The God Delusion With great wonder have I followed the discussions about this post "The God Delusion." I am an outsider, European born emigrant, and my interest in the Eastern/Mid-Eastern region is merely from a philantropical point of helping to stem the growing health crisis of diabetes in that area of the world.

So, for what its worth I shall give you my "outsider" reading: The original article to me firstly expresses how the writer voices the degree to which he is disturbed and anguished by the growing violence in the region (whatever its face: the burying alive of women, blowing up of innocents, verbal abuse and incitement, intolerance in general).
This is a major concern to me also... and to many others watching "from the outside." That there appears to be some motivating involvement of "religion" (whatever you call it) makes matters only worse and is telling in the reaction it prompts: Reading the comments responding to this article has turned into a real wake-up call for me. Not until way up in the list of comments anyone picks up on the number one topic of the article: violence. Instead, your posts slip into... well, no need to remind you!

I dare say, I was rather shocked that no one addresses how to stop those ever-growing violent acts. Quite obviously, many of you no longer live in that region for reasons only known to you. Wouldn't it stand to reason that you truly try to search for ways to resolve the growing violence? A forum like chowk could be ideal for networking towards a valid cause. Instead, it looks like all of you run or stick your heads in the sand like ostriches and play the blame game... Shame on you! Become proactive and start making a physical difference by motivating the right people instead of taking the keyboard of your computers for a walk violently (albeit bloodlessly) battling yourselves.

author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 47 (and #48)
Your statement: "The maids do not want to learn Yoga and Meditation. They only care for tablets."

According to our natural medicine approach, meditation and yoga do act as stress reducers. It goes something like this: Stress affects the adrenals, which affect our hormone balances. Therefore, there may be a stress-insulin link responding, at least to some part, to stress reduction.

However, to continue from our past message... no matter what, food intake plays a predominant role in either triggering or preventing blood sugar fluctuations.--In the type 1 diabetic aggravating the non-presence of insulin, in the type 2 diabetic exacerbating the excess levels of insulin or insulin resistance.

Both types benefit from avoidance of the blood sugar rollercoaster by sticking to a low-carb and potentially also gluten-free diet. Research already has linked type 1 with gluten-sensitivity/celiac disease. Please (re-)read posts #26 and #27!

Interestingly, today mainstream medicine refers to an uncanny number of "hybrid diabetes," meaning simultaneous type 1 and 2, especially in younger and lean individuals. Therefore, the sooner we become proactive the better the chances for controlling the growing "21st Century Monster, Diabetes!"

PS you asked... I am presently based in Canada.
author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 44 Hello tuth100.
Excellent question you are posing! The kind I am looking forward to answering in greater detail on our avoidiabetes forum on Ning.

You are not commenting on your maids' body weights and ages... It sounds like your maid who experiences fainting spells has a real problem that needs attention immediately!
Fainting may be a sign of hypoglycemia (when the blood sugar drops too low). Hypoglycemia can be fatal. Get her in for lab tests and to see a capable MD!
No surprise that she reaches for the cookie/sugar jar to drive up her sugar levels... The big problem is, this will put her on a blood sugar rollercoaster. And, following her sugar snack high, her blood sugar will drop even lower. It's a vicious cycle.

I am happy to assist you with some detailed recommendations but believe that this does belong into a private message. Changing food habits is possible at any stage. Our brain is smart (or dumb) in that it realizes that the gut does not get the nutrients the body needs. Then it puts us into cravings mode. However, often the brain makes us crave what is the worst for us or what we are allergic to… Go figure! Yet, change (good or bad) happens from the gut!
The kind of cravings and patterns tell us natural medicine professionals a lot about the missing minerals and other triggers. By correcting them, cravings usually stop within as little as a couple of weeks. Avoiding diabetes is fairly easy early on. When an individual is already deep into it, improved control (and sometimes reversal) may still be possible but needs to be done under the supervision of a knowledgeable professional.

