Summary: Reducing total fat consumption did not considerably help reduce the prevalence of abdominal fat accumulation, and obesity has increased. Studies suggest that this rise is more due to higher consumption of linoleic acid (LA) rich omega-6 fatty acids. It occurred as humans switched to greater consumption of vegetable oils from animal fat consumption. It also resulted in lower omega-3 in the diet. Experimental studies confirm that reducing the dietary intake of LA may considerably help lower the risk of obesity. Additionally, adding omega-3 to the diet may have additional benefits of countering LA’s adverse effects, thus helping lower obesity prevalence.

Keywords: linoleic acid (LA), omega-6 fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), endocannabinoid system

Introduction

New experimental data indicate that high dietary intake of omega-6 and relatively low omega-3 intake has more to do with obesity, accumulation of visceral fat, and insulin resistance than total fat intake to fulfil energy needs. Correction of omega-6: omega-3 ratio in diet may be the key to countering obesity.

Abdominal obesity has grown at an alarming rate in the last 40-50 years in the US. Historical data shows that in men, it rose from 12.7% to 38.3%. Whereas, in women, it grew from 19.4% to almost 60% between 1960 -2000. This tripling of abdominal obesity is difficult to explain solely based on the total fat content of the diet1.

Researchers think that increase in abdominal obesity has more to do with the quality of fats consumed. Some researchers suggest that humans have evolved to consume omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids almost in equal ratios. However, in the modern diet, its proportions are from ~10:1 to 25:1. That’s a severe disbalance2.

If that is the case, correcting the omega-6 to the omega-3 ratio by consuming more omega-3 and less omega-6 may solve the problems of obesity to a great extent. However, before making any firm recommendation, there has to be strong evidence supporting the theory.

Researchers think that some evidence comes from watching the historical changes in dietary patterns. For example, data shows that consumption of omega-6 fatty acids rose considerably from 1900 onwards, when people in the western world switched from butter or lard to consuming more vegetable oils, like soybean oil. This resulted in a two-fold increase of linoleic acid (LA), the primary omega-6 fatty acid in vegetable oils, and it makes now 8 to 10% of total calorie intake3.

These assumptions are further supported by a systemic review of studies indicating that LA content in subcutaneous tissues in the US has increased by 2.5 times.

Experiments confirm that reducing LA intake or increasing omega-3 intake may help counter obesity

Researchers carried out lab experiments in mice to understand the effect of LA on obesity and further understand the role of a high-fat diet4.

Firstly, they divided mice into two groups, one to be fed with a medium-fat diet (35% of total calorie intake) and another on a high-fat diet (65% of the total calorie intake). They further divided mice into two groups, with one fed with diet having 1% LA and another with 8% LA diet (meaning 1% and 8% of energy from LA, respectively).

Interestingly enough, they found that higher fat consumption was not much related to obesity, as there is not much difference in the group a and d.

However, there is a clear and high association between obesity and high LA consumption irrespective of total fat intake; thus, both group b and e mice developed severe abdominal obesity.

 

Next, they wanted to understand the role of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. Thus, they added omega-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to the diet of the mice on the 8% LA group.

They found that omega-3 enriched diet may help prevent obesity and thus metabolic disorders. To their surprise, omega-3 could help control obesity in mice on an 8% LA diet, and total fat in the diet had not much impact on it. Thus omega-3 fatty acids prevented fat accumulation in the 8% LA and medium fat diet group (Figure 2 C) and 8% LA and high-fat diet group (Figure 2 F)

 

It confirmed the following things:

• LA is the primary cause of abdominal obesity, be it low fat or a high-fat diet. Thus, a need to limit LA consumption.

• Consuming a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA) may help counter obesity-causing effects of LA.

Understanding the underlying mechanism

 

Researchers think that this ability of LA to cause obesity can be explained by changes that happened at the cellular level due to high LA consumption. It primarily stimulates the endocannabinoid system leading to impaired fat storage, altered behavior, appetite, and thus greater risk of obesity.

Although total calorie intake counts, perhaps how many calories a body gets from fats is less relevant. Even a high-fat diet will not cause obesity if it is low in LA containing fats. Further, adding omega-3 fatty acids rich in EPA and DHA may help counter these obesity-causing effects of LA.

References

1. Okosun IS, Chandra KMD, Boev A, et al. Abdominal adiposity in US adults: prevalence and trends, 1960–2000. Preventive Medicine. 2004;39(1):197-206. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.01.023

2. Simopoulos AP. Evolutionary Aspects of the Dietary Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio: Medical Implications. In: Alvergne A, Jenkinson C, Faurie C, eds. Evolutionary Thinking in Medicine: From Research to Policy and Practice. Advances in the Evolutionary Analysis of Human Behaviour. Springer International Publishing; 2016:119-134. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-29716-3_9

3. DiNicolantonio JJ, O’Keefe JH. Omega-6 vegetable oils as a driver of coronary heart disease: the oxidized linoleic acid hypothesis. Open Heart. 2018;5(2):e000898. doi:10.1136/openhrt-2018-000898

4. Alvheim AR, Malde MK, Osei-Hyiaman D, et al. Dietary Linoleic Acid Elevates Endogenous 2-AG and Anandamide and Induces Obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2012;20(10):1984-1994. doi:10.1038/oby.2012.38

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Important Points:

• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic pain
• hemoglobin A1c
• insulin resistance

Insulin Resistance and Chronic Pain

An estimated 10 million adults in the United States live with fibromyalgia — a condition that causes pain throughout the body often to the point where it’s difficult to function. Could the key to understanding and treating fibromyalgia and other chronic pain involve insulin resistance? We will shed some light on current research on this topic.

So, what is Fibromyalgia?

Characterized by chronic and widespread pain, increased sensitivity to pain, and heightened feelings of fatigue, brain fog, etc., fibromyalgia remains poorly understood. The condition is also hard to diagnose, difficult to manage, and diminishes the quality of life for those struggling with it.  It is reported that there’s an estimated global prevalence of 2.7%, with females outnumbering males nearly three to one. In addition, a couple of studies have noted that fibromyalgia seems to be more prevalent among individuals with Type 2 diabetes (T2d) suggesting a link between the two conditions that is worthy of further study. While experts agree that genetics and environmental factors are at play with fibromyalgia, little is known regarding how and why the syndrome develops.

Diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia comes from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines. The Widespread Pain Index measures pain or tenderness felt in the week prior to the appointment in 19 different body regions. The Severity Scale is deduced by the patient’s reporting the severity of symptoms like fatigue and brain fog on a scale from 0 to 3. ACR guidelines combine these two measurements using a rating scale from 0 to 31, and according to them, a score of 13 or higher corresponds to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

The global economic impact of FM is enormous. In the United States alone, the healthcare cost is around $100 billion/year and is comparable to reports in European countries. Due to lower pain thresholds, patients with FM also have a higher incidence of symptomatic musculoskeletal and spinal disorders which in themselves contribute to the financial burden of managing this disorder.

Many hypotheses have been advanced to explain the extensive array of symptoms including inherited abnormalities, dysfunction of neurotransmitter pathways such as substance P, immune dysregulation, and several others. Unfortunately, none of these propositions has led to practical advances beyond symptomatic treatment. In fact, recent reviews of FM published in 2016 and 2017 have concluded that there have been no substantive advances in our understanding of this disease.

2.  What are the Similarities Between Fibromyalgia and Insulin Resistance?

Although more recent reviews of fibromyalgia research do not make mention of the purported link between the syndrome and insulin resistance or diabetes, the two conditions affect brain vasculature in strikingly similar ways.

According to Miguel Pappolla, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch and medical director of St. Michael’s Pain and Spine Clinics in Houston, insulin resistance is known to impair brain microcirculation leading to slowed blood flow and oxygenation (hypo-perfusion) in certain brain regions. “What is very interesting,” he said, “is that patients with fibromyalgia also have hypo-perfusion in several brain areas.” The question remains, however, whether insulin resistance may be behind these similar decreases in blood flow experienced by those with fibromyalgia.

