Fw: [t] Digest Number 1426

[Guest guest]

Diabetes Prevention: What you should know is what the ADA isn't

> teaching

>

> Vtla Kaliseji -

> Native American Diabetes Resources

> Diabetes Prevention: Native Roots Article

> http://vltakaliseji.tripod.com/Vtlakaliseji/id21.html

>

>

> Diabetes Prevention: What you should know is what the ADA

> isn't teaching

>

> Reprinted from Nativetimes.com. I will reprint both parts when

> both are available.

>

> " Diabetes is one of the easiest of 'incurable' diseases to

> cure, and even easier to prevent. " Udo Erasmus

>

> By Liz Gray

>

> [Caution: It is not recommended that the readers follow the

> guidelines in this article without supervision of a healthcare

> practitioner. The guidelines in this article will lower the

> sugar level in the bloodstream, therefore a doctor should

> balance the insulin intake as sugar levels change.]

>

> , who is half Creek and half Hopi, came back from the

> clinic with bad news, his blood sugar level was over 200, more

> than what it should be. was told he was a Type II

> Diabetic and needed to follow the American Diabetes

> Association's recommended diet for Diabetes. He went to the

> classes at his local clinic and followed their diet to a " T " .

> But what happened next shocked and greatly concerned his

> doctor. His blood sugar level shot up to 445.

>

> was becoming another American Indian statistic for

> Diabetes.

>

> The doctor accused him of not following the ADA guidelines for

> his diet and told him to prepare for insulin therapy. But

> knew he followed the diet correctly and began to think

> it was hopeless, that Diabetes was inevitable because of his

> Indian heritage.

>

> This story is all too common in Indian country. American

> Indians have the highest percentage of diabetes than any race

> in America and the Pima Indians of Arizona are at the top with

> an astonishing 50% of adults having the disease.

>

> But what if could make a 180 degree turn for the better

> without Insulin? What if it was his diet under the ADA

> guidelines that contributed to his high sugar levels?

>

> decided to change his food choices once again and

> followed a different theory. His blood sugar dropped to under

> 200 and is now at a constant 145-150, which is close to

> normal. Furthermore, does not need insulin therapy.

>

> With a little amount of basic scientific knowledge, anyone can

> determine which foods contain " hidden sugars " . Carbohydrates

> are " energy " which the body uses to fuel itself. Athletes know

> this and have used this concept to prepare for sports events

> by eating plenty of rice, pasta, potatoes and " simple

> carbohydrates " such as fruits. Carbohydrates are chains of

> sugar molecules. They are either simple or complex. Simple

> carbohydrates are defined as one to two connected sugar

> molecules. Complex carbohydrates are three or more connected

> sugar molecules.

>

> Carbohydrates are found in whole grains, fruits, starchy

> vegetables, some milk products, breads and cereals, pasta and,

> of course, sweets. No matter what form they come in, the body

> breaks it down to the same thing: one-sugar molecules called

> glucose (sugar in the blood). And if your body doesn't use

> this Energy, it is turned to fat. This is why we fatten our

> livestock with corn, wheat, oats, etc.

>

> Counting the Energy levels in foods by measuring its

> " Calories " is not as accurate as counting carbohydrates, but

> because the mainstream media and food production companies use

> it on their labels, it is the most popular.

>

> Over 50 years ago scientists created the convention that a

> calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise one gram of

> water one degree Celsius. [scientists would break the food

> chemical bonds completely [burn the food], and then measure

> the heat generated from the burning. For example, a

> seven-ounce piece of chicken was broken down with all proteins

> and fats being turned into water, carbon dioxide and a few

> other simple molecules.]

>

> But the " burning calories " theory is flawed.

>

> Because the calorie measure took place in a test tube,

> scientists concluded that fat is twice as fattening as

> proteins and carbohydrates. But, unlike with carbohydrates,

> the body does not break down meat and fat for energy

> production. Therefore the " calorie " measurement does not

> compare to what the body actually does with sugar. It uses

> proteins and fats as building materials (without completely

> breaking them down as if " burning " ) to use to build cells,

> enzymes, hormones, etc., leaving very little to be stored as fat.

