In most cases, diabetes develops as a result of simple choices made in everyday life. Today we tell you what is the bad habit that can be avoided and is considered the number one cause of diabetes.
Saccharin diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the pancreas does not secrete a hormone called insulin in a sufficient quantity or when our body is unable to use the insulin it produces effectively.
This hormone has the function of regulating the concentration of glucose in the blood, that is, glycemia.
Uncontrolled diabetes results in hyperglycemia – high blood glucose – which, over time, causes serious damage to many organs and systems, especially nerves and blood vessels, explains the World Health Organization (WHO).
There are two types of diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes have poor insulin production and require daily administration of this hormone for their body to function as it should. Although it is believed to have genetic origins, its cause is still unknown and cannot be prevented with current knowledge of medicine, the WHO details.
For its part, in type 2 diabetes, the body does not use the insulin it produces effectively. This is the most common form of the disease.
There are many risk factors that could lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, but the main one is a diet rich in processed foods, which are converted into sugar in the body, and the same added sugar. Consistent intake of large amounts of sugar can make the body resistant to insulin.
According to Thomas Horowitz, a family medicine specialist at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles, the best way to avoid diabetes is to follow a diet that does not affect the supply of insulin in the body. Your doctor recommends giving preference to foods that break down slowly or have little sugar, such as protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
The doctor stresses that it is especially important to limit or avoid drinks with added sugar, such as sodas sweetened with sugar.
“The sugar content of commonly consumed products can be very high (…) A can of soda is much more than your body can handle,” warns the doctor.
Aaron Hartman, a physician in Richmond, Virginia, warns that “many of the foods we eat are diabetogenic”. That is, they increase the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and good fats can reduce the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Hartman adds that a key habit for reducing the risk of diabetes or even controlling the disease is physical activity.
“Simple exercise is a great way to make your muscles sensitive to insulin and also make your body use its insulin levels better. It can even be a gentle movement, like walking,” concludes the doctor.
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