• Research into these Similarities

To investigate this question, Dr. Pappolla led a retrospective, cross-sectional study, reviewing medical records from 23 patients (21 females, 2 males; 11 White, 8 Hispanic, 4 African American; ages 35 to 60) at St. Michael’s Pain and Spine Clinics.⁷ All 23 patients met the ACR criteria for diagnosis with fibromyalgia.

As a measure of insulin resistance, the team selected the hemoglobin A1c, in which values between 5.7 and 6.4 define prediabetes and values of 6.5 or more constitute diabetes. They compared the A1cs on record for the 23 patients with fibromyalgia to those of two separate control groups: the non-diabetic subset (1,350 people) from the Framingham Offspring Study characterized by normal glucose tolerance (FOS NGT) and the non-diabetic subset (1,592 people) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

When the investigators compared the A1c test results of the people with fibromyalgia with those of age-matched controls, they found that the former group had significantly higher levels of hemoglobin A1c than the latter indicating a measure of insulin resistance.

“[People with prediabetes] with slightly elevated A1c values carry a higher risk of developing central (brain) pain, a hallmark of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain disorders,” notes Dr. Pappolla, pointing out that this link between insulin resistance and fibromyalgia has been around for a long time. Surprisingly, this link went unnoticed. “Considering the extensive research on fibromyalgia, we were puzzled that prior studies had overlooked this simple connection,” the first author says.

“The main reason for this oversight is that about half of fibromyalgia patients have A1c values currently considered within the normal range. However, this is the first study to analyze these levels normalized for the person’s age, as optimal A1c levels do vary throughout life,” the researcher continues.

“Adjustment for the patients’ age was critical in highlighting the differences between patients and control subjects,” he explains.

As part of the study, the researchers administered metformin — a drug that people typically take to treat insulin resistance — to the participants with fibromyalgia and muscular or connective tissue pain.

Metformin successfully reduced pain in this cohort, prompting the researchers to suggest that this common drug could be a viable and less expensive treatment option for some people with this chronic pain condition.

“In the [U.S.] alone, the healthcare cost is around $100 billion [per] year; comparable to reports in European countries,” the researchers write in the study paper.

“Earlier studies discovered that insulin resistance causes dysfunction within the brain’s small blood vessels. Since this issue is also present in fibromyalgia, we investigated whether insulin resistance is the missing link in this disorder.”

First author Dr. Miguel Pappolla

“We showed that most — if not all — patients with fibromyalgia can be identified by their A1c levels, which reflects average blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months,” Dr. Pappolla adds.

The A1c test is a blood test that allows doctors to measure a person’s blood sugar levels by looking at “hemoglobin A1c,” a blood cell protein that binds to the simple sugar glucose. Doctors use this test to diagnose prediabetes and type 2 diabetes

In order to supplement this finding, the evolution of the pain scores of patients with FM who had had their Insulin Resistance treated pharmacologically was also reviewed. This subgroup of patients reported dramatic improvements of their myofascial pain after treatment with metformin.

• Do these findings offer hope for the future for Chronic Pain Treatment?

This evidence, although preliminary, suggests a pathogenetic relationship between Fibromyalgia and Insulin Resistance, which may lead to better treatment plans.  Along with this, Metformin, a drug commonly used to treat diabetes patients by targeting insulin resistance, has shown promise with treating pain from fibromyalgia; it may translate not only into a radical paradigm shift for the management of [fibromyalgia] but may also save billions of dollars to healthcare systems around the world.

That said more research is needed to better understand the link between insulin resistance and fibromyalgia and other types of chronic pain.

References:

1. NCBI (2016): A Correlative Relationship Between Chronic Pain and Insulin Resistance in Zucker Fatty Rats: Role of Downregulation of Insulin Receptors. Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26705975

• Science Daily (2019): Does insulin resistance cause fibromyalgia? Retrieved from

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190507145523.htm

• MedicalNewsToday (2019):  Fibromyalgia: Is insulin resistance ‘the missing link?’ Retrieved from

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325155.php#1

• Plos One (2019): Is insulin resistance the cause of fibromyalgia? A preliminary report. Retrieved from

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0216079

• Practical Pain Management (2019): Fibromyalgia and Insulin Resistance: Correlational or Causal Relationship? Retrieved from

https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/pain/myofascial/fibromyalgia-insulin-resistance-correlational-causal-relationship

• Healthline (2019): Drug Used to Treat Diabetes May Be Effective Against Fibromyalgia. Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/does-insulin-resistance-cause-fibromyalgia

If you are like most people, you are probably thinking that I have confused diabetes for diabesity, or you are probably wondering whether I intended to say obesity. You are not so far away from the truth as diabesity is a modern disease that links obesity with type 2 diabetes. Diabesity should be a concern for people with normal blood sugars who may be accustomed to unhealthy eating and lifestyle patterns. It is unfortunate that much is not mentioned about diabesity, which can predispose you to severe obesity, diabetes, and other fatal chronic conditions.

What Is Diabesity?

Diabesity is a sequence of events that starts with optimal blood sugar balance, to progressive insulin resistance, to being overweight, then becoming obese, and finally to full-blown Type-2 Diabetes. It comes in a spectrum that includes elevated blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other health complications. These problems stem from diet, lifestyle, and environmental toxins interacting with our unique genetic susceptibilities. A study published in NCBI in 2013 concluded that “(diabesity) makes a strong call for utilizing indigenous, low-cost means of enhancing healthy dietary and physical activity habits.” Diabesity can also be described as the coexistence of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

What Are The Triggers For Diabesity?

Diabesity occurs following the development of insulin resistance and obesity. When your diet is full of empty calories: quickly absorbed sugars, liquid calories (soda, juice, sports drinks), and refined carbohydrates, you are likely to develop a resistance to insulin. Insulin (produced by beta cells in the pancreas) is the hormone that is responsible for grabbing glucose out of the bloodstream and storing it in cells. This ensures that blood sugar remains even in the blood. When the body starts ignoring the signal sent out by insulin, we call this insulin resistance. A high insulin level is one of the first signs because beta cells will keep releasing more and more insulin to try to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, the higher your insulin levels are, the worse your insulin resistance becomes.  High insulin levels will also cause a spike in appetite which leads to overeating. Very soon, you develop weight gain around the belly, more inflammation and oxidative stress, and other effects such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low HDL, atherosclerosis, and increased risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and depression.

It is important t note here that the root cause of the problem is insulin resistance and not elevated blood sugar. Fortunately, insulin resistance can be reversed since it is strongly linked to a poor diet and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Most people can save themselves from diabesity by eliminating the factors that send their biology out of balance and replacing them with what’s needed to help the body re-balance itself.

Diabesity and Genetics

Many people believe that insulin resistance and diabesity are genetic conditions that cannot be extraneously controlled. True enough, our genetic predisposition plays a role in how we choose what to eat and how to live. It also plays a role in the development of insulin resistance. However, insulin resistance and diabesity are greatly influenced by diet and lifestyle. By controlling these factors, you can greatly minimize your chances of developing the conditions.

How To Reverse Diabesity

Before reversing diabesity, there are a few things you can do to keep safe. They include:

1. Know the signs of insulin resistance.

One of the first tell-tale signs of insulin resistance is uncontrollable weight gain. You might also experience increased blood pressure and skin discoloration (acanthosis nigricans) on rare occasions. Unfortunately, insulin resistance may go unnoticed for years. Hence, you may be better off having some tests done.

2. Get the right tests done

You should get tested if you have a positive family history of type 2 diabetes and are affected by a poor diet as well as a sedentary lifestyle. An insulin response test is the best test to tease out the condition.

If you have already been diagnosed with diabesity, here are three things you can do to start your reversal journey.

Make healthy diet choices

This may involve the input of your physician, nutritionist/ dietician, and yourself to come up with the right meal plan. A healthy diet will start with the elimination of sugary and processed foods. Opt for wholesome grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, white meat, and unsaturated fats. You can read more about this type of diet here. (hyperlink to foods that improve insulin sensitivity).

