The Truth About Diabetes

Type I

There are two types of diabetes. Type I diabetes, often referred to as Juvenile Diabetes since it occurs early in life, 

Most doctors fail to tell their patients that, even if they use the best conventional therapies available, type II diabetes will only get progressively worse. Getting worse slowly is not the same as getting better. When you look at the current treatment programs, this shouldn't come as any surprise.

The whole idea in treating diabetes is to bring blood sugar levels back to normal quickly. This must be done immediately after eating and then gradually continue for several hours, as food is being digested. In non-diabetic individuals, this process occurs very smoothly because the body constantly adjusts its secretion of insulin depending on the levels of blood sugar. The body uses a feedback system to monitor and adjust insulin levels. Therein lies part of the dilemma with the use of supplemental insulin--and other hormones. Supplemental hormones flood the body and essentially shut off the feedback system. In an effort to compensate for this problem there have been two basic forms of drugs used to treat type II diabetes.

The older class of drugs, called sulfonylureas, are longer-lasting agents (Diabenese, for example), which stimulate the production of insulin from the pancreas. The newer drugs do several things, like 1) block the liver from producing extra glucose (or blood sugar), 2) increase insulin sensitivity, and 3) reduce the absorption of glucose in the intestinal tract.

Unfortunately, without a feedback system in place to determine the exact dosage needed for each meal, using either of these drug types is a shotgun approach at best. When too little insulin is released, blood sugar levels rise, causing the formation of triglycerides and fat storage. When there's too much insulin, blood sugar levels begin to fall (hypoglycemia), triggering a feeling of hunger and the constant need to eat, which also causes weight gain and fat storage.

Hypoglycemia is a term for low blood sugar. Diabetes is high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia from too much insulin can be a very serious problem with diabetics. Almost 2% of diabetics die as a result of hypoglycemia. Thousands more (15% to 20%) experience the problem during treatment and 60% of those require hospitalization for 12 to 72 hours in an attempt to get the problem stabilized. Five percent of those die. Hypoglycemia is particularly a problem in diabetics who: 1) are over 60 years old; 2) have cardiovascular or kidney problems; 3) practice inconsistent eating habits; and 4) take other medications.

These problems explain why diabetics treated with oral medications such as those described generally have a weight gain of anywhere from 6 to 12 pounds or more and why this weight gain and extra deposits of fat become part of the vicious cycle that causes diabetes to progressively worsen.  

Additionally, the roller-coaster effect from constantly fluctuating blood sugar levels contributes to increased blood fats, high blood pressure, increased stickiness of the blood and clot formation, heart failure, poly-cyctic ovary disease, nerve pain and degeneration, and damage to the small blood vessels, especially those in the eyes, the kidneys, and the lower limbs.  

Some oral diabetes drugs, such as Glucophage, also have the side effect of raising one of the biggest markers for heart disease, homocystine levels.  Although no one is really sure why this happens, it is suspected that the drugs interfere with the absorption of the B vitamins, especially B12.  If you take any oral diabetes drug, be sure to have your homocystine level checked.  You may also want to take a Folic Acid B12 supplement to help insure your blood levels of homocystine stay in the normal range.  According to Dr. Bruce West, Standard Process Labs makes the best Folic Acid B12 supplement.  His recommended dosage is 3 daily.  Dr. West also recommends the Mediterranian diet with lower carbohydrates, eliminating bread and avoiding all wheat products for a year.  A good source of pure water that eliminates all chlorine and fluorine is also very important.

Before you place complete trust in your medication to take care of your diabetes problem, take a look at this list of complications linked directly to progressing diabetes. It comes from the American Diabetes Foundation.

Diabetes is now:

1) the leading cause of blindness in people age 20 to 74

2) the leading cause of kidney failure

3) the leading cause of amputation of the lower limb

4) responsible for 50% to 60% of the impotence problems in males over age 50

5) responsible for severe nerve damage in 60% to 70% of all diabetics

6) the major cause of stroke in the United States

7) known to increase the risk of heart disease by 2-4 times over normal.

Diabetes is one of those diseases that can make the treating doctor look like an absolute genius. After placing a patient on diabetic medication, the doctor can predict with uncanny accuracy the chain of health problems that will begin to develop like clockwork in the upcoming years. Keep in mind, the chain of events will happen even if you comply perfectly with the therapy. In essence, the doctors can predict the progressive decline--but can do nothing to prevent it.

Stemming the Tide

Diabetes is a growing epidemic in this country, with no end in sight. It is also one in which you have to address several underlying factors.  Even most of the conventional medical researchers concede that Type II diabetes is a diet related disorder that is aggravated by the excess intake of refined carbohydrates.