>

> Next to regular table sugar and fruits, the foods that creates

> sugar in the blood stream at the highest and fastest rate are

> starchy vegetables, especially those low in fiber such as

> potatoes and yams. Starch is one molecule away from being

> sugar but those vegetables with a high content of fiber are

> digested slowly which slows down the production of sugar in

> the blood. This is why diabetics should count carbohydrates in

> low-fiber vegetables to help measure what amount of " sugars "

> they are eating. [Caution: eliminating all carbohydrates from

> the diet can cause the insulin levels to be too low.]

>

> Numerous studies throughout the scientific community have

> repeatedly supported the theory that lowering carbohydrates

> and raising protein intake lowers blood sugar. One of the

> studies is even on the ADA website, titled " Does diet Play a

> Role in Etiology of Type 2 Diabetes? Fats verses

> Carbohydrates " : www.diabetes.org/am2000/cmes/diet.asp It

> references a study which proves certain fats in the diet

> reduces the risk of diabetes and insulin insensitivity. In the

> study, the type of fat consumed is likely more important than

> the amount consumed. A study by Salmeron, et al. looked at

> polyunsaturated fat intake as a predictor of diabetes. Those

> with an intake of 4.8% of calories from polyunsaturated fat

> had a risk reduction of 25% compared with those with an intake

> of 2.9%. The article also refers to a recent multi-center

> study headed by Riccardi showed that with a diet high in

> monounsaturated fat, insulin sensitivity improved; high

> saturated fat, insulin sensitivity decreased.

>

> Although the ADA has a disclaimer stating they are not engaged

> in rendering medical advice or recommendations but rather are

> there for " education and entertaining purposes " , they are

> looked to for advice by many physicians, as well as, health

> service providers across the country as the leading source for

> diabetes awareness and its care. Not only are they the largest

> non-profit organization for Diabetes awareness, they are the

> largest of all non-profit organizations in America.

>

> 's physician followed the ADA guidelines and told him to

> eat a high-carbohydrate, low fat diet. It was suggested he eat

> less meat, and more starches and more vegetables. ADA's

> current Pyramid of Food suggests diabetics eat 6 or more

> servings a day of grains, beans and " plenty of starchy

> vegetables " which is the largest food group in the pyramid.

>

> followed this guideline and soon his blood-sugar levels

> went through the roof.

>

> Throughout America are a few physicians who are seeking

> answers to better ways of helping diabetics control their

> blood sugar level. Some are experimenting on their own for

> better ways to help their patients. Dr. Schwarzbein,

> M.D., author of the book The Schwarzbein Principle is one of

> them.

>

> In her medical training, she was taught this same theory. " I

> believed what my professors said, " she noted. In 1990, after

> finishing nine years of medical training at the University of

> Southern California in endocrinology and metabolism, she

> accepted a position at a prestigious medical clinic in Santa

> Barbara, California. All her new patients were type II

> diabetics. " I heard many stories of patients going for yearly

> physical exams and being diagnosed with diabetes

> incidentally, " said Schwarzbein. " These newly diagnosed

> diabetics were put on the American Diabetes Association dietS(

> only to see their conditions worsen. "

>

> Mark Overbay, a representative from the American Diabetes

> Association told Native Times that the ADA guidelines are

> based on the most recent scientific studies and are designed

> to be, what they consider, the safest diet for diabetics.

>

> Schwarzbein came to the same conclusion that Diabetes was a

> genetic problem. " It was thought that once a person developed

> diabetes, it could not be reversed. Part of the 'standard of

> care' was to keep diabetics' blood sugar under control to

> enable them to live relatively normal lives. " she added. She

> observed her patients begin a " vicious cycle " of high

> blood-sugar, insulin injections, weight gain, and their

> cholesterol levels getting more unhealthy. " After listening to

> their stories I thought, My God, we are making diabetics worse! "

>

> Schwarzbein, and her patients did their own study. She soon

> realized it was the " cheaters " who were more healthy. Those

> who ate real mayonnaise, real cheese, real eggs and steak.

> Those who " cheated " the most were those who had the biggest

> improvements.

>

> What causes diabetes is simple, too much sugar is in the

> blood-stream because the body has lost its ability to convert

> excess sugar in to fat. The Insulin's job is to get the sugar

> out of the blood-stream and put it in to cells by storing it

> as fat. Some people who eat too much sugar loose this ability

> and the excess sugar piles up in the blood-stream, causing

> Type II Diabetes.

