Sugar and Diabetes
Ever wondered what causes diabetes?
Is it sugar? Or, excess sugar, to be precise?
Will eating more sugar at the age of 23 make me a diabetic?
What is diabetes?
Diabetes means PERSISTENTLY raised blood sugar level.
Increased blood sugar level on a particular occasion, DOES NOT MAKE YOU A DIABETIC.
When does diabetes occur?
Your body produces a hormone called insulin — in response to the variation in blood sugar levels.
The more the blood sugar level, the higher the production of insulin.
Diabetes occurs when your body fails to produce insulin in an amount required by the body.
When the proportion of insulin fails to change with the sugar level, you CAN have diabetes.
When can insulin production get faulty?
Insulin is produced by a group of cells in the pancreas. Like every other thing in the world, these cells have a limited capacity to produce insulin.
So, after a certain age, these cells get exhausted while producing insulin.
Hence there is inappropriate insulin secretions after a certain age.
Has diabetes anything to do with age?
Diabetes is of two types:
type 1 (genetic type); and
type 2 (most commonly seen).
Type 1 occurs when the cells in pancreas are GENETICALLY UNABLE TO PRODUCE INSULIN SINCE BIRTH. So, this type generally is seen in children.
Type 2, the commonest type, occurs when the pancreas cells get tired of producing insulin. So, the more sugar you eat since childhood, the faster your cells can get exhausted. Thus, even with uncontrolled sugar eating since a tender age, diabetes can occur at an earlier age.
Can faulty eating habits predispose you to diabetes?
YES. Faulty eating habits, when since childhood, can predispose you to diabetes, earlier.
Eating extra sugar once in a while is not harmful. But on a daily basis, it does pose a harm to your body — in the long run.
How is diabetes diagnosed?
- Fasting blood sugar (FBS) : >126 mg/dl (With 12 hours of fasting)
- Post meals blood sugar (PP2BS) : >200 mg/dl (2 hours after meals)
- Random blood sugar (RBS) : >200 mg/dl (At any time of the day)
Can regular exercise reverse the damage done by a bad diet?
YOU CAN NEVER OUT-EXERCISE A BAD DIET.
Regular exercise can decrease the harm done by a bad diet. But, it cannot undo the damage done.
Why has diabetes started affecting middle aged population, as opposed to the old people?
Again, I would blame faulty eating habits.
Earlier, it was believed that diabetes was a disease of the aged people. But today, at 50, you could be a diabetic. Why so?
As I said before, eating more sugar since an early age, can make diabetes come chasing you, earlier.
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