Diabetes and Prevention

As we age or if we are overweight, our bodies are not able to handle a high sugar load. The glucose (sugar) stays in higher levels in the blood and for longer periods of time. The problem is greatly increased if exercise is inadequate. As a result of the high blood sugar, some of this sugar is wastefully excreted in the urine. This results in the typical early symptoms of frequent, heavy nutrition. The condition is a relative lack of insulin because insulin is required for uptake (absorption) of sugar by the cells. For reasons that are not entirely clear, diabetes itself becomes a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Diabetes also can cause complications affecting vision, kidney function, and nervous-system function.

Prevention

Diabetic symptoms beginning for the first time after age 30 can frequently be reversed completely by simple non-medical treatment. Even with the more serious type of diabetes beginning early in life, these approaches help a great deal; however, insulin treatment is usually also necessary in early-onset diabetes. First, weight loss is important because it decreases food need and intake. Exercise is very important because it helps the uptake of sugar by the cells from the blood.

A diet that stresses complex carbohydrates (such as whole-wheat grains, cereals, vegetables, and fruits) and that contains adequate fiber is important. Complex carbohydrates, as opposed to the pure white sugar, are broken down more slowly by the body. This evens out the rate at which the sugars enter the blood so that the body can handle them better.