>

> Good Fats, Bad Fats

>

> There are no long term studies showing that low-fat diets are

> healthy, said Schwarzbein. But numerous studies conclude that

> certain fats are necessary to maintain good health. And the

> real culprit to many diseases is high insulin levels. " There

> are studies spanning three decades relating high insulin

> levels and heart disease, high insulin levels and

> hypertension, high insulin levels and excessive body-fat gain

> and other problems. "

>

> Udo Erasmus, author of the book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill

> agrees. " The fact is that some fats are absolutely required

> for health, while others are detrimental, " said Erasmus. " When

> the lacking nutrients are returned, deficiency symptoms are

> reversed and the deficiency disease [including diabetes] is

> cured. "

>

> Erasmus has credentials which include graduate studies in

> genetics and biochemistry and a PhD in Nutrition. After being

> poisoned by the careless industrial application of pesticides

> on a job he held for three years, and knowing the poisons were

> carcinogenic and that cancer often involves fats, he dedicated

> his life " literally " to the study of fats and oils.

>

> According to Erasmus, this lack of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA)

> is, in part, what causes diabetes. " EFAs given to diabetics

> have an insulin-sparing effect, indicting that the

> effectiveness of insulin depends on them, " Erasmus told Native

> Times. " In fact, dietary Omega 3 fatty acids decrease the

> amount of insulin needed by diabetics. " He explains in his

> book that Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are required for

> insulin function. These fatty acids improve insulin

> sensitivity and work against insulin resistance.

>

> NOTE: to avoid low blood sugar, insulin requirement should be

> monitored closely and injections decreased as Omega 3

> supplementation decreases the need for injected insulin.

>

> Omega 3's are found in flax, canola, soy bean, walnut, and

> dark-green leaves. Flax seed is the richest source containing

> about 50% of its fatty acids as LNA (alpha-linolenic acid).

> Omega 6 comes from sunflower and sesame seeds.

>

> Erasmus created a fresh oil combination which contains all the

> essential fatty acids necessary for good health. Information

> on this oil, Udo's Choice, can be found on the internet at:

> www.fatsthatheal.com For those who are unable to obtain his

> refrigerated oil blend from health-food stores, he recommends

> a combination of 3 tablespoons of Flax oil and 1 tablespoon of

> sunflower oil a day to be used in salads, poured over

> vegetables, mixed in juice, or eaten with bread, but not

> overheated in cooking processes. These oils can be purchased

> at most health food stores. EFA's are required for insulin

> function and work well against insulin resistance but only if

> there is not an overload of carbohydrates in the diet.

>

> Unfortunately, cooking oils for sale on grocery store shelves

> have been stripped of those EFA nutrients. Manufacturers

> choose to strip the oils to lengthen shelf life and the only

> oil with its " good fats " left intact for sale in the common

> grocery store is Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

>

> Obtaining oils in their natural state can be obtained by

> eating raw nuts and seeds, such as almonds, grape seeds,

> hickory nuts, peanuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, soybeans,

> walnuts and wheat germ. Omega 3's are also found in cold water

> fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, and sardines.

>

> Although America has been taught to fear high cholesterol

> numbers, studies, including one at the University of Illinois

> show that eating more protein lowers overall triglycerides

> (fat in the blood) and slightly raises HDL (which a good fat).

>

> " We may have fewer people dying from heart disease, but that's

> only because our medical recovery is better, " said

> Layman, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University

> of Illinois. " We are also looking at an approaching onslaught

> of Type 2 diabetes. I think we have a very good reason to

> re-evaluate where we are at nutritionally. "

>

> Statistically, there are just as many people having and dying

> of heart attacks with cholesterol levels below 200 as there

> are with total cholesterol above 200, says Schwarzbein. The

> problem with cholesterol counting is that it groups the bad

> cholesterol with the good.

>

> Schwarzbein's book, The Schwarzbein Principle, gives five

> components to a healthy life which includes lowering stress,

> healthy eating, hormonal therapy if needed, exercise and

> tapering off chemicals.

>

> is currently following the low-carbohydrate,

> high-protein diet by eating plenty of green vegetables but

> staying away from starches such as potatoes. He eats eggs,

> hard cheeses, all meats that are not fried, cold-water fish,

> low-carb salad dressings and mayonnaise, raw nuts such as

> walnuts, almonds and pecans. He also avoids too much cold

> cereals, breads, and pastas. says he " feels great " , his

> sugar levels are normal, and he's lost 18 pounds.

> currently works at the Native American Times newspaper as a

> sales-representative.

