Once I was shocked when my colleague in Germany who had diabetes and very bad eating habits, being overweight, had not changed his lifestyle after a toe amputation. I think we should address the dangers of bad diet like diabetes. Let's start with some related facts.
Computer-generated image of six insulin molecules assembled in a hexamer.
Insulin and Body Weight
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone that is central to regulating the energy and glucose metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle.
Insulin stops the use of fat as an energy source. When insulin is absent, glucose is not taken up by body cells and the body begins to use fat as an energy source, for example, by transfer of lipids from adipose tissue to the liver for mobilization as an energy source. As its level is a central metabolic control mechanism, its status is also used as a control signal to other body systems (such as amino acid uptake by body cells). In addition, it has several other anabolic effects throughout the body.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InsulinDiabetes
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes—is a condition in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger).
- Type 1 diabetes: results from the body's failure to produce insulin, and presently requires the person to inject insulin;
- Type 2 diabetes: results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency
Statistics
Age 20 years or older - 23.5 million, or 10.7% of all people in this age group have diabetes
Age 60 years or older - 12.2 million, or 23.1% of all people in this age group have diabetes
These nations have the maximum diabetes victims: India tops the list, followed next by China and America.
90 to 95% of the world diabetics have diabetes type 2. They get it around age 40. 90% of them are also obese. More than 15% of those do not know that they have it. It comes up silently with out showing its symptoms. Every 30 seconds, someone has a diabetes-related amputation.
According to the most recent statistics, diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death, and the fifth leading cause of death from disease in 2007.
According to information from International Diabetes Federation, people diagnosed with diabetes have increased from 30 million to 246 million over the last two decades.
2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (USA):Although there are many factors behind the epidemic spread of diabetes, three elements reign supreme: lifestyle, diet and genetic predisposition. With industrialization, comes not only more leisure time but also a reduction in physical activity. This is often accompanied by food consumption that is cheap but very high in calories. Weight gain can lead to Type 2 diabetes, which is the more common form of this progressive disease.
http://heartdiseasediabetes.suite101.com/article.cfm/diabetesComplications
Dr. Walter M. Bortz II, a leading authority in the fields of aging and diabetes, Diabetes Danger:
The list of complications is long and scary: heart failure, strokes, amputations, kidney disease, nerve pain, impotency, intestinal disturbance, depression, blindness, and skin problems. No human organ or cell is immunized from the cruelty of diabetes.
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing:
Obesity or high blood pressure can restrict the flow of Insulin to muscle cells. Since fat cells may compete with other cells for insulin, having 300 times as many receptor sites for insulin as muscle cells, type 2 diabetes accelerates the accumulation of body fat, which in turn worsens the diabetes.
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine:
Even in normal individuals, significant weight gain results in carbohydrate intolerance, higher insulin levels, and insulin insensitivity in fat and muscle tissue.
Causes, cure and prevention
Family history of diabetes mellitus is present in about 5.5% to 11.6% of the patients suffering from the disease.
Diet, is also a major factor responsible for causing diabetes.
Eating too much of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, are all harmful to the body. Our body in general needs a balanced diet to produce energy for performing vital functions. Too much of food hampers the pancreas from performing its function of insulin secretion. Hence, with insufficient insulin secretion, the blood sugar level rises, leading to diabetes mellitus. Normally, people are in habit of eating foods rich in refined carbohydrates, like biscuits, bread, cakes, chocolate, ice creams, pudding, etc. So, the incidences of diabetes are increased in such persons.
Obesity is also one of the major factors causing diabetes. Excessive body weight as compared to the height of an individual, serves as a predisposing factor for diabetes mellitus. ... Due to extra amount of fat in the body, the insulin does not function properly in the body. Normally, the main function of insulin is to allow the sugar present in the blood to enter the muscle and tissue cells. But due to increased fat in the body, the muscle and tissue cells become resistant to insulin, leading to high blood sugar level in blood (hyperglycemia) and finally diabetes.
Thereby, the best way to improve blood sugar level is by losing weight, in case of over weight people. Even a small weight reduction, would show wonderful effects and our medicines will work more effectively.
Virus infections can also lead to diabetes. Certain virus like Coxsackie B virus may infect the pancreas, leading to destruction of Beta (B) cells of Islets of Lange home, finally impairing the release of insulin and increased blood sugar levels.
...It has been noted that the lesser active a person is, the greater is the risk of developing diabetes. Through latest advancements made in exercises, a person’s weight can be maintained under control, glucose present in the blood can be utilized by cells to generate energy and finally the work load on Pancreas can be reduced.
...It has been observed that as one grows older, particularly above 45 years of age, in them the chances to develop diabetes are increased.
It is chiefly because due to old age, the person becomes less active, tends to gain weight, leading to pancreatic dysfunction.