The most important factor is to get your weight down. In almost every case of type II diabetes, the body can control blood sugar fluctuations naturally when the obesity problem is under control. He suggests changes in the diet and at least moderate amounts of exercise.  The only way the body gets sugar out of the blood and into the tissues without insulin is during exercise.

An extremely good book to read on diet and exercise is Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo. The theory behind the book is that each blood type has specific quirks which predispose us to certain diseases. Each blood type also has specific attributes that allow us to enjoy excellent health. The key is in knowing your blood type, eating the right foods to emphasize your attributes and staying away from foods that exaggerate your problems. The book is a must read for anyone with a health condition or who is trying to lose weight, especially if other diets you've tried have failed. It answers a lot of questions, the main one being, "Why does the diet that worked so well for Jim, not work at all for me?"

There is one page in the book dedicated to Diabetes in which it indicates that blood Type A and Type B are more prone to Type I diabetes and recommends seeing a nutritionist who is skilled in the use of phytochemicals to consider using quercetin, an antioxidant derived from plants. Quercetin has been shown to help prevent many of the complications stemming from lifelong diabetes, such as cataracts, neuropathy, and cardiovascular problems but you may have to readjust your insulin dosage.

Type II diabetes is often observed in Type Os who have eaten dairy, wheat, and corn products for many years; and in Type As who eat a lot of meat and dairy. However, a lifetime of poor food choices and lack of exercise can cause any blood type to develop diabetes. Diet and exercise are recommended as the only real treatment for Type II. It also mentions that taking a high-potency vitamin B complex can help to counter insulin intolerance but cautions always to check with a physician and nutritionist before using any substance to treat your diabetes. You might have to adjust the dosage of your diabetic medication.

Contrary to popular thinking, the foods that energize us are the ones that are slow to digest and have a stabilizing effect on blood sugars. These foods, according world renowned nutritionists Dr. Earl Mindell and Dr. Paavo Airola, include apples, artichokes, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, buckwheat, cauliflower; celery, chicken, cranberries, cucumber; dandelion greens, endives, fava beans, fish, garlic, grapefruit, kale, kidney beans, lettuce, lean white fish, leeks, lemons, lima beans, millet, mung beans, olives, onions, papaya, parsley, pears, peppers, rye, sunflower seeds, swiss chard and turkey.

Richard Anderson, of the US Department of Agriculture, has been studying various foods and their relationship to insulin for years. He recently discovered that drinking a cup of tea can enhance the activity of available insulin by 15-fold -- a nice pick-me-up for diabetics.  However, herbal teas do not contain epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the compound that provides this insulin-enhancing effect.  Only the true teas -- green, black, and oolong -- were shown to work.  Adding milk, non-dairy creamer, and soy milk lessened the insulin-enhancing effect of the EGCG.  Adding just 5 grams (less that an once) of 2% milk dropped the activity by 1/3 and when mixed 50/50 with tea, the positive effect was reduced by 90%.  However, there was no diminished effect when lemon juice was added.  [J Agric Food Chem 02;50(24):7182-6]

Exercise is also important. It provides you with four important benefits. It increases lean body tissue, burns fat, increases the sensitivity of insulin (enabling the pancreas to produce less), and raises the metabolic rate. Whatever exercise your chose, it needs to be done for at least 30 minutes, three times a week. Outdoor exercise is best because sunlight provides a natural insulin. All diabetics suffer from poor circulation and you simply cannot control adult-onset diabetes without a regular exercise program that will help keep the circulation active. Just a 30 minute walk every day will dramatically improve the circulation.

You may also want to consider adding a limited amount of weightlifting to your exercise program because it increases muscle mass which routinely begins to decline between the ages of 40 and 50. An important benefit of muscle tissue is that, unlike fat tissue, it constantly uses energy. The more muscle tissue you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be. While you burn a certain amount of calories during exercise, more importantly, your muscle tissue continues to burn calories for hours after the exercise is discontinued.

When you consider that muscle tissue is responsible for 80% of the blood sugar uptake following a meal, every little bit of extra muscle helps.  No one is more keenly aware of the muscle/blood sugar connection than professional body-builders. They eat several small meals throughout the day. By eating foods higher in protein and eating complex carbohydrates in small amounts they minimize their need for insulin. 

What About Fat?

In an effort to lose weight, people in this country have become obsessed with trying to eliminate fat from their diet. So there has been a lot written about what has been called the "French Paradox." Researchers have been trying for years to figure out why, in spite of their diet, the French have significantly less heart problems and other diseases associated with dietary excess and aging than Americans.

