![]() |
Winning the Numbers GameBy Ronald Klatz, MD, DO and Robert Goldman, MD Type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes, accounts for about 90-95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. In mid-2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced staggering new statistics on diabetes. The 2007 data show that 24 million Americans, or an unbelievable 8 percent of the nation's total population, currently have diabetes. What's more, the condition has increased disproportionately among the elderly, as 25 percent of Americans ages 60 years and older are now afflicted. Diabetes can result in a number of medical complications including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, blindness, kidney disease, nervous-system damage and periodontal disease. People with diabetes are more susceptible to many other illnesses, and once they acquire these illnesses, they often have worse prognoses. Diabetes also multiplies the cost of treating other diseases.
Think Mediterranean
An increased intake of green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of women developing type 2 diabetes. Specifically, Bazzano and colleagues found that for every additional serving consumed, the risk was slashed by 10 percent. The study involved 71,346 female nurses (ages 38 to 63) who were followed for 18 years. The researchers also found that whole-fruit consumption led to an 18 percent reduction in diabetes risk. Interestingly, fruit juice consumption was associated with an increased risk of diabetes. More Legumes, Less Risk Increased consumption of legumes, such as peanuts and soybeans, has been shown to markedly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Raquel Villegas from Vanderbilt University (Tennessee), and colleagues from the Shanghai Cancer Institute followed 64,227 Chinese women for 4.6 years, using questionnaires to assess subjects' dietary patterns. Subjects with a high intake of a variety of legumes had a 38 percent reduction in diabetes risk. In particular, a high intake of soybeans was associated with a 47 percent risk reduction. The Power of Vitamin C
It's Tea (and Wine) Time
Diabetes stands as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes of similar age. Financially, it is a costly disease, responsible for an annual health care tab of $174 billion (direct medical costs and indirect costs including disability, work loss, and premature mortality). The societal costs of the disease are significant as well, since diabetes profoundly impacts individuals and families. Your doctor can evaluate your current dietary and exercise habits, and suggest ways you can minimize your risk of developing diabetes and other weight-related conditions. Breaking Down DiabetesWhen a food is being digested, enzymes in your stomach break down carbohydrates into glucose, which is then absorbed into your bloodstream. Your pancreas responds by releasing insulin, which allows glucose to travel to the liver, where it is distributed to cells for energy. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen and reconverted to glucose if blood sugar levels fall and more energy is required. In general, this is the normal, healthy picture of the blood glucose response. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas doesn't secrete insulin at all. As a result, glucose has no way of getting into the body's cells, and blood sugar levels stay high. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas secretes insulin, but not enough to meet your body's needs. In both cases, glucose builds up in your bloodstream.
Normal blood glucose levels range between 60 mg/dL and 120 mg/dL; however, these levels generally are much higher in diabetics. Because glucose stays in the bloodstream, rather than being made available to cells, diabetics can suffer a variety of health problems, including poor circulation and blood flow. Among the worst potential complications are nerve damage, blindness, cardiovascular disease and stroke.
![]() Carbs break down into glucose and are absorbed into the bloodstream. The pancreas releases insulin, which helps transport glucose to the liver, where it is distributed to cells for energy. Ronald Klatz, MD, is the president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging (www.worldhealth.net), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, detection and treatment of aging-related disease. Robert Goldman, MD, is the chairman of the American Academy of Anti-Aging (www.worldhealth.net), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, detection and treatment of aging-related disease. |