Type 2 diabetes is a Non-Insulin-Dependent form of diabetes that often develops as we age. Although
not as serious as type 1 diabetes, it can still lead to damage to many organs,
including the cardiovascular system. The Centers for Disease Control has characterized the
increase in type-2 diabetes in the US and the developed world as an epidemic. Type-2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that
transports blood sugar (glucose) into muscle cells.
Glucose provides fuel for
your brain and muscles. Insulin resistance causes the glucose level to build up
in your blood, instead of getting into our muscles. When the glucose level
builds up in your blood, it causes damage to almost
every part of your body. Your blood provides oxygen, nutrients, and the removal
of waste products for all the cells of your body. Insulin resistance causes the
blood to get so thick with glucose that it can't get into the tiny blood vessels
called capillaries. This cuts off circulation to parts of the body that need
capillaries to get their blood supply. When the capillaries of the eyes get
blocked, vision is damaged. When the supply of blood to the arms and legs is
restricted, there is damage to the muscles and nerves. When the supply of blood
to the muscle of the heart is restricted, heart disease is the result. When the
blood is thick with glucose, the kidneys can't do their job of filtering the
blood, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Because diabetes is
associated with high blood sugar, many people think that cutting out sugar is
going to prevent type-2 diabetes. The real cause of type-2 diabetes is a high-fat
diet. It is now known the fat in the blood blocks the cells insulin receptors.
Secondly, fat contributes to obesity or being overweight, which causes
additional strain on the heart and kidneys. There is a whole slew of drugs used
to treat type 2 diabetes. Some work by reducing liver function, others by
increasing insulin secretion by the pancreas, others by increasing in cellular
uptake of glucose in body tissues. However, all drugs have side effects, and
many type-2 diabetes treatment drugs have been withdrawn from the US market. The
best way to manage type-2 diabetes is by eating the same healthy diet that is
recommended for everyone, and by engaging in exercise. Most diabetes dietitians
recommend a diet that is high in fiber, which means eating a range of fruit and
vegetables and avoiding fat, especially saturated fat. The way to avoid
saturated fat is to NOT eat animal products. The difference between plant foods
and animal foods is the presence of saturated fat in all animal products -including
fish. In addition, animal products have absolutely no fiber content. An
effective exercise program can also help manage type-2 diabetes. Exercise makes
muscles more receptive to glucose. In 2007, a joint randomized controlled trial
by the University of Calgary and the University of Ottawa found that either
aerobic or resistance exercise alone improves glycemic control in type-2
diabetes, but the improvements are greatest with combined aerobic and
resistance exercise. Other studies have established that the amount of exercise
needed isnot excessive, but must be consistent and continuing. Examples might
include a brisk 45 minute walk every other day. Ruth Heidrich in her book Senior
Fitness describes how she discovered how powerful diet and exercise were
in diabetes prevention. "I was working with a family whose father had just
had a heart attack. I explained to the mother, the cook in the family, how to prepare
a vegan diet. She said that she was not going to prepare two different sets of
meals, the rest of the family was going to heat vegan as well. When I saw the
mother a week later she could hardly contain her enthusiasm. She told me that
she was diabetic and on 100 units of insulin a day. After changing her diet for
her husband, coupled with going for walks each day, she had to lower her
insulin. By the end of the week she was off insulin completely." Type 2
diabetes is a disease that often develops as we age. It can lead to vision
damage, damage to the muscles and nerves of the arms and legs, heart disease,
and increased morbidity and mortality. There is a whole slew of drugs used to
treat type-2 diabetes, but all drugs have side effects. The best way to manage
type-2 diabetes is by eating a diet of fruit and vegetables and NOT eating
animal products, and engage in a consistent exercise program that includes both
aerobic and resistance exercise.