Emotional stress, also lead to diabetes. ... Pancreatic insufficiency is counsel due to irregular and chaotic life style which deeply influences the metabolism of the body. Even grief, anxiety, worry, death of any close person, etc. may alter the blood sugar level and lead to the disease.
People who smoke frequently (at short intervals) are highly susceptible to develop diabetes. They are very much prone of developing retinopathy and joint immobility. If the diabetic patient does not stop smoking, then there are chances of premature mortality.
Diet
Recommendations for diabetics:
For most people, a diabetes diet simply translates into eating a variety of foods in moderate amounts and sticking to regular mealtimes. This means choosing a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Consistency also is key, because your body responds to excess calories and fat by creating an undesirable rise in blood sugar. Rather than a restrictive diet, a diabetes diet is a healthy-eating plan that's naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories. In fact, it's the best eating plan for everyone.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-diet/DA00027Steve Pavlina writes in his blog about a 30-day trial of raw foods, during which time he ate plenty of fresh sweet fruit:
“I monitored my blood sugar using a blood sugar testing device, the same kind diabetics may use. It showed no discernible spikes in blood sugar throughout the trial whatsoever — absolutely none. In fact, my blood sugar remained incredibly steady throughout the trial. My highest blood sugar reading of the trial was 94, which is still medium-low. All that sweet fruit in my diet simply did not have any adverse effect on my blood sugar."
Eating raw fruit promotes steady blood sugar levels.
http://www.deathtodiabetes.com/Raw_Diet_Reverse_Diabetes.htmlCan diabetics eat fruit?
Diabetics can indeed eat fruit, and in fact are strongly encouraged to choose fruit over more processed foods high in sugars and other carbohydrates. Fruit contains natural fiber, vitamins, enzymes and other essential nutrients that diabetics need to maintain a normal lifestyle.
The majority of common fruits have a low to medium glycemic index, which means most diabetics can safely metabolize the fruit sugars through natural insulin production. A few fruits, such as dried dates, may be relatively high on the glycemic index, but they can still be eaten in moderation. The key to eating fruit on a diabetic diet is to space out the portions over the course of a day. Eating too many sweet fruits at once could be problematic for insulin-dependent diabetics, but in general most fruits should not create a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels.
Fruits such as apples and oranges provide fiber as well as fructose or fruit sugar. It can be a challenge for diabetics to get enough fiber in their diets because many foods high in natural fiber may also be high in starch, sugar or other high glycemic ingredients. Fruit can also satisfy diabetics' cravings for processed sweets such as doughnuts and cakes. - http://www.wisegeek.com/can-diabetics-eat-fruit.htm
Effect of Fruit and Vegetables on Insulin Resistance
Study of Queen's University, Belfast:
Current evidence indicates that fruit and vegetable intake and dietary patterns rich in fruit and vegetables may be associated with reduced insulin resistance and may reduce the risk of the metabolic syndrome. If proven, this relationship may partly explain the inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and cardiovascular disease risk. There are currently no published dietary interventions that have examined in detail the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and insulin resistance. There is, however, some preliminary evidence from whole diet interventions that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables may have a beneficial effect on insulin resistance. Evidence to date indicates that an investigation of the direct association between fruit and vegetable intakes and insulin resistance in a carefully controlled intervention study is warranted. This study will investigate the dose−response effect of fruit and vegetable intake on insulin resistance in people who are overweight and at high−risk of CVD using state−of−the−art techniques. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00874341
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition:
Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet including plenty of raw fruits and vegetables as well as fresh vegetable juices. This reduces the need for Insulin and also lowers the level of fats in the blood. Fiber helps to reduce blood sugar surges. For snacks, eat oat or rice bran crackers with nut butter or cheese. Legumes, root vegetables, and whole grains are also good. Remember to regulate your complex carbohydrate intake. -
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine:
Simple carbohydrates, or sugars, are quickly absorbed by the body, resulting in a rapid elevation in blood sugar level, stimulating a corresponding excessive elevation in serum insulin levels. It is thought by some that the natural, simple sugars found in fruits and vegetables have an advantage over sucrose and other refined sugars, in that they are balanced by a wide range of nutrients which aid in the utilization of the sugars. However, it is more significant that the sugars in whole, unprocessed foods are more slowly absorbed because they are contained within cells and are associated with fiber and other food elements.
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Nutritional Healing:
It is safe to say that carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin. As more carbohydrates are consumed, more insulin is produced. The current epidemic of obesity and diabetes in the United States indicates that we are asking our bodies to burn the wrong fuel — refined carbohydrates in this case.
Beth M. Ley, How to Fight Osteoporosis & Win:
A primary cause of insulin resistance is chromium deficiency. Insulin cannot do its job without chromium. Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), including Dr. Gary Evans, Ph.D., found that diets high in simple sugars trigger loss of chromium through the urine, which can further the problem of insulin resistance. When cells are resistant to insulin and insulin levels are high, another problem arises. DHEA production decreases.