Best wishes - and I look forward to your private message.

author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 35 Dear truth100.
I think I do understand where you are heading with your statement, "All diseases first start in the mind." However, as a medical professional and for the sake of the argument presented in the initial article about the growing impact of diabetes, I choose to stick to the "bodily" point-- and to the topic of diabetes/disease:

To grossly simplify the process, similarly as you put diesel into the tank of a gasoline-powered car, or brake oil into the windshield washer canister, the wrong food intake in our bodies causes oxidative stress and malfunction.
In human terms this means gastrointestinal inflammation (bloating, unpredictable events of the 2nd kind). An inflamed gut no longer can absorb the minerals and nutrients it gets from the food we eat.--Maybe that is a "smart" gut considering the garbage we tend to eat these days ;-)!--The result is not only fatigue and tiredness but also brain fog. Fewer (of the right) minerals and nutrients reaching our brain cells and nerve synapses means... yes, you said it, the mind is having a problem. But: the gut was first!
Therefore: All--make that "Most--diseases first start with the gut!"

Happy and healthy eating!



author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 35 Dear truth100.
I think I do understand where you are heading with your statement, "All diseases first start in the mind." However, as a medical professional and for the sake of the argument presented in the initial article about the growing impact of diabetes, I choose to stick to the "bodily" point-- and to the topic of diabetes/disease:

To grossly simplify the process, similarly as you put diesel into the tank of a gasoline-powered car, or brake oil into the windshield washer canister, the wrong food intake in our bodies causes oxidative stress and malfunction.
In human terms this means gastrointestinal inflammation (bloating, unpredictable events of the 2nd kind). An inflamed gut no longer can absorb the minerals and nutrients it gets from the food we eat.--Maybe that is a "smart" gut considering the garbage we tend to eat these days ;-)!--The result is not only fatigue and tiredness but also brain fog. Fewer (of the right) minerals and nutrients reaching our brain cells and nerve synapses means... yes, you said it, the mind is having a problem. But: the gut was first!
Therefore: All--make that "Most--diseases first start with the gut!"

Happy and healthy eating!



author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 33 Urstuly - I just realized that the links and specific info for you were cut off in my response #34... I shall send them to you in a private message.
Best wishes - Love your questions and comments!
author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Urstruly

I wouldn't really call it a "tall claim" when we keep in mind that mainstream medicine (at least theoretically) considers food and lifestyle changes the most effective measures for controlling diabetes.

Success stands and falls with the individual's willingness and ability to stick to foods that do not promote blood glucose spikes, drops, and fluctuations. Kudos to you for wanting to find out more about gluten and its impact! Please remember to also read some of the other comments here for additional low-carb suggestions.

Here is a start:
author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 28 Urstruly,
Of course the gene HLA-DQ8 is already part of an individual's genetic make-up! It is not "triggered by changing dietary habits..." That would be a misinterpretation.

However, anyone who carries the HLA-DQ8 gene appears to be more susceptible to gluten-related problems and carbohydrate addiction.
And, since we know that gluten (there are 3 gluten proteins: gluten, gliadin, glutenin) may interfere with a stage of insulin production and its action, AND that gluten contains (not unsignificant) amounts of morphine, the "addiction theory" bears a second look in the context of tye 2 diabetes.

The presence of HLA-DQ8 (think of it as the body's "weak link") may thus fall among the early risk indicators. For now it may suggest that those individuals follow a low-carb, gluten-free lifestyle early on in order to avoid all the many metabolic and other conditions frequently connected with future diabetes.
Those of my patients who have done so have seen a huge change in their body and many--at least for now--control their diabetes without presciption medication and further degenerative complications.

PS: Mainstream medicine already fully acknowledges a link between type 1 diabetes and celiac disease (the most severe form of gluten-sensitivity).
Little mainstream research has focused on the role of the duodenum. But, now that some mainstream surgeons start calling money-maker "bariatric surgery/gastric bypass operation" (as performed in the morbidly obese) the "Cure for diabetes" that may change. This does not change the fact that for now there is NO CURE for diabetes except avoidance through proper food and lifestyle.
author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books
www.avoidiabetes.com

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 24 Since nobody else has taken on answering your questions allow me to provide some information.

Your 2-part question 1, "Is Diabetes a recent phenomenon?"
No it is not.
Already the ancient Chinese have recorded, named and treated it. Still today we use several of the ancient Chinese medicine herbal formulae in diabetes control and reversal.
Interestingly, throughout history, diabetes seems to "surface" whenever a society is "resting on its laurels" after acquiring great wealth. That was an issue for the Chinese and also for the ancient Egyptians. And, who knows, if Rome fell because most of its centurions lost their battle fierceness because they had become "diabetics"... At least their bucolic feasts just prior to the disintegration of the Roman Empire are proverbial.

