Diabetes

[JerryNumbers]

I'm 63 years of age, and I'm appalled at the number of people that have lost at least part of a leg to this dreaded disease. Plus I know that there is a great number who have lost part of their toes that I know nothing about.

In the 1st 35 years of my life it was uncommon to see someone who had lost a leg due to diabetes, yet now its uncommon if you don't see someone each day that has been adversely affected by diabetes.

It truly seems to be in epidemic proportions nowadays. have any of you took notice of this. I'm sure thankful to my God that I have not been affected by this dreaded disease.

[John81]

Yes, I've noticed this horrible trend. Even our former barber had this happen to him. Lost some toes, then later the foot, then part of the leg. Not long after that he died.

[JerryNumbers]

I live about 6 miles west of a town that's population is a bit over 4,800 people, I believe I know at least 10 people that are affected by this disease, plus I've had several friends that died from complications from diabetes.

[DennisD]

I think it has a lot to do with what we put in our body these days. Some diseases (diabetes, cancer, etc) seem to be so much more rampant these days and you have to wonder if it's because of the way our food is now being processed, all the man made chemicals, etc. Almost every food in a grocery store these days has high fructose corn syrup or partially hydronated soybean oil or some other thing that is so terrible for you. Anyway, I don't even look at the "Nutrition Facts" label on food anymore...I look at the ingredients. If is stays something like "Corn, Corn oil and salt" (Fritos)...I consider that food that is generally from God and is at least safer than Doritos (which has a laundry list of ingredients, most which I can barely say/spell). Sure, even the "natural" ingredients are refined/processed today but in American it's very hard to find anything that's really pure. At least in Europe they still have local markets ran by local farmers with eggs, chickens, beef, vegetables, etc. One of the few things I like about Europe.

[Covenanter]

Interesting that the thread so far has only concerned non-diabetics. How do you know that you are not at risk? Have you diabetic friends?

I've been type 2 (late onset) diabetic for 10 years. IMNSHO a major contributory factor in the increase of complications is a combination of diet & dietary info for diabetics. I'm 71, I play tennis at club standard, & I've had crippling complications along the way. I can speak with some authority.

The standard healthy eating advice given to diabetics in the UK by the leading Diabetes charity is:

The actual amount of carbohydrate that the body needs varies depending on your age, weight and activity levels, but it should make up about half of what you eat and drink.

That follows this:

Why is carbohydrate important?

All carbohydrate is converted into glucose and will have an impact on blood glucose levels. Since this is the case, some people with diabetes wonder if it would be better not to have any carbohydrate in their diet to keep their glucose levels under control. This is not recommended, as:

* glucose from carbohydrate is essential to the body, especially the brain

I followed that dietary advice for 8 years. Then crippling neuropathy set in, & my active life was over. It was painful to get out of bed. Also I had the beginning of retinopathy. A diabetes forum discussion pointed out the beneficial experience of diabetics who tried cutting right down on carbs. I contribute as IanD.

I cut bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, & increased proteins, veg, fruit & nuts. Within 3 months I was playing tennis again. Naturally I have sustained that diet, & more than 2 years on I am free of complications.


I'm not speaking for type 1, insulin dependent diabetics.

In former years T2s had to control their diabetes with low carb diets. Now medication is available, that allows carbs to be eaten - to such an extent that we see the advice above. BUT medication has side effects, thus eating what we cannot now digest, and increasing the medication is very unwise. Hence the observation of increased complications.

On diagnosis, I was informed: you are at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, amputation.... and that diabetes is progressive through diet/exercise, oral medication, insulin, with complications along the way. That is a self-fulfilling prophecy, given the recommended dietary treatment. I have reversed the complications by rejecting the diet.

[chev1958]

I've wondered about the diet myself. My oldest daughter has been Type I (insulin dependent) diabetic since she was 5 years old, and we followed the recommended diet to the letter. However, her sugar levels were tough to keep at the recommended levels, and the doctors kept telling us she was going through puberty, secretly eating cookies, or a variety of things. No one ever questioned the recommended diet, even though I knew basic chemistry said carbs turn into sugar for energy. When the veins in her eyes start bursting at 24 years old, she began doing her own research and decided to reduce her carb intake. Her sugar levels are under much better control now, and the circulation problems have stopped for now.

My doctor is warning me that my weight gain since leaving the military could lead to Type II diabetes if I don't get that under control. I went to dietitians who gave me essentially the same diet my daughter was given. The diet slowed down my weight gain, but didn't stop it. Doing similar research, I've decided to reduce my carb intake. Not as strict as the Adkins diet, but follows it somewhat. I've lost 15 pounds and still have more some more to go, but the low-carb diet is working for me.

If you think about it, the diet recommended by American nutritionists looks fairly similar to what we used to give the hogs and cows (er, cattle) to fatten them up. That's speaking nutritionally, not appetizingly.

