Diabetes Mellitus
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Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is the name for a cluster of metabolic diseases, characterised by elevated blood sugar levels and an altered energy metabolism, caused by an impaired insuline excretion, insulin function or a combination of both. We can distinguish between diabetes type 1 and type 2. With type 1, the pancreas loses its ability to synthesise insulin, in type 2, insulin is in fact produced, but the body cells are getting insensitive to it. This is called insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes is also refered to as non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus, or NIDDM (1). This also leads to a state of hyperinsulinemia (abnormally high values of plasma insulin). Type 1 is more prevalent in younger populations (ages < 20) and type 2 is more prevalent amongst older people. However, diabetes type 2 is getting more and more prevalent among younger people as well nowadays. The likely cause for this is the increased consumption of food products rich in sugar from early years on.
The name 'diabetes mellitus' derives from the Greek word "diabètès" (dia = through), bainoo = to go) and the Latin "mellitus", which means "honey sweet", so DM literally means something like "sweet flowing through " or "sweet urine
Diabetes type I
Diabetes type II
Main characteristic: deprived insulin synthesis, hereditary Main characteristic: insulin resistance 5-10% of all diagnoses 90-95% of all diagnoses IDDM = Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus NIDDM=Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
injection of insulin is needed sometimes insulin is required Occurs at the mean age of 12 Occurs between 10-19 yrs and 40 > In 2002 over 6% of the American population had some form of diabetes (2). Right now, some 400.000 people in the Netherlads already have diabetes type 2. That's 2.5% of the total population. Obese people have higher risk of getting diabetes (3), because their insulin resistance is growing. This is a vicious cycle, becausethis makes blood sugarlevels stay high on a prolonged basis. The abundance of glucose is stored as body fat.
By eliminating the abundance of glucose, blood sugar levels as well as insulin levels are being normalized. This can a.o. be achieved if the excessive amount of (often empty) carbohydrates in the diet are drastically eliminated. The Optimal Diet has already in thousands of cases partially or totally cured both types of diabetes. When in Silesia, Poland, this diet was impelemented, the insulin sales dropped by 2/3...
Also an Atkins-like lifestyle can greatly ameliorate the sufferer of diabetes, because the glucose problem is eliminated by the nature of the diet.
The complications involved in diabetes are diverse:
Arterial narrowing, deterioration of capillaries, the nerve system -possibly causing impotency- and deterioration of several kinds of tissues in the body. Retinopathie can eventually result in poor eyesight or blindness and it is estimated that 1 out of 15 diabetics is facing foot amputation in the future! This does not at all have to happen by a few relatively simple life style changes...(4)
Also check "Obesity" on some more mechanisms involved in diabetes.
Stevia: a smart alternative
People suffering from diabetes or hyperglycemia should be aware of the amount of sugar or sugar donating foods they consume. Known alternatives are artificial sweeteners or...nothing. Honey may seem to be a safe and sound alternative, but its composition is actually exactly the same as sugar's: both consist of the disaccaride of fructose and glucose.
In fact, their GI's don't differ that much: average honey has a GI ranking 55 ± 5 and sugar has an average GI of 68 ± 5. Generally, a GI is 70 or more is high, a GI of 56 to 69 inclusive is medium, and a GI of 55 or less is low. (http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm)
Following list comes from www.nutritiondata.com and shows some GI / GL values for common foods:
Trials investigating the safety of aspartame, acesulfame-K, cyclamate and alike artificial sweeteners often contradict each other. A possible smart alternative may be stevia, which is a relatively unknown, though 100% natural sweetener from the Stevia Rebaudiana from Latin American countries.
A short introduction:
Stevia originates from Paraguay. The Guarani Indians used of it date back to 1500 years in time, to sweeten their foods and teas. One leaf has the sweetening potential 30 to 45 times that of sugar or saccharose. The stevioside extracted from the Stevia plant is even 200-300 times as powerful a sweetener as is sugar. Stevioside is the main component in Stevia that determines it's sweetness.
Stevioside
Stevia and stevioside have been used in many countries for many years, a.o. in Japan (over25 years), South Korea, Paraguay, China and also in the USA, where it is now tolerated as a dietary supplement.
Dietician Janet de Jong from Joure, The Netherlands has done an extensive literature search in 2000 for stevia. She claims that in Japan stevia has been extensively studied and tested before put into public use:
"The Japanese found no abnormalities with test animals after treatment with stevia or stevioside. Japan is the greatest consumer of stevia and related products in the world for over twenty years now. Millions of Japanese and Brasilian consumers use stevia as their natural sweetener. Even Coca Cola has applicated stevia extracts as a sweetener in their products in the Asian market. No side effects are known. Neither from the Guarani Indians, who have been using it since ages.
Moreover, a lot of research in fact emphasises the beneficial properties of stevia. This has already given stevia the status of being the "food medicine of the future". Stevia seemingly helps in conditions of diabetes and hypoglycemia. De Jong: "Stevia stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin and lowers the blood sugar levels to normal". The Brasilians even officially use it in their treatment of diabetes." Stevia also apparently lowers blood pressure and elevates the excretion of sodium and urine. Because it is a low caloric substance, it seems suitable for overweight people. It can also play a role in preventing tooth decay, as a Hirosjima trial pointed out. As it turns out, stevia, in contrast to sugar, appears to facilitate no possibility for oral bacteria to grow, which causes dental plaques."
(www.gezondheidsnieuws.nl)
Conclusively, Stevia bears the following properties:
· 100% natural, non-synthetical
· no calories
· little required
· non-toxic
· thermostabile to 200 degrees Celsius ( 392 0 Fahrenheit)
· no after taste or bitterness (some people DO experience this)
· non fermentable
(http://www.kuleuven.be/bio/biofys/ESC/English/ESC.htm)
To order stevia in the US: please see www.stevia.net for additional info and ordering
To order stevia in the Netherlands: pleasae see www.yourownchoice.nl and check the store.
Sources:
"Understanding normal and clinical nutrition", Whitney, E.N. et al, 6e editie 2002, Wadsworth.
Engelgau MM et al:"The evolving diabetes burden in the United States", Ann Intern Med. 2004 Jun 1;140(11):945-50.
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