In an American society where fast food, processed meat, bleached enriched flour and high fructose corn syrup rule the roost, it’s no wonder that the vast majority of Americans are headed for Type II diabetes. Type II is the diabetes that people acquire from long-term poor eating habits. This nutritional trend is also contributing to the epidemic of obesity in our nation. Luckily, the Atkins diet offers a solution that addresses both issues. It offers a way to delay, even prevent the acquired disease as well as weight loss.
To begin with, Type II diabetes is a disease that is a direct result of insulin resistance. This means that the body can no longer produce sufficient insulin to lower blood sugar levels. In youth, our bodies were able to digest and metabolize food more efficiently. A then-healthy pancreas worked to produce and release adequate amounts of insulin, no matter how many carbohydrates or sugar we ate. Of course, there may have been other consequences of unhealthy eating habits such as weight gain or mood swings but it didn’t matter that much at the time.
In youth, this pattern is continually repeated with little or no visible consequence. While children may gain a few pounds here or there, the possibility of acquiring diabetes is not usually considered seriously. Healthy systems recover quickly and easily. As we age though, the continued pattern takes its toll on our heart and circulatory system. The body becomes insulin resistant. That is, no amount of insulin works effectively to reduce blood sugar levels. At that point we become pre-diabetic or can acquire Type II diabetes.
A large part of the problem is the average American diet. Hidden sugars and highly processed carbohydrates work against our body’s natural metabolic processes. Certain foods are known to have a high-glycemic index. A glycemic index is a number that refers to the effect a carbohydrate has on our blood sugar levels. The higher the number, the more insulin the pancreas has to produce to convert the sugar into usable energy. Unfortunately, the American diet is rich in high-glycemic index foods.
With age, blood sugar and insulin difficulties become more aggravated. The condition is called “hyperinsulinism” and is a precursor for type II diabetes. It is normally accompanied by high blood pressure and high triglycerides.
After years of using a high-carbohydrate diet, you will finally become fully diabetic. Insulin is the body’s primary fat creator and extra pounds usually accompany late onset diabetes. Pre-diabetic conditions, if not treated effectively, will lead to diabetes indefinitely.
Of course, exercise and a healthy lifestyle are important components of delaying or preventing Type II diabetes. The Atkins diet, however, is one of the simplest changes a person can make to get on a healthy track. Balancing proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, the building blocks of nutrition, allows a person’s body to work efficiently and optimally. The result is stable blood-sugar levels, weight loss and more energy.
Your body will work the way it was designed to. Who wouldn’t want that?
Posted in Diabetes