[JerryNumbers]

Those in the know seem to say being overweight can lead to diabetes.

But I wonder, does it have something to do with stuff made out of plastics and Styrofoam, seems that is something we all have in common, eating and drinking from containers made from plastics and Styrofoam, plus many of the foods we buy at the grocery store are in and or wrapped with such stuff, even nearly every medicine we take place in plastic. And is this something we can pass on to our children, so that they get a does of it from us, plus they're getting a big does of it on their own eating and drinking from plastic, Styrofoam, taking meds encased in plastic.

35 to 40 years ago that would not be true.

[Covenanter]

Those in the know seem to say being overweight can lead to diabetes.

That is a ploy used by the health professionals to blame the patient. There is no simple correlation with obesity except -

the so-called "healthy diet" recommended for everyone includes lots of starchy carbs, & starchy carbs cause us to put on weight, & overload our pancreas.


But I wonder, does it have something to do with stuff made out of plastics and Styrofoam, seems that is something we all have in common, eating and drinking from containers made from plastics and Styrofoam, plus many of the foods we buy at the grocery store are in and or wrapped with such stuff, even nearly every medicine we take place in plastic. And is this something we can pass on to our children, so that they get a does of it from us, plus they're getting a big does of it on their own eating and drinking from plastic, Styrofoam, taking meds encased in plastic.

35 to 40 years ago that would not be true.

More likely the processed food that comes in plastics, including GM & synthetic fertilizers that provide NPK but by over-working the soil deplete the vitamins, minerals & trace elements. I take a multivitamin/mineral supplement. We buy very little processed food.

Also, years ago, people died younger. My father grew our vegetables, & eggs, but died at 67 from a brain tumour, while Mum lived to 93. Neither had diabetes.

Those of us on the forum have tried to talk to Diabetes UK to try to convince them from our experience to change their advice. They claim they are offering the best scientific advice. They won't send me references, & when we explain how our condition has improved with a reduced carb diet, all they say is, "If it works for you, fine, but we cannot recommend a low carb diet."

I explain to the health professionals, "I have diabetes - you don't; I followed your advice & developed complications, exactly as you predicted. I rejected your advice, cut the carbs, & reversed the complications."

The HPs are teaching what they have been taught - just like the products of theological colleges. I have proved them wrong. My Dr has to agree with me, but he can't persuade diabetics in his family to give up their carbs! I have suggested he refer his patients to me for diet advice. My door bell has yet to ring.

Try this low carb bread:
1/4 cup each, in a buttered glass or plastic jug:
ground almonds;
oat bran;
wheat germ;
milk protein;
1 teasp baking powder;
1 teasp spice; (I use coriander so it tastes like manna)
mix so its homogeneous (or sieve together)
add 2 eggs
1/4 cup oil with a little water
squirt of tomato puree
mix well
microwave for 2½ to 3 minutes
turn out on a wire rack to cool

The yield is over ½ lb with less than 10% carb - about as much carb as one slice of bread. It has a spongy muffin texture.

[HappyChristian]

I think Covenanter is right: it's in large part due to diet. Because simple carbs break down into sugar, the pancreas has to put out insulin. The more carbs eaten, the more insulin produced...until the pancreas can do no more, and one becomes diabetic (before that, the rush of insulin and then the quick lack of it being put into the blood stream is pre-diabetic or hypoglycemic).

My step-dad is diabetic. My step-uncle was (insulan dependent). My FIL was. My aunt died from it (almost 60 years ago). My uncle is diabetic. My grandmother has blood sugar problems. And I can honestly say that those in my family who were and are diabetic that focused their food intake on proteins and veggies (except corn and carrots - very high sugar breakdown in the body!!) control(led) their blood sugar.

When the Atkins diet first came out, many people thought it was not a good one. And there are some tweakings that need to be done (too much protein and not enough water can seriously damage the kidneys). But people who were on it noticed one (of many) major improvement: their blood sugar came within a healthy range. There have been some other books written by doctors who have noticed this same thing. My dad got hold of one, read it - and began following it. He still eats sweets, but he knows when he's had his limits and needs to stay completely away for a while.

I can't remember the author's name (his book is on my shelf at home), but his experience was actually very similar to yours, Covenantor.

[JerryNumbers]

No doubt the average person lives longer today than back in yesterday years. Also, back in yesterday years many babies died at birth or shortly after, not near as many died like this any more.

Yet in yesterday years there were quite a few who lived to a ripe old age. My grandfather lived to about 86 or 87, died from pneumonia, back them many young and old people died from pneumonia, it was nearly and automatic death for who ever come down with it. Today most people who get this can be cured by taking antibiotics.

I suppose there is no a way for us to know for sure what causes diabetes, I read part of an article in a Times magazine today while waiting on my wife while getting physical therapy, the writer of this article seemed to think plastics and such might be the common link.

One thing for sure, we don't know the long term effect of these plastics, and not long back I recall reading some warnings about drinking from plastic bottles and feeding babies from plastic bottles.

