found in broccoli, grape juice, or take in combo blends
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)	300–600mg/day	Boosts insulin function, antioxidant	Take with food to avoid heartburn

➡️ Combo Brand Recommendation:
Thorne, Integrative Therapeutics, or Pure Encapsulations have clean, third-party tested options. You still have to read each label for additives. Every brand uses them, just not in every formula. For supplementing ease, try this clean formula that combines Chromium + ALA + Cinnamon.

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Afternoon or Evening Support (Balance blood sugar & reduce cravings)

Supplement	Dose	Benefit	Notes
Fenugreek	500–1,000mg/day	Reduces appetite, balances blood sugar	Can also drink as tea before meals
Bitter Melon	500mg 1–2x/day	Natural glucose-lowering effect	Take with meals. Avoid if pregnant.
Magnesium Glycinate	200–400mg at night	Calms nervous system, reduces cravings	Helps with sleep & muscle recovery

➡️ Optional Combo:
Magnesium + Fenugreek = a relaxing nighttime combo that curbs late-night cravings.

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How to Rotate Supplements

• Start with 2–3 (like Cinnamon + ALA + Chromium for 4 weeks)
• Add 1–2 more if needed (like Fenugreek or Bitter Melon)
• Take breaks every 6–8 weeks to reset your system
• Switch based on symptoms (e.g., fatigue = check magnesium or ALA)

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Extra Tips from Chinese Medicine

• Eat at regular times — irregular eating weakens the Spleen and leads to sugar crashes
• Chew thoroughly — digestion begins in the mouth
• Avoid cold/raw food in the morning — this weakens your metabolism (“Spleen yang”)
• Sleep before 11pm — liver detox + blood sugar reset happen at night

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Sample Supplement Schedule

• 8am – First meal with protein + fiber
• 12pm – Balanced lunch
• 6pm – Light dinner, finish by 7
• Supplements:
  • Morning: Cinnamon + ALA + Chromium
  • Midday: Berberine before meals
  • Evening: Magnesium + Fenugreek
• Exercise: 20–30 min movement most days (4 days)
• Rest: Tai Chi, yoga, or walking on off-days (3 days)
• Cycle supplements every 6–8 weeks