Get adequate rest

Stress is a major contributor to insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalance.  Stress also contributes to making unhealthy food choices and overeating. You need to make a conscious effort to distress frequently by:

• Sleeping for at least 7 hours daily
• Practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga
• Taking breaks in between work, like every two hours
• Taking sabbaticals and vacationing periodically

Quit a sedentary lifestyle

Modern jobs involve sitting at an office desk and hitting the keypad for hours on end. In a world where work is compensated by the hour, it can be difficult to make time for exercise. However, when you consider the negative long-term effects of a sedentary lifestyle, you will be forced to reconsider the value of the extra money. What is the point if it’s going to cost your health in the long run? Quitting a sedentary lifestyle involves making deliberate choices about exercise and fitness. This may mean walking at least 30 minutes every day or engaging in more vigorous aerobic exercise 4-6 times a week.

References

1.   Science Daily (2012): Genetic variants are linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120626151107.htm

2.   NCBI (2011): Is fast food addictive? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21999689

3.   NCBI (2013): Diabesity. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23905459

4.   NCBI (2008): High-fat diets cause insulin resistance despite an increase in muscle mitochondria. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2409421/

Insulin is a vital hormone that controls the levels of sugar in our bodies. In a nutshell, it removes excess glucose from the blood through a process known as glycogenesis.

However, problems with insulin are at the heart of many medical conditions. Insulin resistance occurs when your cells stop responding to insulin. This means that the effects of insulin cannot be appreciated leading to a buildup of sugar in the bloodstream. About 100 million Americans are affected by insulin resistance. Fortunately,   dietary and lifestyle changes can dramatically improve this condition.

This article explains all you need to know about insulin and insulin resistance.

What Is Insulin?

Insulin is a hormone that is produced by beta cells in the pancreas. Its main function is to regulate the amount of glucose circulating in your bloodstream. However, it also affects fat and protein metabolism. When you eat a slice of bread, which definitely contains carbohydrates, the amount of sugar in your blood increases. Consequently, the beta cells in your pancreas are stimulated to produce insulin. The insulin is released to your bloodstream, where it removes the sugar and stores it in cells. This process results in reduced blood sugar levels.

However, cells sometimes become less sensitive to insulin. When this happens, sugar begins to build up in the bloodstream. Your pancreas produces even more insulin to lower the blood sugar levels. This leads to high insulin levels in your blood, which is referred to as hyperinsulinemia.

Diabetes type 2 occurs when your cells become increasingly resistant to insulin, resulting in a rise in both insulin and blood sugar levels. If this persists for long, your beta cells may become damaged, leading to decreased insulin production.

Insulin resistance is the main cause of type 2 diabetes.

What About Insulin Sensitivity?

Insulin sensitivity is just the opposite of insulin resistance. When you have insulin resistance, it also means that you have low insulin sensitivity. While insulin resistance is harmful to your health, insulin sensitivity is beneficial.

What Causes Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance is caused by many factors.

A number of studies have shown that high amounts of free fatty acids in your blood can cause insulin resistance. This is caused by eating too many calories. Being overweight or obese is also linked to insulin resistance. Visceral fat that mostly accumulates around your waist can release free fatty acids into your blood and trigger inflammation. However, even people with moderate weight can develop insulin resistance, possibly due to genetic predisposition.

Other possible causes of insulin resistance include:

• High sugar diet. Artificial sugars have been linked to inflammation and insulin resistance.
• Inactivity. Regular physical activity can reduce insulin resistance by stimulating weight loss.
• Gut microbiota. A disruption in the bacterial environment of your digestive system can cause inflammation and insulin resistance.
• Genetic factors: African American, Hispanic, and Asian peoples are at higher risk for insulin resistance.

What Are The Complications Of Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance is the precursor for diabetes type 2 and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

By the time a person is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, they are likely to have developed chronic insulin resistance. It is estimated that by the time a diagnosis is made, 50% of insulin-producing cells may have lost function. This means that the person is not only resistant to insulin, but they are also unable to produce adequate amounts of insulin.

Insulin resistance is also strongly associated with heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the US.

Other diseases linked to insulin resistance include:

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
• Cancer
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Alzheimer’s disease

How To Reduce Insulin Resistance

Weight loss is one of the most effective ways of reducing insulin resistance. Making drastic dietary changes is also necessary so that you are consuming more of the beneficial foods and less of the harmful ones. Exercise also helps to shed off extra weight and maintain health. Lastly, doing away with harmful habits such as smoking and excessive drinking also plays a significant role.

• Engage in regular exercise such as brisk walking or jogging for 30 minutes each day.
• Lose belly fat
• Stop smoking
• Reduce intake of artificial sugar, such as from artificially sweetened beverages
• Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids

For more on improving insulin sensitivity with dietary changes, read our previous article here.

The bottom line

Insulin resistance is responsible for a number of chronic health complications. Often it can go on undetected for a number of years without causing alarm. When insulin resistance is not detected early enough, it is likely to wreck a person’s health. Fortunately, a number of things can be done to prevent or stop the progression of insulin resistance. If insulin resistance can be prevented we will definitely have millions of people living healthier and more fulfilled lives that are free of disease.

References

1.   NCBI (2005): Dose-response effect of elevated plasma free fatty acid on insulin signaling. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15919784

2.   CDC (2017): New CDC report: More than 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html

3.   NCBI (2005): Dose-response effect of elevated plasma free fatty acid on insulin signaling. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15919784

4.   NCBI (2013): The Role of Gut Microbiota on Insulin Resistance. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705322/

Obesity, Prediabetes, and Diabetes Type 2 are associated with most of the diseases of modern society (cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease). These are all metabolic dysfunctions related to the malnutrition of overconsumption which leads to metabolic inflammation, or metal inflammation. This series of articles provides a recipe on how to make a healthy society, and create metal inflammation, which results in severe chronic disease and requires expensive lifelong treatment.

Whether by coincidence or concerted action, this chronic disease model produces tremendous revenue for the medical-industrial complex, big pharma, big food, and reduces upward mobility. I would even contend that generational metal inflammation is a primary driver of economic disparity and plays a significant role in violence and incarceration rates.

Type 2 Diabetes hits African American populations especially hard.

• African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to develop diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes among African Americans has quadrupled during the past 30 years
• African Americans with diabetes are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to develop greater diabetes-related complications such as amputations, adult blindness, kidney failure, and increased risk of heart disease and stroke due to a delay in diagnosis. Being Prediabetic starts the injury, even before becoming Diabetic five years later.
• Death rates for African Americans with diabetes are 27 percent higher than for non-Hispanic whites.

Metainflammation is the lynchpin for over 80% of human suffering and healthcare expense in the United States. Understanding the common root causes, which appear unrelated on the surface, is the first actionable step in preventing and reversing the disease and restoring health to a community.

Are Obesity, Prediabetes, and Diabetes Type 2 really a significant problem?

Obesity, Prediabetes, and Diabetes are a new phenomenon in the United States. Obesity and Diabetes type 2 in the 1940s was nearly unheard of. In the 1970s only 13% of adults and 5% of children were obese. Today 35% of adults and 17% of children are obese.

Diabetes Obesity disproportionately affects certain racial and ethnic minority groups. By 2035 nearly 100% of African American females will be overweight or obese, which is only 16 years from now.

Nearly 72% of adults in the United States are now overweight or obese. Obesity is a contributing factor to approximately 100,000–400,000 deaths in the United States per year, and directly accounts for 5% to 10% of the national health care expenditure. Obesity is the second leading cause of death and is likely to become the first (Mokdad, Marks, Stroup, & Gerberding, 2004). Statistics predict that 86% of the United States population will be overweight or obese by 2030. It is highly likely that future adults will have shorter life-spans than the current generation (Olshansky et al., 2005). Not only do obese individuals have a shorter life span, but they also have a significantly shorter health span (healthy living before getting a debilitating illness) which reduces their quality of life and worsens economic disparity. They are far more likely to suffer from stroke, breast, and colorectal cancer, osteoarthritis, and depression (Jebb, 2004).

There are 84.1 million Prediabetics in the United States (34% of the population), a condition that if left untreated leads to type 2 diabetes within five years. Less than 11 percent of adults with Prediabetes know they have it.