>

> Campaign finance reform for the healthcare industry

>

> If so many studies, including long term ones, have flooded the

> medical world proving low-carb, high protein diets help

> diabetics, questions arise as to why the ADA is not making

> changes to follow these extraordinary success rates.

>

> Dr.Udo Erasmas has a belief that is shocking. " It's a

> business. " said Erasmus. " Following this diet, and eating

> healthy fats would cause them to lose many clients. This

> 'low-fat' craze is also good for cereal companies. "

>

> Dr. Jane , president of LowCarbmall.com

> agrees. " I personally feel that it is a matter of politics and

> corporate America, " said . " Pharmaceutical insulin has

> its place for the Type I Diabetic. Type II, usually

> adult-onset, is now seen in children. Using a carbohydrate

> restricted diet, many physicians are able to work with

> patients and either eliminate or substantially reduce with

> amount of insulin necessary for both types of diabetics.

> Therefore, why would the major pharmaceutical companies have

> any reason for exploration of reducing the amount of insulin,

> that in a disease, is one of the fastest growing epidemics? "

>

> In 1999, the market for diabetes drugs and devices totaled

> $4.3 billion, having increased at a compound annual rate of

> 16.9% from 1995's $2.3 billion. Sales of diabetes drugs

> totaled $2.9 billion and accounted for 66.4% of the industry

> in 1999. Device sales totaled $1.5 billion in 1999, up from

> $1.1 billion in 1995.

>

> Among financial supporters for studies on diabetes are,

> surprisingly enough, food producers. Especially those who

> produce cereals.

>

> A conference in Canada was held last March covering the topics of

> diabetics and obesity with 150 researchers present. According to

> Erasmus, when they talked among each other they admitted that starches

> and sweets are the problem, but not one would say it in the talks they

> gave because half of their grants come from one of the largest cereal

> producers in the world. " They can't tell the truth because their grants

> will dry up, " said Erasmus.

>

>

>

> Large, multinational companies dominate the diabetes drug industry. Eli

> Lilly and Novo Nordisk are the two major competitors in the U.S. insulin

> market. Bristol-Myers Squibb dominates the oral antidiabetic market. In

> February 2000, Warner-Lambert accepted a buyout offer from Pfizer. In

> the same year, Bayer and Aventis both had single-digit shares of the

> market. A few companies dominate the diabetes monitoring device

> industry, with Becton Dickinson, & , Abbott Laboratories,

> and Roche holding the largest shares of the industry. LifeScan, a

> division of & , dominates the diabetes meter market and

> blood glucose test strip markets. Bayer is the key supplier in the

> glucose and urine test strip market.

>

>

>

> All of these companies are top-level corporate sponsors for the American

> Diabetes Association. Also included as sponsors are food producers such

> as General Mills, Kraft Foods and Proctor and Gamble.

>

>

>

> Senator McCain, (R.) AZ who is the leading advocate for Campaign

> Finance Reform, states that until we get financial influence away from

> political decisions, this country will never be able to address the

> needs of the people. The same may be true for the healthcare industry.

> Maybe Congress should also consider taking the politics out of disease

> management [medical] industry and keep it from influencing scientific

> studies. By doing this, America may be more aware of what the true

> culprits are in causing today's diseases.

>

>

>

> And those people such as , and the millions that are like

> him, can literally turn the tables toward a healthier tomorrow.

>

> Copyright, 2001, Native American Times, www.nativetimes.com.

>

>

>

> 1.) The Shwarzbein Principle, Schwarzbein, M.D. (pp..80,

> 81,119,128,)

>

>

> 2.) Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, Udo Erasmus(pp.32, 342).

> 3.) www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/04/010404080611.htm

> 4.)

> www.ideabeat.com/ResLib/MarketResearch/MarketResearch07_00.html

> 5.) " Selected traditional and contemporary foods currently

> used by the Pima Indians " , Journal of the American Dietetic

> Association, March 1991, Vol. 91, no. 3

> 6.) " Diabetes and the 'thrifty genotype': Commentary. "

> Bulletin of the World Health Organization, August 1999 v77 i8

> p692.

> 7.) " Nutrient intake of Pima Indian women: relationships to

> diabetes mellitus and gallbladder disease " The American

> Journal of Clinical Nutrition 24: October 1971, pp.1281-1289.

> 8.) " Using carbohydrate counting in diabetes clinical

> practice. " Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Aug.,

> 1198 v98 n8 p897(9)u

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