T2D familial
My observations are that T2D is both famlial and genetic. I've had several heated discussions with several of my doctors regarding this topic. As soon as I say that for the most part, diabetes is neither food caused nor food cured, we get into an argument. How could it be otherwise? My wife has dementia, and as a result I do all the cooking, shopping and cleaning. We are the same age and eat the same foods in roughly the same amounts. She is sedentary, guzzles orange juice and is a chocoholic, whereas I drink relatively little juice, only an occasional chocolate, and swim and walk for exercise. I sleep well, still work part time and remain active. Yet her fasting glucose is about 110, whereas mine is 160-180. My younger brother and my dad were both T2D, and none of her family is, including her obese 300 lb younger sister. Am I missing something???
Hi
. We are not medical experts, but I would have to agree with you. Dietary changes are not a cure. They are a treatment that can lead to remission. Food doesn't cause diabetes, but being overweight can lead to an earlier onset of Type 2 diabetes for those who are predisposed since excess fat contributes to insulin resistance. When people who suffer from insulin resistance lose weight, they improve the function of those blood cells, but they will be in the same situation again if they gain the weight again. Overloading on carbs doesn't cause diabetes, but people who produce less insulin can't process all those carbs well. The carbs remain in the blood stream, causing high glucose levels that can take a while to come down. A healthy person with a fully functioning pancreas and no insulin resistance can eat a tray of fudge with no lasting problems while that same fudge could be life-threating to a diabetic. The idea behind dietary changes is to match the glucose intake level with the amount of glucose your body can handle. Eventually, you might progress to a point where dietary changes and weight loss are not enough. You just can't produce enough insulin and you need the help of medication. It sounds like some of your doctors might not have a deeper understanding of diabetes. Do you see your primary care doctor for treatment or an endocrinologist? - Lori (Team Member)
