I remember some of my older friends used to always tell me "Eat in moderation, and you will be fine". One of them think that sugar is necessity for the body to thrive and survived. His son died of cancer, after multiple rounds of toxic chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The oncologist told him that his son can eat his usual diet as long as the boy undergo chemo and radiotherapy treatments. That advise itself is a 'last nail in the coffin' from a medical professional who is suppose to be a specialist in treating cancer. Cancer cells feeds on sugars. Otto Heinrich Warburg, won the Nobel Prize for discovering this crucial piece of information about sugars and cancer cells. The question is, how many oncologists acknowledge this fact about cancer cells feeds on glucose (sugars)?
We have been hardwired with dietary advises of 'calories in, calories out' from all over the medias. We have been advised to consume foods in moderation by doctors, dieticians and nutritonists and even friends and relatives. Yes, moderation in food consumption. This dietary advise has been passed on to people all over the nation, for decades since the time when my parents are studying in high school. Easily more then 40-50 years ago, most of us have been told to eat in moderation and we knew that. And we all know about reducing our dietary calories in order to lose weight. Calories in calories out dietary advise is so out of date and old school. Many of us tried eat less and dropping the calories, and it doesn't work for permanent weight/fat loss. Else, everyone would be fitness models by now.
Both these dietary advises of 'eating in moderation' and 'calories in calories out' are practically embedded in our long term memory and we often think that we will be healthy and do just fine, as long as we follow both these theories. Guess what is happening to our health status right now? Our diabetes is 20.6% in 2011, from 14.9% in 2006. That's more then 5% increase in every 5 years. By 2016, we will hit approximately 26% of diabetes rates in Malaysia. Malaysia is one of the most diabetic and obese nation in Asia, and it will only get worst in 5-10 years from now. The next generation will suffer worst then current breed of population, as diseases rates will increase and incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes will no doubt be virtually out of control in the next 10-15 years.
When I read a recent article published in local newspaper, I was speechless. The title of the article "Preventing diabetes: It's all about a healthy lifestyle and moderation". For those who missed this article, I've posted a screenshot below and highlighted some of the advises/comments provided by Nutrition of Society of Malaysia President.
1) "There has been no evidence that consumption of sugar causes diabetes"
Well, of course it is almost impossible to have a study that shows a single substance causes a particular disease or medical condition. Most scientists and medical professionals know about this, but with this comment in the article published in the newspaper, what do you think the readers will react and think? Spontaneously, whoever read this comment, he or she will think that sugar does not cause diabetes and there is no harm to consume sugars. As sugar addiction is so much powerful then heroine and cocaine, do you think consuming foods laden with sugars will be moderately controlled? Honestly, I don't think so.
Again, calories in calories out mindset has to be removed from our mindset. We have to focus more on what causes insulin and leptin resistance, and prevent the roller coaster burst and secretion of insulin (high levels). If we focus on calories intake, we will NEVER tackle diabetes or any other chronic diseases for as long as you wish. Of course sugar is not the single culprit for increased risk of diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. There are other factors which will be key players in causing and perpetuating diabetes such as poor circadian rhythm and chronic stress levels. Primarily, anything which triggers the body to secrete glucocorticoids hormones cortisol in response to insulin release.
3) "People with diabetes should also know that they also can eat chocolates and sweets as long as these are part of healthy meal plan and consume in moderation. For example, regular sugar can be replaced with brown sugar, artifical sweeteners".
I'm practically speechless. Advising diabetic patients to consume sweets is exactly the same with telling cancer patients to eat their 'usual diet'. I'm starting to think that the cause of diabetes is not from our lifestyle and diet, but it is from a misleading wrong health advise from these so called health professionals. Meanwhile, most commercial chocolate products contains loads of sugars and artifical sweeteners, which can be harmful to the body.
Diabetes (Malaysia)- From bad to worst!
Journals:
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/5/1189.full
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0057873
http://advances.nutrition.org/content/4/2/236.abstract
My doctor told my wife she needs medication for the rest of her life. We are very worry and hope her diabetes condition will improve. Both doctors almost mentioned same.
ReplyDeleteCheck this article:
ReplyDeletehttp://raypeat.com/articles/articles/sugar-issues.shtml
Estrogen,Polyunsaturated fats may have a bigger role than sugar.
Dogmatic diets are problematic and impractical.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.andrewkimblog.com/2013/11/diet-dogma-rears-ugly-head-again-become.html
Brief exposures to polyunsaturated fatty acids can damage the insulin-secreting cells of the pancreas, and the mitochondria in which oxidative energy production takes place. Prolonged exposure causes progressive damage. Acutely, the free polyunsaturated fatty acids cause capillary permeability to increase, and this can be detected at the beginning of “insulin resistance” or “diabetes.” After chronic exposure, the leakiness increases and albumin occurs in the urine, as proteins leak out of the blood vessels. The retina and brain and other organs are damaged by the leaking capillaries."
ReplyDelete"Starch and glucose efficiently stimulate insulin secretion, and that accelerates the disposition of glucose, activating its conversion to glycogen and fat, as well as its oxidation. Fructose inhibits the stimulation of insulin by glucose, so this means that eating ordinary sugar, sucrose (a disaccharide, consisting of glucose and fructose), in place of starch, will reduce the tendency to store fat."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dannyroddy.com/main?page=120