Diabetes

​           Ever since a family member was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I have been passionate about learning as much as possible about this disease. This is a lifestyle disease and can be prevented and even reversed. Yes, even reversed!
          Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a growing epidemic in the United States and globally. A major risk factor is obesity. Approximately 80-90% of individuals with type 2 diabetes are obese. Other risk factors include family history, increased waist to hip ratio, race/ethnicity, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, and high triglyceride levels. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has tripled since the 1980s and the number of diabetics will increase from 1 in 10 Americans today to 1 in 3 by the middle of this century. These are staggering statistics!
            The primary organ affected by type 2 diabetes is the pancreas. It is characterized by inadequate utilization of insulin and results in excessive amounts of glucose in the blood and urine. In other words, the pancreas produces too much insulin in which the body cells become resistant. Insulin is a hormone that is essential for the proper metabolism of blood sugar (glucose). Glucose comes from the foods (carbohydrates) that we eat. It is an important energy source that is needed by all the cells and organs of our bodies. When the body is unable to move glucose from the bloodstream into the cells, our bodies cannot maintain normal blood glucose levels (70-99mg/dL). The pancreas responds by producing more and more insulin to keep up with the body’s glucose demands, but it eventually loses the battle. This is known as insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Classical symptoms include excessive thirst, excessive eating, and excessive urination. Other generalized symptoms include fatigue, diarrhea, visual disturbance, dizziness, and headache.

            Excessive eating and a sedentary lifestyle are contributing factors to diabetes. We are an overfed and malnourished nation. A Standard American Diet is full of processed foods that are high in calories and stripped of valuable fiber and essential nutrients. Eating a diet of whole, organic, unprocessed, and seasonal foods is a step in the right direction if we want to reverse this disease. In addition, we need to start moving our bodies. Exercise will not only promote a leaner body mass, but it will also help improve sensitivity to insulin. Insulin is a fat storage hormone that drives appetite and inflammation. Dr. Mark Hyman posits, “When your diet is full of empty calories and an abundance of quickly absorbed sugars, liquid calories, and refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes), your cells slowly become resistant or numb to the effects of insulin and need more and more of it to keep your blood sugar levels balanced”. Although weight loss is important, the quality of food that you put in your body is of even greater importance. Food is information that quickly changes your metabolism and genes. It is no longer simply a matter of calories in – calories out, but rather the quality of the calories that we are consuming.
             To learn more about diabetes, please join me in watching The Diabetes Summit (www.thediabetessummit.com). It is a free online summit that is available from April 18-25th.  I just listened to an interview with Dr. Brian Mowll and Dr. Jody Stanislaw on lowering HbA1c levels. Fascinating stuff! Also be sure to check out my blog. I will be posting some yummy recipes that are designed to help regulate blood sugar levels.     
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References:
Hyman, M. (2012). The blood sugar solution. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.
Murray, M. (2003). How to prevent and treat diabetes with natural medicine. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.
Rakel, D. (2007). Integrative medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier.