| This question about the cause of diabetes is one that | | | | insulin, or expensive medical care. Such a health |
| medical science hates to answer, over which many | | | | revolution could make the prescription drug industry |
| people get discouraged while waiting to get the | | | | comatose by saving more than 15% of all medical |
| understanding. More than a hundred years ago, | | | | costs for direct diabetes treatment alone; not |
| someone wrote this statement. "Disease never | | | | counting the large sums spent on treating related |
| comes without a cause. The way is prepared, and | | | | illnesses like kidney disease, blindness, other diabetes |
| disease invited, by disregard of the laws of health." | | | | complications, and complications from drug side |
| Today, we know enough about type 2 diabetes and | | | | effects. |
| the controllable factors that determine the | | | | Sleep deprivation Can you remember hearing anyone |
| development and course of the disease, so that we | | | | say that lack of sleep or improper sleep can trigger |
| can cause ourselves much less suffering and save on | | | | the onset of type 2 diabetes? Probably not. |
| medical costs. If we work intelligently to remove the | | | | However, this has been well documented in the |
| cause by following the simple health principles (laws) | | | | journal, Diabetes Care and others for many years |
| we can help demonstrate the answer to the question | | | | now. Our modern societies are well geared to |
| that our doctor may not like to answer. | | | | keeping us awake and to get us fat at the same |
| Not one cause but several controllable factors | | | | time. |
| Regarding type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes | | | | Many middle aged people living in 2010 did not grow |
| Association says, "Experts don't know for sure what | | | | up on 24-hour television programming. That screen |
| causes type 2 diabetes. They do know that you | | | | went blank at midnight when many boomers were |
| cannot catch it from someone else, like the flu. They | | | | growing up, and of course, most of our cities and |
| know it is not caused by eating too much sugar. It | | | | towns slept at nightfall. We live in a different world |
| does run in families. | | | | and it is understandable why the rates of type 2 |
| That quote from the popular ADA publication, | | | | diabetes and related diseases keep rising despite our |
| Diabetes A to Z: What You Need to Know About | | | | medical technology advances. |
| Diabetes - Simply Put, gets a little fuzzy near the end. | | | | Lack of physical exercise The lack of physical |
| I call it "blaming mama". However, there is no | | | | exercise that would prevent overweight and obese |
| diabetes gene as in the sense that there is a sickle | | | | conditions is clearly part of the cause of diabetes. |
| cell trait, or that bald-headedness is passed on to a | | | | However, when a diabetic engages in regular |
| son via his mother's chromosomes. What tends to | | | | exercise, the benefits are tremendous. It should be |
| "run in families" are habits - i.e. ways of doing things. | | | | understood that the only requirement for regular |
| Some of these ways are learned and others result | | | | exercise is "time and commitment". Even the |
| from actual genetic makeup, but there is no diabetes | | | | physically challenged can benefit from exercise AND |
| gene. | | | | you do not need a gym membership - walk. |
| All the evidence available today points to the fact | | | | You can lower your blood glucose level in two |
| that, for the large majority of cases, type 2 diabetes | | | | weeks, while losing extra weight and improving |
| is caused by lifestyle habits or practices relating to | | | | general health, by simply walking for 30 minutes |
| diet, exercise, rest, stress. | | | | every day. It may be necessary to start small and |
| The Anderson Experiment Research conducted years | | | | gradually increase the time. Remember to CONSULT |
| ago by Dr. James Anderson, M.D., professor of | | | | YOUR PHYSICIAN before starting any physical |
| medicine and clinical nutrition at the University of | | | | exercise program, especially if you are at risk of |
| Kentucky College of Medicine showed that a high fat | | | | cardiovascular problems. |
| diet can cause healthy people to develop type 2 | | | | Controllable factors - not genetics Although it is quite |
| diabetes in less than two weeks. Similar research has | | | | a challenge to give a direct answer to the question |
| shown that carbohydrates and sugar do not cause | | | | of what causes diabetes, there is enough evidence |
| diabetes. | | | | to avoid putting the blame on our genetic make-up. |
| What we know about diet and development of type | | | | The answer has to do with a set of related and |
| 2 diabetes is that a high fiber, complex carbohydrate, | | | | controllable health practices and behaviors. There are |
| low fat diet is both prevention and "cure" for the | | | | many type 2 diabetics (this author included) who |
| diabetic condition. The problem is that the food and | | | | have developed and maintained non-diabetic health |
| prescription drug industries and their advertisers do | | | | profiles for many years without the use of drug |
| not wish that this knowledge be loudly incident on | | | | medication or insulin, by simply modifying their diet, |
| your ear. It would be bad for the business economy | | | | getting regular exercise, proper sleep (rest), and |
| if every would-be diabetic were to regulate their diet | | | | managing their response to stress. |
| so that they would never need diabetes drugs, | | | | |