[Covenanter]

I suppose there is no a way for us to know for sure what causes diabetes, I read part of an article in a Times magazine today while waiting on my wife while getting physical therapy, the writer of this article seemed to think plastics and such might be the common link.

One thing for sure, we don't know the long term effect of these plastics, and not long back I recall reading some warnings about drinking from plastic bottles and feeding babies from plastic bottles.

As we get older, our outward man perish, so we can expect increasing health problems. Diabetes T2 is a specific problem - failure of the pancreas to produce suffient insulin & the resultant inability to digest carb. I wasn't bottle-fed, I've had very little take-away food, nor drinks from polystyrene cups. If there were such a link, I would be very unlikely. Also my highest wt was 196 lb - 22 years before I started playing tennis again.

It is the phthalate plasticizers that are suspect in babies' bottles, & I don't think they are in the ubiquitous water bottles. [i fill mine from the tap.] Or does your Times correspondent claim that our bottled water is now the problem? I'm sure there was no such problem when our ancestors used bladders & leather wineskins ..... but I understand the ancient Greeks diagnosed diabetes by tasting urine.

Incidentally, I can play 4 sets of tennis without bananas & energy drinks at every change of ends - I just drink water, & my body generates the blood sugar I need - a quiet evening my BS drops to about 100 (5.5), but after 2 hours tennis, it is about 130 (7.0). Edited July 10, 2010 by Covenanter

[JerryNumbers]

As we get older, our outward man perish, so we can expect increasing health problems. Diabetes T2 is a specific problem - failure of the pancreas to produce suffient insulin & the resultant inability to digest carb. I wasn't bottle-fed, I've had very little take-away food, nor drinks from polystyrene cups. If there were such a link, I would be very unlikely. Also my highest wt was 196 lb - 22 years before I started playing tennis again.

It is the phthalate plasticizers that are suspect in babies' bottles, & I don't think they are in the ubiquitous water bottles. [i fill mine from the tap.] Or does your Times correspondent claim that our bottled water is now the problem? I'm sure there was no such problem when our ancestors used bladders & leather wineskins ..... but I understand the ancient Greeks diagnosed diabetes by tasting urine.

Incidentally, I can play 4 sets of tennis without bananas & energy drinks at every change of ends - I just drink water, & my body generates the blood sugar I need - a quiet evening my BS drops to about 100 (5.5), but after 2 hours tennis, it is about 130 (7.0).

Of course we do, any reasonable person knows that, yet that not what I'm speaking of, I'm speaking to the rise in the cases of diabetics, even many YOUNG people getting this dreaded disease that was once very uncommon but now we see in epidemic proportions.

Diabetics has no respect of age.

Perhaps its a immunity issue, those who are getting it does not have the immunity to what ever is causing it, and those who don't get it has immunity to what ever causes it.




Did Your Plastic Water Bottle Give You Diabetes?


Plastic additive BPA connected to diabetes, heart disease

Plastic and diabetes, liver ailments linked

Here is some information on this subject, I did not dream up that plastics was causing diabetics.

[Covenanter]

Thanks, Jerry. I'll pass the links on to the Diabetes forum.

[koti]

When I first became type 2 diabetic I got online and researched for hours... I learned that quite often what causes diabetes is our diet which was not taught to anyone... always told thing like don't drink soda pop because of the acid content in it...never once told that there is a link between excessive consumption and diabetes.. that is just one example there are many many many more!

But what I didn't know was that most people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes actually have it 2-10 years before being diagnosed.

I went to my doc and said 'I think I might be a diabetic'. He told me it was all in my head and I accepted it for at least a year. Went back again and said again I think I was a diabetic and again he said I was too young (30) and sent me home. So I left his office, went to drugstore and bought a blood sugar meter... checked it twice a day, wrote down the results. After 2 weeks I took the results in to the doc office and put it on his desk and said 'Now tell me it is all in my head!'. My blood sugar was averaging 500!

Because of the delay in diagnosing I do suffer from some problems. PTL I haven't lost a limb or a toe, but it could still happen.

If you suspect at all that you are a diabetic and the doc doesn't listen or won't test, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE either find a doc who will or take it into your own hands and test it yourself for a couple of weeks. Many companies offer free blood sugar testing kits where you get the machine and 10 strips. You can purchase more strips at pharmacies. Many pharmacies also have their own brand meters fairly cheap and are accurate enough.

Over the last few years they have done studies showing that a vegan or nearly vegan diet is one of the best ways to control and prevent diabetes also! Yes I know a vegan diet is hard to keep.. I don't keep it too well myself but I have noticed that when I stick to the diet I dont' need insulin. Just saying lol

[Invicta]

Some years ago, I read in an organic gardening magazine that diabetes and other western diseases were caused by western diet and that countries that don't have access to western diet like refined sugar, processed foods, etc. don't get these diseases.