There are about 30.3 million diabetics in the United States (9% of the population), 23.1 million are diagnosed and 7.2 million are undiagnosed diabetics. Over 95% of all diabetics are type 2 diabetics, which is a disease created by the modern lifestyle. The American Diabetes Association currently estimates the total costs of diagnosed diabetes have risen from $245 billion in 2012 to $327 billion in 2017, a 26% increase over a five-year period. For diagnosed diabetics, the average annual medical expenditure is approximately $16,752 per year:

• hospital inpatient care (30% of the total medical cost)
• prescription medications to treat complications of diabetes (30%)
• anti-diabetic agents and diabetes supplies (15%)
• physician office visits (13%)

Statistics predict that the prevalence of diabetes will increase by 54% to more than 54.9 million Americans between 2015 and 2030; annual deaths attributed to diabetes will climb by 38%, and annual medical and societal costs will increase 53%. By 2050, nearly 1/3 of the United States population is predicted to be diabetic.

So, what exactly is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition in which glucose sugar builds up in your blood. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin (Type 1 Diabetes) or can’t use its own insulin as well as it should (Type 2 Diabetes). Other than the fact that there is too much glucose in the bloodstream, Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes is not the same disease.

The focus of this discussion is Type 2 Diabetes, what causes it and how to reverse it.

Our bodies normally use a combination of carbohydrates (sugars such as glucose), fats, and proteins for energy.  When the body senses that it is going to receive a carbohydrate load, the Beta cells of the pancreas release a hormone called Insulin. Insulin works through specialized receptors and transporters to clear the bloodstream of glucose, and deposit the glucose into the cells. Glucose inside the cells is rapidly converted to energy or stored for later use as glycogen or converted to fat. Insulin specifically triggers a series of enzymes to cause fat storage. Whenever you hear the word insulin, think “fat-storage hormone.”

 

As the fat cells uptake excessive circulating glucose, they overflow their capacity to use glucose for energy and their limited glycogen storage. The cells produce chemical inflammatory signaling compounds that leech into the bloodstream, activating the immune system, contributing to the onset of metal inflammation. The cell also begins to leech out stored fats as triglycerides.

If the cell becomes overwhelmed with glucose and runs out of fat storage capacity, it eventually reaches a critical size and will literally explode. This cell death also causes an inflammatory reaction or metal inflammation.

Extra glucose outside the cells quickly damages the cells by a process of glycation, making cell walls, proteins, and receptors sticky and function poorly. Imagine putting sugar into your car’s gas tank, as the clean gas is burned it would leave a sticky residue in the engine and over time your engine would seize up and all the parts would stop moving.

Insulin resistance due to glycation occurs as the cell receptors can no longer efficiently move and the circulating proteins such as insulin become sticky. We measure this as Hemoglobin A1C, which tells us how much glucose is sticking to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells, the higher the number, the greater the glycation.

It can take up to 12 years for a patient to develop decompensated diabetes until then the fasting blood sugars appear normal, but the patient is in a state of metal inflammation.

Trajectories of glycemia, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion before the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: an analysis from the Whitehall II study. Lancet 2009; 373: 2215–2221.

The body compensates by increasing the production of insulin, even more, to clear out the toxic glucose, which only leads to even more insulin production and worsening insulin resistance, and more fat storage.

Insulin resistance also occurs because of the constant stimulation of biological receptors causes the receptors to down-regulate. These transporters become fatigued if there is too much insulin or the frequency of insulin release becomes too often.

Eventually, the tremendous excessive fat storage and cell structure disruption become so great that the liver and pancreas become congested with fat, and blood flow to the pancreas decreases so insulin production is severely reduced, and the patient now becomes dependent on injected insulin.

Diabetes results in metal inflammation because your body is trying to clean out the sticky residue, or glycated parts.  Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, amputations, and pain. Unfortunately, the most patient does not realize they have diabetes until some significant symptom causes them to seek care, usually pain which is the common pathway of tissue damage in metal inflammation.

What is wrong with the standard of care treatment for diabetes?

Current medical guidelines specifically consider Type 2 Diabetes a chronic and progressive disease, in which the patient has little choice.

http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/myths/

The standard of care usually starts with one drug, then two, then three and sequentially increasing insulin. Most people assume that we are treating their diabetes with medications to make their disease better. It’s simply not true, we are not actually treating the disease. We are treating the symptom of diabetes, the elevated blood sugar; the disease of insulin resistance is getting worse year after year. Diabetes is getting worse, not better. The complications of diabetes track insulin resistance over time, not just the glucose level.

In fact, the American Diabetes Association almost seems to relish in this learned helplessness and dependence on insulin.

“Using insulin to get blood glucose levels to a healthy level is a good thing, not a bad one. For most people, type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. When first diagnosed, many people with type 2 diabetes can keep their blood glucose at a healthy level with a combination of meal planning, physical activity, and taking oral medications. But over time, the body gradually produces less and less of its own insulin, and eventually, oral medications may not be enough to keep blood glucose levels in a healthy range.”

The American Diabetes Association is definitely dependent on insulin, or at least dependent on the companies who manufacture insulin and fund the Association.

Eli Lilly

Novo Nordisk

Sanofi

http://www.diabetes.org/about-us/corporate-support/our-corporate-supporters.html
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While the use of agents, including insulin, to reduce glucose is absolutely necessary for certain circumstances, it does not address the disease of diabetes, which is insulin resistance.

What’s wrong with conventional dietary advice of multiple small meals per day?

Conventional dietary advice suggests that patients should eat 3 meals per day plus snacks, resulting in a feeding frequency of approximately five times per day. This dietary recommendation is baseless in the normal adult population, and inconsistent from an evolutionary perspective.

Hunter-gatherer eating patterns were characterized by intermittent energy intake depending entirely upon food availability and required an extraordinarily high level of physical and mental functional capacity during the extended periods without food. These adaptations allowed for organs to rapidly uptake and store glucose when available, as fat and glycogen storage, and mobilize these reserves as needed as glucose, fatty acid, and ketones in times of need.

Less than 10,000 years ago, converting from a hunter-gatherer eating pattern to an agrarian eating pattern resulted in year-round availability of food and the current three meals per day eating pattern.

The concept of multiple snacks between meals is a modern development, which began in the 1950s and closely tracks with the loss of healthy eating patterns, food overconsumption and the epidemic of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.  In a study conducted by the Agriculture Department and the Department of Health and Human Services on food consumption behavior, the percent of the American population eating three or more snacks a day increased from 11% to 42% between 1977 to 2002. Snacks now constitute more than 27 percent of children’s daily calories.

Adapted from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 1999

In fact, there is no actual data supporting even three meals per day. Breakfast as a meal has only been advocated as the “most important meal of the day” in the media since 1917, and there is no evidence that breakfast consumption promotes weight loss or that skipping breakfast leads to weight gain. In fact, people who eat breakfast consume on average 260 calories/day more than those who skip breakfast and are heavier.

Effect of breakfast on weight and energy intake: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMJ 2019; 364 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l42 (Published 30 January 2019)

Insulin is a fat-storage that clears glucose from the bloodstream (lipogenesis). It is produced by the pancreas in anticipation of a carbohydrate load. Its primary function is to rapidly clear the bloodstream of excessive glucose after a feast, and convert it to long term fat storage for later use in a time of famine. Maintaining elevated levels of insulin, both as in terms of spikes and for a proportionate period of time, causes a continuous shunting of circulating glucose to fat storage. When insulin is decreased, the body automatically shifts to burning fat as a fuel source (lipolysis).

Insulin acts as a growth hormone, preventing the cellular stress responses involved in removing damaged cells and organelles (autophagy). Allowing dysfunctional cells and organelles to accumulate is the hallmark of aging and the common pathway for diabetes, cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease, cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease. When insulin is decreased, autophagy is increased.

Intermittent energy restriction permits a cyclical ebb and flow which maintains insulin receptor sensitivity and minimizes excessive fat storage due to chronically elevated insulin. In other words, eating less frequently exercise your insulin system and prevents insulin resistance. Constantly eating results in lipogenesis and accumulation of cellular debris.

What’s wrong with the conventional dietary advice to consume carbohydrates?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans published by the USDA recommends that carbohydrates make up 45 to 65 percent of total daily calories. Based upon a  2,000 calories/day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbohydrates (225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates a day). The Institute of Medicine also recommends 45 to 65 percent calorie intake as carbohydrates, with at least 130 grams of consumed carbs per day. The American Heart Association recommends that refined sugar should be limited to 6 to 9 teaspoons per day. All of these organizations suggest that there is an absolute requirement of carbohydrate necessary for human function, with the majority of nutrition coming from carbohydrates.

