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Diabetes May Be a Major, Overlooked Reason Americans Are Now Dying Earlier

  • January 28, 2017

Middle-aged Americans are dying at younger ages, and a new study triples the estimate of these deaths due to diabetes, Vox reports. Presently, diabetes is listed as the seventh cause of death in the U.S. — but this study suggests that, in reality, deaths caused by diabetes may be third on the list, behind cancer and heart disease.

Over 90 million people in the U.S. have diabetes or pre-diabetes, and half don’t even know they have the condition. These numbers demonstrate the rise in people suffering from diabetes originate outside a genetic cause. The important thing to know is that diabetes is NOT a disease of blood sugar, but rather a disorder of insulin and leptin signaling that evolves over a long period of time, moving first into a pre-diabetes state, and then to full-blown diabetes if left unchecked.

Unfortunately, if your glucose numbers get dangerously high, most doctors’ first reaction is to “treat” you with insulin. There are natural ways to control your blood sugar, however, beginning with increasing your fiber content, reducing your net carbs and including high-quality fats in your diet. Also, the more you exercise, the more your cells are sensitive to leptin. As your body becomes sensitive to leptin, it reduces your potential resistance to insulin and therefore your risk of diabetes.

Since sugar-laden products also contribute to insulin resistance, swap out processed foods — which contain hidden sugars — and all forms of sugar for whole, fresh foods. Try to limit your total fructose intake to 15 grams per day until your insulin/leptin resistance has resolved, and then maintain your levels at 25 grams a day.