The incidence of type 2 diabetes has risen steadily in Canada and around the world, having a huge impact on individuals and on our health care system. There are two main types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. In many ways, they are opposites: Type 1 is the result of an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, causing insulin deficiency and high blood sugar levels. Treatment for Type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections. In contrast, Type 2 diabetes is a disease of too much insulin where dietary intake of sugars and carbohydrates cause consistently high blood sugar levels. This demands high insulin levels to process the glucose, and can result in the development of insulin resistance, which eventually leads to the inability to properly control the blood sugar.
To break this cycle of increasing insulin resistance, we need to lower our insulin levels. We can do this by consuming less added sugars and refined carbs that spike our blood sugar levels and demand lots of insulin. A low carb/high fat diet is effective for reducing insulin demands. We can also reduce the frequency of our meals, to allow time for our insulin levels to drop between eating times. If we eat all the time (3 meals per day plus 2-3 snacks daily) our insulin levels remain high and resistance can develop. If we allow for periods of fasting between meals by eating less frequently (3 meals per day, and at least 12 hrs of fasting overnight), we allow the insulin levels to drop and resistance is less likely to develop.
Type 2 diabetes is a dietary and lifestyle disease. While medications are available to control blood sugar levels, they do not solve the underlying problem of insulin resistance. We can change our risk of developing diabetes by avoiding refined carbohydrates and added sugars, eating natural fats and proteins, and eating less frequently. People already living with type 2 diabetes absolutely can reduce their reliance on medications and improve their health by working with their doctor on diet and lifestyle changes.
Dr. Lisa Scharf