However, the lower limit of carbohydrate consumption is likely zero, there are no essential carbohydrates required for living.  According to the Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids (2005), the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for carbohydrate,  considered to be the average minimum amount of glucose needed by the brain or central nervous system (CNS), is 130 g/day for adults and children.

The CNS comprises less than 2% of total body weight but consumes roughly 20% of the total daily calories.  Historically the brain has been considered the only organ that required glucose as a fuel source, utilizing approximately 100-140 g glucose per day.  However, with keto-adaptation, the CNS reduces the obligatory glucose requirement by approximately 80%, resulting in a true utilization of 20-28 g glucose/d.

Traditional civilizations (Masai, the Greenland, and Alaskan Inuit and Pampas indigenous people) survive on a “minimal amount of carbohydrate for extended periods of time with no apparent effect on health or longevity“.

“In the absence of dietary carbohydrate, de novo synthesis of glucose requires amino acids derived from the hydrolysis of endogenous or dietary protein or glycerol derived from fat. Therefore, the marginal amount of carbohydrate required in the diet in an energy-balanced state is conditional and dependent upon the remaining composition of the diet.”

Endogenous glucose production through gluconeogenesis is approximately 2.8-3.6 g/kg/d, or approximately 210-270 g/d in a 70kg human, far greater than the obligatory requirement of 20-28g glucose/d of the keto-adapted human.

“The lower limit of dietary carbohydrate compatible with life apparently is zero, provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed” (pg. 275). There is no essential need for dietary carbohydrate, provided that “adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed”.

This does not mean that patients should strive to be zero carbohydrates, what it means is that half your calories don’t need to come from carbohydrates.

What’s wrong with the conventional dietary advice to diabetics?

Newly diagnosed diabetics are instructed to eat “multiple” small meals per day to have a steady-state glucose level. This sounds reasonable until you examine what the patient is being recommended to eat.

Diabetics are often instructed to consume more than 50% of their calories as carbohydrates. They are often instructed to consume “healthy” fruits and vegetables, as if “fruits and vegetables” was a single food group. Selective breeding of plants over the last 9,000 years has resulted in fruit that is sweeter, and bigger. Modern fruits are genetically engineered to contain sugars at or above the level of soda.

Patients often think that fruit juices, or “juicing” is healthy. That’s understandable, given that it is natural and has the word “fruit” in it. Fruit juice contains just as much sugar and calories as a sugary soft drink… and sometimes even more. Minute Maid 100 percent apple contains nearly 66 grams of fructose per liter. That’s more than the 62.5 grams per liter in Coca-Cola and the 61 grams per liter in Dr. Pepper. The fructose in fruit comes with fiber, which slows down and reduces the absorption of the sugar in the body, and juicing the fruit removes the fiber. The minimal amount of vitamins and antioxidants in the juice do not make up for a large amount of sugar, and the sugars may actually prevent vitamin absorption.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70013-0

Diabetics are often instructed to use rescue sugars when they feel light-headed. Many diabetic patients automatically consume sugar, but when you actually look at their glucose level, it’s often in the normal ranges. What’s happened is that their brain is insulin resistant. The normal or even high blood sugar can’t get from the bloodstream to the interior of the brain cell. Being lightheaded is the symptom of intracellular hypoglycemia. The temporary fix at that moment is to control the symptom of hypoglycemia by consuming a rapidly absorbed fuel source. The issue is that if you constantly use rescue sugars, the insulin resistance only worsens. The better option is to reduce medications while reducing carbohydrate consumption and consider a fuel source such as ketones as a rescue (ketones do not require insulin to get inside the cell) and excess ketones are rapidly exhaled through your breath.

Type 2 Diabetes is a lifestyle choice that requires conscious decision making, because the default acceptance of the current nutritional recommendations has resulted in a catastrophic failure, disproportionately injuring the urban minority communities.

If you have high insulin levels, blood sugar, Type 2 Diabetes, sugar addiction, or insulin resistance, this is the podcast episode for you! Dr. Padda joins Kristy Jo to discuss how you can beat the weight gain, addictions to sugar, and Type 2 Diabetes to regain a life of health, confidence, and control.

In this episode, you will learn:

1) which dietary approach(es) work best for weight loss.

2) how the body’s glycogen stores play a major role in fat storage with glucose uptake in the cells.

3) the gut’s role in fat storage and what inefficiency vs. efficiency means

4) how to eat sugar and NOT gain weight

5) how to exit ketosis efficiently without regaining weight

6) Dr. Padda’s top tips on reducing insulin (C-peptides) in your body and beginning to reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Dr. Padda treats clinically patients at the intersection of the pain epidemic, opioid epidemic, and the diabetes epidemic. They are all inter-related pathologies, the clinical manifestations of systemic meta-inflammation.

Dr. Padda’s Type 2 Diabetes Website: https://reversingdiabetesmd.com/type-…

Download Dr. Padda’s FREE GUIDE: https://reversingdiabetesmd.com/pdf

The carnivore diet is one of the most controversial diets yet. Its followers, however, are very categorical about the immense benefits it brings to their health and wellbeing. What about it makes it work? This article looks at its key proponents in an attempt to find out why it is effective, where some other diets have failed.

1. What is the Carnivore Diet?

The Carnivore Diet is a restrictive diet that only includes meat, fish, and other animal foods like eggs and certain dairy products. It excludes all other foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.

Its proponents also recommend eliminating or limiting dairy intake to foods that are low in lactose — a sugar found in milk and dairy products — such as butter and hard cheeses.

The Carnivore Diet stems from the controversial belief that human ancestral populations ate mostly meat and fish and that high-carb diets are to blame for today’s high rates of chronic disease. Other popular low-carb diets, like the keto and paleo diets, limit but don’t exclude carb intake. However, the Carnivore Diet aims for zero carbs.

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The carnivore diet has been touted to cure the incurable. Health sites like Meatheals.com, World Carnivore Tribe and ZeroCarb are overflowing with tens of thousands of people who have reversed serious health conditions.

It seems almost too good to be true, right?

We will delve into the reasons why the carnivore diet works so well.

• Why does the carnivore diet work?
  The Carnivore Diet cuts out all added sugar

Sugar is one of the most controversial topics. To sum it up, sugar is bad for you. Here’s why:

• It can glycate and stick to cholesterol particles, which can lead to atherosclerosis
• It’s highly glycemic. Sugar spikes insulin and can lead to insulin resistance over time.
• When metabolized, it produces AGEs which lead to aging, chronic disease, and diabetes
• Glucose is oxidatively stressful, causes inflammation and can produce reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress plays a role in almost every disease

In a study conducted, it was found that from consuming just 40 grams of added sugar, people had an increase in inflammation, insulin resistance and weight gain.

Glucose is also speculated to feed tumor growth. The Warburg Effect explains that cancer cells depend on glucose to grow. Very unlike normal cells, cancer cells cannot use Ketones.

While glucose is considered to be bad, fructose is considered to be even worse as it goes directly to the liver where it’s converted to fat. It is twenty times more likely to cause fatty liver than glucose alone. A fatty liver can lead directly to insulin resistance.

2. The Carnivore Diet can cure leaky gut

Leaky gut is a condition when the tight junctions of the small intestine open and allow proteins and toxins into the bloodstream. So far, the carnivore diet has been one of the few clinically shown ways to reverse intestinal permeability and the attendant consequences.

How does the carnivore diet cure leaky gut? Three main ways:

• It reduces inflammation, which reverses gut microbiome imbalances
• It is the most nutrient-rich diet on earth, which heals the gut.
• It removes foods that pry the tight junctions in the small intestine open like Lectins and Gluten

3. The Carnivore Diet eliminates refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are converted to glucose in your body (sugar). Here are some of the negative effects of consuming refined carbs:

• Because all the fiber has been removed, refined carbs are digested very rapidly and cause major blood sugar spikes. This can lead to insulin resistance over time, especially when consumed with fat.
• Refined carbohydrates also damage the gut. Sugar and carbohydrates are fermented by the gut and colon which can exacerbate GI issues and lead to leaky gut. This is why a well-established treatment for IBS, recommends low carbohydrates to starve your bacteria.
• Over time, refined carbohydrate consumption has been linked to inflammation and obesity.
• Refined carbohydrates also increase blood triglyceride levels, which is a risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease. Fat hanging out in your bloodstream is a sign that something is seriously off.