Your question, "Any DNA evidence available?
It makes for food for thoughts that approximately 43% of the North-American population carries a gene (HLA-DQ8) that makes them potentially sensitive to gluten, an opioid-containing protein contained in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale and other grains. The majority of type 2 diabetics or individuals at risk of developing diabetes carry that same HLA-DQ8 gene...
Today we are starting to control (and avoid) type 2--and to some degree also type 1--diabetes by sticking to a low-carohydrate (and possibly gluten-free) diet for all HLA-DQ8 individuals. If you are interested in the why's and how's check back with Amazon.com in a couple of month for my upcoming books.

Your question 2, If left undiagnosed what is the moratality rate in children with Type 1.
Check my answer #26. Dr. Bernstein has been living for decades with juvenile diabetes. With his low-carb approach he is still going strong. His books are excellent.

author of the forthcoming At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View and the new DIABETES-Series Little Books
www.avoidiabetes.com

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Re: # 14, Saleem, with great interest have I followed the exchange between you and the writer of this article (timely news here in Canada).

I certainly agree with your take on type 1 diabetics, who life-long may have to rely on prescription drugs... However, having worked in the field of diabetes avoidance for a long time, my clinical experience confirms that type 1 diabetics too may be able to better their results and largely reduce their need for insulin injections and other medications by eliminating their food-related blood sugar rollercoaster; i.e. grain carbohydrates, starches, sugars, soft drinks (diet or otherwise).

The initial recommendation of 30grams maximum(!) of daily carbohydrates with no more than 6grams for breakfast (stick to proteins and non-starchy vegetables instead), 12grams for lunch, and another 12grams for dinner was developed and promoted by Dr. Richard K. Bernstein. With a t1d youngster in the house I STRONGLY recommend you get his several books The Diabetes Diet, and Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, and others.

It works! And it will help postpone and avoid many of the otherwise nearly guaranteed complications. Just be advised to very precisely monitor BS levels and be in touch with your doctor as you adjust the diet. Otherwise you might end up overmedicating on the present prescription. -- Also, there are several traditional herbs and teas that can be used to mimic and replace insulin in a t1d. For starters, 1-2 cups of blueberry leaf tea per day has shown to bring similar results as insulin injections without the toxins.

Best wishes and thoughts!
author of forthcoming "At Risk? Avoid Diabetes by Recognizing Early Risk - A Natural Medicine View" and the DIABETES-Series Little Books

Diabetes: Wrestling with a Twenty-First Century Monster Viewed from a natural health professional’s perch it is hugely gratifying to see articles posted that touch on the heart of the matter when it comes to metabolic disease, such as heart disease or diabetes.

Your statement "The modern age that has given us million more choices also has taken from us the ability to make good choices," at first appears crass. However, there is eminent truth to it in that bad foods cause the kind of inflammations that lead to brain fog and clearly impair our ability to make wise decisions. When it comes to food choices, particularly gluten-rich grain carbohydrates and casein-containing dairy products are the culprits. Few people know that these contain opioid-like endorphins. No wonder that anyone who has the genetic make-up (43% in North-America, higher in Eastern cultures and Northern and Eastern Europe) gets “hooked” on them. Yes, carbohydrate addiction is real! There is a clear link to gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes.

On that same vein, I really liked your blunt call about mankind becoming an “endangered species.” When we consider that at present one in two individuals worldwide (that is over 3 billion people!) are at risk of developing diabetes during their lifetime, we truly can call diabetes a “monster!”

At present, worldwide, every 10 seconds someone dies from diabetes and diabetes-related complications and two individuals are newly diagnosed with diabetes. Are you aware that the WHO (World Health Organization) has calculated that the present deaths due to diabetes and diabetes-related complications cost us “25 million years of life lost EACH YEAR?” Add to that the 23 million years of life lost due to “disability and reduced quality of life caused by the preventable complications of diabetes” that the IDF (International Diabetes Federation) has postulated. Furthermore, due to sick days and untimely deaths over the next 10 years, the WHO estimates $555.7 billion in lost national revenue in China, $333.6 billion in India, $303.2 billion in the Russian Federation…

Pretty frightening! Yet, all you need to do is to look around you and see the growing “beer-bellies” and bigger “curves.” While all the environmental toxins appear to play an additional role (research does link PCBs, dioxin and many other toxins to an increased risk of diabetes and its underlying causes), body tissue-acidifying soft drinks and grain carbohydrates truly spell disaster.

Thank you for helping raise public awareness about the avoidable consequences leading to diabetes. Keep rattling the boat!