Diabetes is a factor for many, as we have food at our fingertips always and sugar in everything. When I say diabetes I am referring to type two. Type one, I will discuss but it comes to genetic factors. If you have type one that you most likely would be born with, this one isn't too much sugar but more about lack of insulin. This information, however, would still be helpful in nourishing the body and supporting people with type one.
Type two diabetes is when the body becomes overwhelmed with sugar. The body tissue seals itself off to quit receiving the sugar and it builds in the blood. It starts when we eat all foods are broken down into glucose. We have insulin released from the pancreas and then sent to the liver, the liver holds a certain amount of insulin to store glucose. Yes, the liver is a reserve of glucose. Once the liver has enough glucose it sends the insulin out to the blood for tissue and muscle to hold the glucose (aka fat storage). Once these areas hit an abundance they become insulin resistant which means we have excess glucose in the blood.
The blood does not want an excess of much of anything left in it. Hence the liver and lymphatic systems are working to keep things flushed. The liver however can be overwhelmed with toxins and sugars when there is an excess of sugars in the bloodstream.
When the liver gets overwhelmed with sugar you see people having issues with inflammation, gallbladder, and Non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease. This is where the sugar is converted to fat and clogs the pores. The liver looks like the picture below on the left as it shows if not dealt with can become more severe.
There are other organs impacted also we have an overworked pancreas, as the pancreas impacts enzymes (so how you are digesting your food) and the ability to put out insulin and regulate uptake of the glucose into the tissue. It is constantly being pushed to produce insulin and support blood sugar. People with diabetes often take insulin to increase insulin to help cells/tissue open and take glucose.
This increase in sugar also impacts kidney function. Kidneys regulate how much sugar is in the blood and when the levels become too high it spills out into the bloodstream. We also have issues with gout and uric acid. There can also be an impact on teeth, eyes, and heart. Sugar can impact the body's ability to regulate calcium which is very important to fight infections and bacteria and keep tissue healthy. I will dive into calcium and sugar in another blog.
Overall excess sugar makes the body hold on to sugar/fat in our liver, muscles, and tissue. It impacts the flow and function of the liver, pancreas, kidneys, heart, eyes, and bones. People with type one diabetes are not producing enough insulin to help regulate and can have all the same organs impacted. Plus there is likely an issue with the pancreas in the first place.
Things we can do, one reduce simple refined sugars. We should not be having more than 28 grams of sugar a day yet most Americans have in 2019 it was figured 77.13 grams of sugar a day. Sugar isn't a demon however it has made its way into most food, sauces, dressings, and even meats. The best resolution I have is eating from scratch made foods prepared by ourselves most 80-90% of the time.
People also will make sure to have fiber as it slows down the absorption of sugar, but it slows down the digestion of most things. I recommend doing quality meats with herbs and healthy fats (meats and plants) these are slow digesting and help to sustain healthy blood sugars also.
There are great supplements to help support blood sugar on top of reducing sugar, adding fiber and protein, and fats. If you are needing help managing and supporting Diabetes feel free to set up an appointment or take a survey. We can also use the sugar for energy, however, I would recommend you work both on diet and movement comes after or in combination.
If you need recommendations for supplements or gut health when it comes to diabetes set up an appointment or a health survey on my website.