Eating refined carbs such as pasta is no different than eating straight sugar. Seven ounces of cooked spaghetti has the same amount of sugar as 4 12 oz cans of Pepsi.

4. The Carnivore Diet cuts out most carbohydrates

Carbohydrates range from simple sugars to complex carbohydrates. But even unrefined carbohydrates can be bad for you. Many forms of starch, for example, raise blood sugar as much as eating glucose.

Below are some reasons why cutting out all carbohydrates may be beneficial (yes, even the “healthy ones”):

• High carbohydrate diets can lead to insulin resistance, especially if combined with fat
• Many whole grains are loaded with anti-nutrients, like lectins
• Carbohydrateshalt fat burning because of the insulin response. The more carbohydrates you eat the less body fat you burn.
• Getting to < 50g a day allows you to burn fat and enter ketosis. Ketosis has a number of health benefits.
• All carbohydrates break down into glucose, which can produce some of the negative effects mentioned above: AGEs, glycated LDL particles, insulin resistance, etc.
• Carbohydrates and fiber are fermented by the gut, which can exacerbate gut issues like IBS

5. The Carnivore Diet is very effective in reducing insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is related to almost every chronic disease. Though it might not cause all the conditions, its presence exacerbates them. Some of these conditions are: Heart disease, 62% higher cancer mortality,160% higher gastrointestinal cancer mortality, Prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Aging, Inflammation: Elevated CRP and IL-6, Acne

The good news is that you can reverse insulin resistance. The carnivore diet is the most effective way to reverse insulin resistance in the following ways….

• Cutting out the highly glycemic carbohydrates powers your body off of ketones and increases insulin sensitivity
• Cutting out fructose increases insulin sensitivity
• Certain plant antinutrients like lectins can bind to insulin receptors and make you more insulin resistant
• Vegetable oils cause insulin resistance
• Protein is satiating and high protein diets burn body fat, which reduces insulin resistance
• People generally intermittent fast on the carnivore diet, which increases insulin sensitivity

If you want to live longer, you need to lower fasting insulin levels.

6. Carnivore Diet Increases Natural Saturated Fat Consumption

Despite the prevailing dogma, saturated fats are associated with longevity.

Saturated fats are highly beneficial to health. Your body cannot function without them. Diets high in natural saturated fats are associated with longevity. Hong Kong, for example, consumes more meat per capita than any other nation in the world, but they actually have the world’s longest life expectancy at 84.5 years.

Studies continue to debunk the myth that saturated fat causes heart disease. A review from 2014 looking at 76 studies, found no link at all between saturated fat and heart disease

6. Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting isn’t a pivotal part of the carnivore diet. Nor is it prescribed. But people naturally tend to find themselves eating in a shorter window, which brings tremendous health benefits.

Intermittent fasting is restricting your feeding to a windowless than or equal to 8 hours. This is a direct contradiction to what many American’s do today.

Fasting is extremely beneficial. It has been shown to:

• Reduce inflammation
• Increase insulin sensitivity
• Promotes fat loss
• Increases cognition, memory, and focus
• Increases autophagy, the natural cellular cleansing process
• Increases BDNF, which upregulates neuronal creation and maintenance
• Improves immune system
• Starves bad gut bacteria
• Can improve autoimmune symptoms like RA and Crohns

7. The Carnivore Diet gets you into ketosis

Your body can use two types of fuels: glucose (from carbs) and ketones (from fat).

Everybody on the carnivore diet is in ketosis to some extent. When you stop fueling your brain and body with glucose, fat needs to take its place.

Here are some major benefits of going into ketosis:

1. Upregulates FOXO genes which regulate oxidative stress, insulin sensitivity, and influence longevity.
2. Ketones improve mood and have antidepressant-like effects
3. BHB reduces oxidative stress in the brain and may be beneficial in preventing neurodegenerative disease
4. BHB lowers inflammation and blocks NLPR3 inflammasome
5. Increases endogenous antioxidant production
6. Ketones improve insulin sensitivity
7. Increased fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass and performance
8. Ketones can slow tumor growth by starving them of their preferred fuel, glucose, and lowering IGF-18. The Carnivore Diet is Simple

In the complexity of life, food doesn’t need to be complicated. The carnivore diet involves just eating meat, meat, and more meat. This makes it easier to stick to as there are no meal plans and measurements.

3. The Carnivore diet works…

If you have tried everything to help you keep in shape and manage chronic conditions you might have, maybe it’s time you tried the carnivore diet. Its basic mechanisms make sense and are likely to cause some positive effects in your state.

However, if you have a chronic disease, like diabetes or heart disease, talk to your doctor before trying an extreme diet like this one. Do not follow the carnivore diet if you have any level of kidney disease.

References

1. Healthline (2019): All You Need to Know About the Carnivore (All-Meat) Diet. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/carnivore-diet

2. Every day Health (2018):On the Carnivore Diet, People Are Eating Only Meat: Here’s What to Know. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/carnivore-diet-benefits-risks-food-list-more/

3. Carnivore Aurelius (2019): 16 Reasons why the Carnivore Diet Works. Retrieved from https://carnivoreaurelius.com/carnivore-diet/

The diabetes state of affairs has taken the world by storm. With easy to access processed foods and a sedentary lifestyle, obesity has become all too common. As in many chronic diseases, people are always looking for a cure. Though many diabetics are often under treatment, it is well understood that conventional medicine only manages the diabetic condition but does not offer any hope for reversal or a cure. Is the carnivore diet the missing piece in this puzzle?  How can adapting the carnivore diet start reversing the effects of this disease? In this article, we will look at the possibilities of these statements and shed some light on how the carnivore diet can actually help.

1. What about the carnivore diet that would make it ideal for reversing Type 2 Diabetes?

The carnivore diet is very effective in achieving two common aims of diabetes control, lowering blood glucose levels and reducing weight.

The all-meat diet, also known as the carnivore diet, is exactly what its name suggests: a diet that consists of 100% of meat. Think of the keto diet without any salads or low carb vegetables.

The carnivore diet has been claimed to have a variety of benefits including:

• lower blood pressure
• improved insulin sensitivity
• reduced dependency on medication
• reduction in weight
• improvements in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, without adding to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol
• a drop in insulin

Proponents of the diet tout its ability to aid in weight loss, cure autoimmune diseases, decrease digestive issues, and improve heart health.

The idea with this diet is to stay away from carbohydrate-rich foods that could spike insulin levels. Typically, carbohydrates are totally eliminated from a carnivore diet.

The carnivore diet should consist of the following types of food:

• Meats: Fatty meats are acceptable, but should be eaten in moderation to be mindful of heart health. Also, be mindful of consuming too much protein. Combining a high level of protein with low levels of carbohydrates may cause the liver to convert the protein into glucose. This would raise blood sugar levels.
• Eggs: Eggs are low in carbohydrates, as well as being an excellent source of protein.
• Fish: This is a good source of protein.
• Poultry: Also a good source of protein
• Organ parts: Apart from giving nutrition, they also have nutrients important for the body
• Cheese: Not everyone on a carnivore diet takes cheese but it can be included.

There has been anecdotal evidence that people with diabetes have been able to stabilize their blood sugar using this diet. From a biochemistry standpoint, if you’re eating only meat, you’re largely not taking in glucose, so your blood glucose levels are likely to be the table.

2. What are the effects of Carbohydrates on a diabetic?

Foods containing carbohydrates, such as bread, rice, pasta, milk, and fruit, are the main fuel source for many bodily processes. The body uses insulin to help bring glucose from the blood into the cells for energy.

Type 2 Diabetes is a disease of insulin resistance, people suffering from this condition produce too much insulin and their receptors don’t work. This disrupts the body’s ability to use carbohydrates effectively and, in turn, causes high blood sugar levels.

When a person with Type 2 Diabetes eats a high-carb meal, this can lead to a spike in blood glucose.

