Clarity of Cause, Clear as Mud

By Julia Hanf | May 23, 2008 | Popularity: 2% (?)

The origin of diabetes is somewhat of a mystery. Findings that date back to the 19th century have given science what knowledge it does have about the disease. Diabetes was found to be linked to the pancreas in the early 1900’s by Canadians Frederick Banting and Charles H. Best. It wasn’t until the 1976 that a clarification of causation was expressed by Alexander Beam. In a paper on diabetes, Beam wrote that the susceptibility to develop diabetes was inherited, but that environmental factors could contribute to the onset of the disease.

Diabetes is a disease that affects the metabolism of glucose to energy. Normally, a healthy body would secrete the right amount of insulin from the pancreas to keep blood sugar levels in a healthy balance. In acquired Type II diabetes (one of three common forms) cells become resistant to insulin. That means the cells ignore the hormone that’s supposed to unlock the sugar conversion process. So, glucose does not get turned into usable energy, but stored as fat.

Diabetes refers to the disease in which the body does not use or produce insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone used in the metabolic process to aid in converting sugar, starches and other foods into usable energy. According to the American Diabetes Association, 7% of the population is diabetic or in pre-diabetic stages. In just one year, 1.5 million people age 20 and older were diagnosed with the disease. The most common form of diabetes is the Type II, or insulin resistant disease. Of the youth population, 1 in 6 overweight children are pre-diabetic. The numbers are climbing at an alarming rate. Almost directly proportional to the increasing diabetic population is the obesity rate. Not surprisingly, one is closely linked to the other.

Science has been able to examine the cell’s processes in respect to metabolism and fat storage. What it cannot answer is which comes first, the chicken or the egg. As a person’s weight increases as result of poor nutrition, overindulgence of foods, or physical inactivity. His or her metabolism slows down and is overwhelmed. The result is less sensitivity to natural sugar converting processes. When the body cannot convert the glucose into fuel for cells, it stores the glucose as fat. The more fat cells store, the more overweight an individual becomes. This literally boggs down the systems. The cycle continues to repeat if nothing changes.

Another speculation is the role of acidity and the body’s response to elevated pH levels. It is thought that over consumption of caffeine, sugar and other carbohydrate rich foods stimulates the liver, muscles and fat cells. Once stimulated, these cells release their respective glucose into the blood stream. This is the elevation that individuals record when monitoring blood sugar level. In order to counteract elevated acidity, the body uses fat to neutralize pH levels. Fat is stored, then, as a safeguard to protect cells. Over time, acidity can lead to other serious health risks, including diabetes. The repeated pattern of elevated blood sugar levels can cause damage to the cardiovascular system, endocrine system and circulatory system.

Furthermore, the role insulin plays in the metabolic process is not fully understood. The common belief is that insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels in the body. The term “insulin dependent” was coined in the 1950’s. It gave to the impression that muscle and fat required insulin to unlock the cell, allowing it to convert the glucose. However, current studies conclude that many different cellular bodies transport glucose. Cells need glucose for their cellular respiration process, regardless of insulin presence.

The nature of diabetes is very individual. While it may manifest itself in the form of different symptoms, the illness is dependent upon management and proactive measures. Balance is of the essence in combating diabetes. Balance of hormones in the endocrine system, weight management and activity levels. Nutrition and fitness have been found to effectively prevent the onset of diabetes, as well as control its progression once diagnosed. Nutritionally, incorporating alkalizing foods, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates (as opposed to simple carbohydrates) helps to restore the body’s natural balance. With an increase in physical activity, pre-diabetes and diabetes can be successfully prevented or managed.

Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.
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