Fat and Diabetes

Good morning!

Years ago, I was a managing editor of the Diabetes Care medical journal so I occasionally check it out, even now. Imagine my surprise when I discovered some interesting new research.

First off, let me say that my mother was a Type 1 diabetic and I developed Type 2 a decade ago (in ‘remission’ now due to my diet) . I was told by every doctor, every grandmother, every friend, every well-meaning individual, that it was ‘sugar in the blood’ and that I needed to avoid sugar, especially white bread, potatoes, pasta. So I did but my diabetes got progressively worse. And my mother died when she was only 35 from this insidious disease.

Sugar. Sugar diabetes. Hmm.

While it is true that there is too much circulating sugar (glucose) in the blood, there was a theory that insulin wasn’t working properly to get the glucose into the cells. The body would then over-produce insulin but type 2 individuals were insulin resistant. But why?

They have now discovered that it is fat that is filling the cell and preventing the glucose from entering the cell.

Whoa! Whole new way of looking at it.

This is verified by my own experience. My diabetes did not go away until I gave up fat. I suspected early on (from something a doctor said) so I cut out meat and dairy but I was still eating mayonnaise and oils. Once I realized that and cut out these more hidden fats, it made all the difference.

Here’s part of the Diabetes Care article and the link to the full article:

The recent release of results from the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study (FDPS) (1) and the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) (2) strongly confirm the hypothesis that interventions that alter diet and physical activity to achieve weight loss can prevent or postpone the development of type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals. The next challenge will be to translate these impressive results into clinical practice. It seems relevant in this context to ask, “What is the best dietary intervention strategy to improve insulin action and prevent diabetes?” In the current issue of Diabetes Care, van Dam et al. (3) assess the association between diet and development of diabetes over a 12-year period in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). They find that consumption of a high-fat diet and high intakes of saturated fat are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. However, this association disappears when they adjust for BMI. They also find that frequent consumption of processed meats is associated with an increased risk for diabetes. Does this study alter the recommendations we make to individuals at risk for developing diabetes?

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/3/620

Here’s another article:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110411121539.htm

And then, of course, there is research from my favorite doctor of all time, Dr. Michael Greger on his videoblog Nutritionfacts.org. Amazing site.

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-causes-diabetes/

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/why-is-meat-a-risk-factor-for-diabetes/

I find it very interesting that plant fat sources don’t have the same effect–such as avocado, oil-free hummus, and nuts. Weird.

Just thought I’d share this interesting Natty Bit–certainly was the highlight of my morning.

Make it a great day!

All great truths begin as blasphemies. — George Bernard Shaw