Because the carnivore diet totally eliminates carbohydrates, glucose spikes are avoided. In fact, the body starts using the stored up fat for energy. This leads to weight loss and stable sugars.

In a nutshell, the carnivore diet might:

• reduce the risk of diabetes in people who do not yet have it
• improve glycemic control in people with diabetes
• help people to lose excess weight

3. What impact would the carnivore diet have on a diabetics’ medication?

The carnivore diet may help reduce blood sugar levels. As such, some people with type 2 diabetes who start this diet may be able to reduce their need for medication. One should have their blood glucose levels constantly monitored so as to adjust medication accordingly.

Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels fall to 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or less.

4. What is the impact of a carnivore diet on weight loss?

People on a carnivore diet tend to lose weight because:

• They totally eliminate carbohydrates and sugar, which are converted to fat very readily.
• Their bodies start burning fat for energy. Naturally, this leads to reduced weight.

Diabetes has been linked to obesity and one of the factors that help in the prevention and management of this disease is keeping one’s weight within their BMI. As such, this aspect of the carnivore diet can go a long way in managing, and even reversing Type 2 Diabetes.

Does the Carnivore dirt have side effects?

The Carnivore diet may be a viable glucose management option for some people with type 2 diabetes. However, as it involves switching to a different source of energy, it can lead to some adverse effects.

Short-term side effects

The dietary change might cause symptoms that resemble withdrawal from a substance, such as caffeine.

These symptoms may include:

• keto-flu, a short-term group of symptoms that resemble those of flu
• noticeable changes in bowel habits, such as a running stomach
• uncomfortable leg cramps
• a noticeable loss of energy
• mental fogginess
• frequent urination
• headaches
• loss of salts

In most instances, the side effects are temporary. People often experience no long-term health problems.

5. Are there any long-term side effects?

Measuring blood sugar looks at the short-term, immediate effect of food. But over time, eating a diet of mostly or only meat can have long-term health consequences.

Long-term effects might include the development of kidney stones and an increased risk of bone fractures due to acidosis.

Other complications include the risk of dyslipidemia and a possible increase in hypoglycemic episodes.

Some animal studies have suggested that, since a low-carb diet often involves additional fat, there might be a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), due to a buildup of fats in the arteries. People with diabetes already have an increased risk of CVD.

There is a lack of evidence about the long-term safety and effectiveness of the carnivore diet, and researchers have called for more primary studies and more evidence before recommending this diet.

6. Are there alternatives to this diet?

A doctor may recommend a specific meal plan rather than suggesting a diet. The carnivore diet is one of many eating plans that might help people manage their weight.

However, a majority of health professionals do not recommend the carnivore diet for managing diabetes. There are many other nutrient-dense diets available that aim to balance carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake, control body weight, and keep blood sugar within a healthful range.

7. What are the Criticisms of this diet?

Critics of the carnivore diet focus on the adverse effects, including the possibility of kidney damage, CVD, and hypoglycemic episodes.

Maintaining this type of diet can also be difficult on a long-term basis, as it is highly restrictive.

This may lead to weight gain later on, particularly if an individual starts to eat unbalanced levels of carbohydrates once they switch back to a regular diet.

Critics also note that there is no evidence to support the long-term benefits of the carnivore diet.

8. So, is it advisable for a diabetic to go on a carnivore diet?

Unlike the other diets, the carnivore diet is easy to track and maintain because it involves eating all kinds of meat in any quantities. It is thus easier to follow and much harder to fall off the wagon than being on diets such as the keto diet and others that need careful monitoring and measuring in some.

Much remains to be discovered about how this way of eating impacts our health, but it’s certainly worth a try if you’re struggling with autoimmune diseases, obesity, diabetes or psychiatric issues. Going on a carnivore diet as a short-term experiment is reasonable and safe, albeit socially challenging.

Therefore, at this point in time, without scientific studies to back the safety of this diet, and without substantial anecdotal evidence about long-term success, there isn’t really any way to say for certain if the all-meat diet is good for people with diabetes. One thing it won’t do, however, raises blood sugar levels. And that’s a good thing!

References:

1. A sweet life (2018): Is the All Meat Diet Good for People With Diabetes? Retrieved from https://asweetlife.org/is-the-all-meat-diet-good-for-people-with-diabetes/

2. Nutrita (2019): The ultimate guide to the carnivore diet. Retrieved from https://nutrita.app/guide-to-the-carnivore-diet/

3. Healthline (2019): All Meat, All the Time: Should People with Diabetes Try the Carnivore Diet? Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/carnivore-diet-for-diabetes#1

4. NCBI (2017): Effects of Ketogenic Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Evidence from Animal and Human Studies. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/

About 30 million people in the US have diabetes, of these; about one 8 million don’t know that they have it. Early diagnosis of diabetes can help in the treatment and possibly reversal of diabetes. But what is diabetes reversal?

Diabetes reversal is similar to long-term diabetes remission. As much as it is not a definite cure for diabetes, it means that a person with diabetes type 2 can have normal blood sugar levels for a number of years without having to take any diabetic medication. This can be achieved through a number of factors which we shall discuss below. Before getting there, let’s shed some light on type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes type 2 Reversal

Diabetes type two used to be a disease of the elderly. But with the adoption of a modern lifestyle, even young children are being plagued by this debilitating disease. Genetics and ethnicity play a role in the acquisition of diabetes type two, but diet and lifestyle factors are great contributors as well. And by controlling the later, a person predisposed to the disease can be able to avoid it in some cases.

Diabetes type 2 occurs due to the gradual build-up of insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that removes sugar from the bloodstream and stores it in cells. Over time, a person becomes less sensitive to the effects of insulin leading to a buildup of sugar in the blood. Beta cells are further stimulated to produce more and more insulin until eventually they are exhausted and depleted.

Reversal of diabetes type 2 targets the restoration of insulin sensitivity and in some cases the regeneration of beta cells. This means that a person with reversed diabetes should be able to maintain normal blood sugar levels without the use of diabetes medication. Research has shown that weight loss is one of the most effective approaches to achieving diabetes reversal.

Here are four ways to achieve healthy weight loss and diabetes reversal:

1.    Very Low-Calorie Diet

Several studies have looked at the effects of a very low-calorie diet on diabetes. In one study, two people followed a mostly liquid diet of 625-850 calories a day for 2-5 months, followed by a less restricted diet designed to help them keep off the weight they lost. Results showed that a low-calorie diet helps to reduce weight and improve insulin sensitivity. In another study, seven obese patients with type 2 diabetes were put on a very low-calorie diet of 900kcal and 115g of protein. This led to significant improvement in blood sugar control that was mainly attributed to improvements in insulin sensitivity.

Note that these types of diets are extreme. You have to work with a professional who will assess your fitness for undertaking such a drastic approach. Most people who have had success in reversing diabetes with this approach are those who have not had diabetes or a long time. This makes it important to start the weight loss journey as soon as possible after you’re diagnosed.

2.    Exercise

Regular exercise is another way of improving diabetes, but this has to be combined with diet and other measures in order to achieve diabetes reversal. Exercise needs commitment and dedication in order to bear fruits.

Regular exercise is associated with decreased demand for insulin as well as increased sensitivity to insulin. A 2015 study published showed that 67% of participants were able to achieve partial remission by taking part in a 6-months diet and exercise regimen. All the study participants were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

3.    Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery helps one achieve weight loss by reducing their food intake. This, in the long run, has helped diabetes type 2 patients achieve reversal.

A 2010 study showed that bariatric surgery can help in diabetes reversal. Another 2013 study reported that 24% of participants with type 2 diabetes achieved remission six years after receiving gastric bypass surgery. The study concluded that:

“Bariatric surgery can induce a significant and sustainable remission and improvement of T2DM and other metabolic risk factors in severely obese patients. Surgical intervention within 5 years of diagnosis is associated with a high rate of long-term remission.”

Bariatric surgery is suitable only when your BMI is 35 or higher. It works best for people who’ve had diabetes for less than 5 years and they are not on insulin.

For newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics who are obese, this can be a suitable option to help them reverse diabetes.

