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Article [1] Perspective on Diabetes
Diabetes has been increasing at an alarming rate in this country. Why is that, and what could be done about it?
Diabetes is a condition in which the Islet cell in the pancreas do not produce sufficient insulin to control the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, and the sugar level rises, with adverse consequences for many organs and systems in the body.
Type I diabetes is a condition in which
practically no insulin is produced, and the person is totally dependent on
insulin injections.
Type II diabetes is the more common type in
which some insulin is produced, and there is considerable resistance to the
utilization of the insulin, so that drugs are often used to stimulate the
pancreas to release more insulin or to increase the effectiveness of the
insulin.
There are many nutritional and lifestyle
approaches that can accomplish the same thing for type II diabetes in a safer,
more cost-effective way.
Type II diabetes was once called
"maturity onset" diabetes, because most people did not get it until
age 40, (in contrast to type I diabetes, which can occur at any age, often due
to a sudden event, maybe due to an infectious or autoimmune cause, which
destroys the insulin-producing islet cells.) We are now finding an
astounding increase in type II diabetes in young adults, teenagers, and
children. Why is this happening.
It may help us to understand this phenomenon
if we recognize the causes. It all starts with the resistance of muscles
cells and other cells to the effects of insulin, thereby preventing the uptake
of glucose into the cells for energy use, thereby calling for the pancreatic
islet cells to put out more insulin, which in turn forces glucose into metabolic
pathways that turn it into fat.
What causes this insulin resistance? We
do know that it is associated with lack of exercise, too high intake of
processed carbohydrates (refined starches, sugar, and alcohol), and increased
body weight. Children and adults have been increasingly eating more of the
foods that contribute to insulin resistance; they have been exercising less, and
they have been continuing to gain weight. This weight gain in children is
not being described as an epidemic.
This stage of insulin resistance which long
precedes the actual development of diabetes and continues through the condition
of diabetes causes many problems aside from diabetes itself. The high
levels of insulin are associated with high risk for heart attacks, arteriosclerosis, and other inflammatory conditions. Also it probably will
be shown to contribute to a host of other chronic and degenerative diseases.
Besides insulin resistance causing problems,
diabetes itself causes destruction of small arteries in eyes, kidneys, and feet
when blood sugar is not strictly controlled. High blood sugar also causes
cross-linking of proteins, which results in free radical production, oxidative
stress, and resultant premature aging and many degenerative diseases.
The major concern in the prevention of
diabetes and its associated chronic conditions is the prevention and reversal of
insulin resistance. The following measures can do just that:
Exercise, wise choice of macronutrients (proportions of carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins), and micronutrients supplementation (vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc.)
Both aerobic conditioning and strength
training are effective in improving insulin sensitivity and glycemic (blood
sugar) control.
Moderating the balance between the
macronutrients is important as well as choosing the right kinds and sources of
the these macronutrients. The 40/30/30 percentage of calories balance
among carbohydrate/fat/protein is best for most diabetics (the
"zone-favorable" diet), and the 60/20/20 or 50/25/25 may be better for
some groups of people with borderline or actual kidney failure, because the high
protein can make kidney failure worse.
The types of these macronutrients may be as
important than the proportions among them. It is important to get
carbohydrates mostly from vegetables, beans, and whole grains, some whole fruits
from the temperate zone but not fruit juices), and to avoid alcohol and foods
with added sugar like desserts and soft drinks, etc.
Fats are best obtained from cold-pressed olive
oil, cold water fish, and flax seeds. It is of utmost importance to avoid
trans fatty acids from hydrogenated oils, present in almost all margarines and
shortenings and an many processed foods. These fats make cell membranes
resistant to insulin's effects. The omega-3 fatty acids in flax oil and
fish oil are very helpful for improving insulin sensitivity for cell membranes.
Protein is best from plant sources, especially
dried beans, soy bean products, fish, and whey supplements.
Large amounts of fiber in vegetables and beans
help in the moderation of the glycemic response to foods.
Supplementing with micronutrients can help to
improve insulin sensitivity and to protect against many for the damages caused by
diabetes, especially from free radicals and oxidative stress. The
antioxidants are the most important for this protection.
The following are some of these supplements:
Vitamin C 1000 to 3000mg/day
Vit E 400-800 units/day
B-complex including 100mg of B-6, 100mg of
niacin, plus 200mg of nicinamide/day
Vit B-12 1000mcg/day
Folic acid 1000mcg/day
Magnesium 200-600mg/day
Chromium 300mcg/day
Selenium 300mcg/day
Zinc 40mg + Copper 2mg/day
Manganese 10-50mg/dayVanadium 100mcg/day
Fiber supplements such as guar gum, oat
extract, oat bran, psyllium, pea fibger, pectin.
Inositol 1000-3000mg/day
L-Carnitine 400-2000mg/day
alph-lipoic acid 500-1000mg/day
Coenzyme Q-10 100mg/day
Essential fattyacids - fish oil 5 grams/day
(always include Vit E)
Fenugriik 3 tsp seeds/day
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