November is National Diabetes Month. Dr. John Paul Lock, M.D., will talk about diabetes.
More than 26 million people living in the United States have diabetes. There is clearly a connection between eating sugar and developing diabetes, but their association may not be what many people believe. Namely, eating sugar and lots of sugary carbohydrates does not cause diabetes. Eating lots of sugary foods, however, will cause the diabetes to present itself for the first time.
Diabetes is common. It's a chronic condition characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. The most common form is type 2 diabetes. It is often hereditary and runs in families. Depending on genetics, an adult may have between a 25 and 40 percent chance of developing diabetes if either of the parents have type 2 diabetes mellitus. The inherited disease may lie dormant into adulthood. Diabetes is caused when the body's cells fail to respond properly to insulin. Insulin is a hormone in our bodies made by our pancreas that helps control the level of sugar in our blood. Many individuals do not exhibit symptoms of the disease until sometime between the ages 30 and 50. These symptoms include increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, fatigue, and infections of the skin and kidneys.
So, if eating sugar isn't the cause of diabetes, how come eating sugary foods will bring out the illness? What's the connection? The basic defect in people with type 2 diabetes is a weak pancreas that cannot make enough insulin to handle the foods that a person eats throughout the day. When a person consumes food that contains carbohydrates, which are primarily made up of sugars and starches, their blood sugar gets raised. When carbohydrates are digested in the body they are reduced to sugars. This is why carbohydrates are the main type of food that the pancreas can't handle when a person has type 2 diabetes mellitus.
As the disease surfaces, a person's body becomes less efficient at controlling their levels of sugars from the food they eat. The person's body becomes increasingly resistant to the sugar-controlling insulin secreted by the pancreas. The pancreas becomes unable to keep up with the high demand for insulin, and pancreatic fatigue occurs. A diet that is consistently high in sugar causes this weakness to occur sooner. As this pattern continues, the condition of the pancreas worsens and the symptoms of diabetes begin to develop and become apparent.
There is no escaping the connection between failing health in America (and much of the world) and the heavy consumption of sugary foods and carbohydrates. Today, the average American consumes 77 pounds of added sugar annually or more than 22 teaspoons of sugar daily. Foods that have high glycemic indexes (see breakout) should be consumed in moderation. Beverages high in glucose such as sweetened juices and sugary soft drinks should be avoided. One 12 ounce can of soda contains 10 teaspoons of sugar! Most people begin eating sugary foods at or shortly after infancy. We have grown accustomed to its taste. We associate sugary tastes with pleasure because when it enters our bloodstream, our brain's pleasure-centers are stimulated. Some people even develop a psychological addiction to sugar.
As a consequence, many Americans are overweight and obese. Eating sugary foods leads to excess energy which then converts and becomes stored as body fat. Heaviness and excess body fat only worsen the pancreas -- causing elevated sugar levels for long periods of time.
Ninety-five percent of staying healthy with type 2 diabetes mellitus is lifestyle. By staying active (i.e., walking, exercising) and controlling daily carbohydrate consumption, people with diabetes can create the best possible outcomes for themselves. It can be difficult, and some days will be harder than others, but staying healthy and following a treatment plan with diabetes mellitus is a lifelong journey. That's why concerned physicians, professional nutritionists and support from the family can help make a big difference.
Dr. John Paul Lock can be reached at: HealthAlliance Hospital, 100 Hospital Road, Leominster, MA or by calling 978-466-2105. Please contact your physician if you are experiencing any health concerns. If you are looking for a doctor, please call our physician referral line at 888-840-DOCS (3627).
Foods that profoundly raise sugars