4.    Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent means going without any food or drink with calories for a given amount of time. For example, you can restrict your eating to eight hours each day and you starve for the remaining sixteen hours. Caution: you need to consult with your doctor before embarking on a fast, even if it’s partial and for medical reasons.

A small study looked at three men between the ages of 40 and 67 who tried intermittent fasting for approximately 10 months. All were able to stop insulin treatment within a month of the study period. According to the author of the study Jason Fung, this study showed that intermittent fasting could be effective in reversing type 2 diabetes.

However, this result can only be used as anecdotal. Larger clinical trials need to be conducted to determine the clear effectiveness of this approach.

What Doesn’t Work?

There is a lot of hype when it comes to diabetes reversal. Shrewd businessmen have tried to exploit vulnerable patients by selling magic pills that they purport to cure for diabetes. They come in all forms of preparations such as:

• Over-the-counter pills
• Herbs
• Supplements
• Alternative medicines
• Homeopathic products
• Prescription drugs

If you or a loved one is living with type 2 diabetes it is important that you consult with your healthcare provider before embarking on any diabetes reversal program. As much as diabetes reversal is achievable, you need to be wary of greedy scammers eager to make a dishonest buck.

References

1. Healthline: Type 2 Diabetes Statistics and Facts. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/statistics#1
2. NCBI (2019): Reversing Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review of the Evidence. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520897/
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Flour is hard to avoid during meal times. Breakfast options mainly consist of toast, bagels, cereal, and pancakes. A convenient lunch is sandwiches, wraps, pasta or pizza. Dinner might come with its own temptations too. As a result, the average American now eats 10 servings of refined grains each day. What effect do these refined grains have on your health? Do consuming refined grains predispose you to Type 2 Diabetes? In this article, we will have a look at factors that could put you at risk.

1. What Is the Difference Between Whole Grains and Refined Grains?

While whole grains are very high in dietary fiber, refined grains are much lower in fiber and micronutrients.

Whole grains consist of three main parts:

1. Bran: The hard outer layer, containing fiber, minerals and
2. Germ: The nutrient-rich core, containing carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant compounds.
3. Endosperm: The middle layer, containing mostly carbs and small amounts of protein.

The bran and germ are the most nutritious parts of whole grains. They contain high amounts of many nutrients, such as fiber, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and selenium.

During the refining process, the bran and germ are removed, along with all the nutrients they contain. Removing the nutrients from the grain has implications. On the upside, it makes things like bread doughy and spongy — textures we like and have come to crave. On the downside, the nutritional value of the food is severely compromised, and these striped grain products actually deplete our body’s reserves of important vitamins and minerals.

The nutrient content of refined flour is determined by the ‘extraction rate’ (the proportion of the grain retained after milling). Refined flour produced in Australia is milled to an extraction rate of 78-80% resulting in higher nutrient content (prior to fortification) than flour produced in countries using a lower extraction rate (e.g. 73-75% in the USA).

This leaves almost no fiber, vitamins or minerals in the refined grains. What’s left is rapidly digested starch with small amounts of protein.

2. What are the effects of consuming refined grains on our health?

• Blood sugar spikes: Because flour is easily digestible, it causes our blood sugar to spike, which could lead to a rise in insulin. The pancreas has to crank out a lot of insulin to metabolize the glucose in flour-rich foods, which can set the body up for insulin resistance, diabetes, and bodywide inflammation.Refined grains have a higher glycemic index, which is how quickly the body turns food into fuel or glucose.  A carbohydrate in wheat, called amylopectin A, is more easily converted to blood sugar than most other carbohydrates. Two slices of bread made with whole-wheat flour could raise blood sugar higher than six teaspoons of table sugar and higher than many candy bars.

• Overeating and Obesity: Obesity is the leading factor in Insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Eating too many refined carbs may be one of the main culprits. As they are low in fiber and digested quickly, eating refined carbs can cause major swings in blood sugar levels. This can contribute to overeating.
• As we have discussed above, foods high on the glycemic index promote short-term fullness, lasting about one hour. On the other hand, foods that are low on the glycemic index promote a sustained feeling of fullness, which lasts about two to three Blood sugar levels drop about an hour or two after eating a meal high in refined carbs. This promotes hunger and stimulates parts of the brain associated with reward and craving.
• These signals make you crave more food, and are known to cause overeating. This constant eating leads to obesity, a pre-diabetic state, and eventual diabetes.
• Slower Metabolism: Research shows that the body may shift nutrients into fat storage and away from muscle burning in the presence of high-glycemic-index foods. In 2004, Ludwig and his colleagues at Harvard conducted a study, published in the journal Lancet, in which they fed rats diets with identical nutrients, except for the type of starch. By the end of the study, rats in both groups weighed roughly the same, but those eating a high-glycemic diet had 71 percent more fat than the low-glycemic-index group.
• Inflammation: A diet high in grains stokes inflammation. When blood sugar spikes, glucose builds up in the blood. When glucose drifts in the blood, it could attach itself to nearby proteins. The result is a chemical reaction called glycation, a pro-inflammatory process that plays a role in a host of inflammatory diseases — everything from Type 2 diabetes to arthritis to heart disease.
• GI Disorders: Studies show that the lectins in grains inflame the lining of the gut and create fissures between cells. Also, when whole-kernel grains are refined, 80 percent of the fiber is lost, and gut health suffers. Without the fiber, you end up with rapid-release carbs in these grains, which is a bad thing for the gut. Fiber helps sweep the gut of debris and supports the body’s critically important elimination and detoxification processes, which also play a role in keeping high cholesterol and inflammation at bay.
• Food Allergies/Intolerances: Wheat, in particular, is one of the biggest dietary triggers of food allergies and intolerances. While the exact reason is unclear, many experts blame the higher gluten content of modern wheat varieties. A type of protein found in many grains, including wheat, gluten gives dough elasticity, trapping air bubbles and creating a soft texture. Because soft is considered desirable, wheat today is bred to have more gluten than ever before.
• Acid-Alkaline Imbalance: The body has an elaborate system of checks and balances to keep its pH level at a steady 7.4. A diet high in acidic foods, such as grains, forces the body to pull calcium from the bones to keep things on an even keel. When researchers looked at how the diets of more than 500 women affected their bone density, they found that a diet high in refined grains, among other nutrient-poor foods, was linked to bone loss. A highly acidic diet also chips away at our cellular vitality and immunity in ways that can make us vulnerable to chronic disease. Grains are the only plant foods that generate acidic byproducts. Wheat, in particular, is among the most potent sources of sulfuric acid, a powerful substance that quickly overcomes the neutralizing effects of alkaline bases.

3. How can we have grains in their most healthy form?

Whole grains deliver fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, plant enzymes and hundreds of phytochemicals. For those seeking a dense source of carbohydrate energy, they can be a healthy choice — but only if they are unrefined and minimally processed. Here are a few steps toward upgrading your own grain options:

• Choose whole-kernel grains when possible.
• Try sprouted grains.
• While baking, replace part of the flour with nut or seed meals.
• Stick with truly whole-grain flours.
• Don’t overdose on gluten-free foods.
• Try going flour-free.
• Consider a grain sabbatical.

4. Are refined grains a culprit in Insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes?

When ground into flours, most grains act like sugar in the body, triggering weight gain, inflammation, and blood-sugar imbalances. Studies show that high consumption of refined carbs is linked with insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels. These are some of the main symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Refined carbs also increase blood triglyceride levels. This is a risk factor for both heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It is therefore advisable to keep our refined grain consumption at a minimum and if we do indulge, check that what we are having is fortified.

References

1. Grains & legumes Nutrition Council (2019): Refined grains. Retrieved from https://www.glnc.org.au/grains/grains-and-nutrition/refined-grains/

2. NCBI (2002): Effect of whole grains on insulin sensitivity in overweight hyperinsulinemic adults. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11976158

3. Popsugar (2019): 4 Reasons to Eat Whole Grains Instead of Refined. Retrieved from https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Why-You-Should-Eat-Whole-Grains-Instead-Refined-18361716

4. Healthline (2017): Why Refined Carbs Are Bad For You. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-refined-carbs-are-bad

5. Experience Life (2019): The Truth about Refined Grains. Retrieved from https://experiencelife.com/article/the-truth-about-refined-grains/