The French are healthier and live longer, even though they smoke more, eat four times more butter, three times more cheese, and two times more animal fat than Americans. Fat seems to be a main staple of their diet. If you look at the recommended dietary guidelines suggested in this country, the French appear to be doing everything wrong. Or are they?

The truth is, when you follow the guidelines promoted by our American Heart Association, the American Medical Association, the food industry, and other "authorities" in this country, you are almost certain to suffer and/or die from heart disease, cancer, or diabetes.

Part of the French people's protection may come from their increased consumption of red wine. Wine contains several potent antioxidants that have been shown to protect the heart and blood vessels. But a closer look at the French diet reveals some other very important differences. They eat fewer snack foods and more vegetables, whole grains, other complex carbohydrates, and fish. They consume only half as much milk as Americans, and most of that is not pasteurized and homogenized like it is in this country. One of the biggest differences, however, is that the French eat only 1/18 of the sugar that Americans eat. Additionally, they eat only about half the amount of fruit that we do, which would give them a lower consumption of the fruit sugar fructose.

Could it be that we, in this country, are the ones who have it wrong? Why does nobody seem to notice these huge discrepancies. I believe it's time for the intelligent consumer to look around for answers.

Eating Habits

The best way to prevent a disease is to eat as if you have the disease. Consider the following:

1. Split the food you eat into several smaller meals throughout the day saving some food for mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks instead of eating it all at once.

2. Don't skip meals, especially breakfast. Skipping meals signals your body that you are going into a starvation mode. Your body will automatically reduce your metabolic rate.

3. Avoid artificial sweeteners. The sweet taste in your mouth triggers the release of insulin, even though there might not be any sugar that needs to be dealt with. Candies and gum trigger the same reaction.

4. Avoid soft drinks and all fruit juices, regardless of whether they have been sweetened naturally or with sugar.

In addition to diet changes and exercise, certain nutritional supplements can help stabilize blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and help rebuild and/or repair the pancreas. However, it is difficult to recommend exact dosages because that will depend on the severity of the problem. If you have diabetes or blood sugar problems that need medication, don't stop your medication abruptly on your own. Also, don't make any changes to your nutritional or dietary program before discussing them with your doctor, so he or she can help monitor the situation.

The thyroid gland is often underactive in people with diabetes, and almost always so in cases of obesity.  The refined nature of the American diet tends to suppress thyroid function. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is loaded with foods that combine simple carbohydrates with fats. This combination is found in most fried foods, candy, cookies, cakes, sweet rolls, etc. When simple sugars and heated fats are consumed together, not only will you experience dramatic increases in blood fats, but also fat storage, weight gain, and a decreased metabolic rate.

The chocolate-flavored foods increased insulin concentrations in the blood by at least 28 percent when compared with the same foods in different flavors. Blood sugar levels increased the same, regardless of the food being used, so it was obvious that the cocoa was responsible for the insulin increases. (J Nutr 03;133(10):3149-52)

If you're going to have that occasional cup of hot chocolate, adding cinnamon may be a way to help stabilize any insulin spikes. One recent study at the NWFP Agricultural University in Peshawar, Pakistan, found that as little as 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon daily could help lower blood sugar levels, trigylcerides, and LDL cholesterol in those with type 2 diabetes. (Diabetes Care 03;26(12):3215-8)

Drugs Won't Solve the Problem

Over the last decade or so, the public has been lured into a false sense of security when it comes to diabetes. The handwriting is on the wall. Diabetes is going to be a huge problem in the years to come. And by downplaying its seriousness and marketing a magic pill instead of lifestyle changes, the drug companies are going to make billions.

Earlier in this century, most of the deaths from diabetes resulted from comas triggered by elevated blood sugar levels that couldn't be controlled. Today, due to the discovery of insulin, deaths from diabetic coma are more rare. Today death from diabetes is usually more subtle.

Uncontrolled blood sugar levels interfere with fat metabolism. As blood sugar levels rise unabated, the body converts these sugars into fatty compounds called triglycerides. Triglycerides slow the blood flow in the smaller arteries and arterioles by making the blood thicker and stickier. As the oxygen-carrying blood fails to reach various parts of the body in time, the damage begins to mount. The areas supplied by the smallest blood vessels begin to suffer first. The vision deteriorates. Strokes occur. Kidneys begin to fail. Cardiovascular disease becomes evident. Numbness, tingling and pain begins to occur in the lower extremities followed by the necessary amputation of the toes, feet or lower limbs.

Diabetes is a slow, quiet, progressive disease. It's not something that will go away on its own and it can't be cured using conventional medications. To prevent or treat the disease, you have to make some changes in both your diet and lifestyle. Lifestyle and diet changes are a cure we all can afford but--the key is to start NOW.

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