Blood sugar / Diabetes Mellitus / Glucose / Hyperglycemia 

Many of us have come across or know at least 1 person who has blood sugar or diabetes that is because 11.6% of total USA population is diagnosed with blood sugar. Let us try to understand what, how and why behind this deadly disease which claims more than one hundred thousand lives in USA each year.

What is Diabetes/ blood sugar?

Before diving into the definition and types of diabetes, let’s take a detour and see how the term "blood sugar" came about. Back in the day, scientists from China, India, and Egypt would actually taste urine to diagnose diabetes—talk about a sweet job! In the 5th century BC, Indian surgeon Sushruta dubbed the condition "madhumeha," which translates to "honey-like urine." So, it seems our ancient counterparts had a bit of a sweet tooth when it came to diagnosing diabetes!

Diabetes is characterized by chronically elevated levels of sugar in your blood. This is because either your pancreas gland isn't making enough insulin (the hormone that keeps your blood sugar in check) or because your body becomes resistant to insulin's effect. The insulin-deficiency disease is called type 1 diabetes, and the insulin-resistance disease is called type 2 diabetes. If too much sugar builds up in your blood, it can overwhelm the kidneys and spill into your urine.

How and why one gets diagnosed with Diabetes?

The carbohydrates from the food we eat is broken down into a sugar called glucose. The glucose is primary fuel powering all the cells in your body. To get from bloodstream into your cells, glucose requires insulin. Think of insulin as the key that unlocks the doors to your cells to allow glucose to enter. Every time you eat a meal, insulin is released by your pancreas to help shuttle the glucose into your cells. Without insulin, your cells can't accept glucose, and, as a result, the glucose builds up in your blood. Over time, this extra sugar can damage the blood vessels throughout the body. That's why diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks. 

Type 1 diabetes represents approximately 5% of all diagnosed cases, whereas most of the cases represents Type 2. The exact cause of Type 1 diabetes is unknown however Type 2 diabetes is caused by individual dietary habits and lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetes is heavily influenced by eating habits, particularly if you're following the SAD (Standard American Diet), which is packed with fat-rich foods like butter, egg yolks, cream, sweets, pastries, white bread, and syrup. Does this mean your body’s insulin resistance is lower than your sugar intake? Surprisingly, insulin resistance can shoot up quickly in response to blood sugar spikes. To get a handle on this, it helps to understand how the body stores fuel.

We often talk about "loading carbs" before activities like trekking, running, or working out. This means building up a supply of fuel in your muscles. When you eat starches, your digestive system breaks them down into glucose, which enters your bloodstream and is stored in your muscles for energy. But blood sugar needs an "invitation" to get into your cells, and that invitation is insulin—the key that unlocks the door to your muscle cells so glucose can enter.

When insulin binds to insulin receptors on your cells, it triggers a series of enzymes that usher glucose inside. Without this process, glucose just lingers in your bloodstream, knocking on your cells' doors but unable to get in. What’s blocking the door? Fat in your bloodstream, from either your own fat stores or your diet, can accumulate inside your cells. This creates toxic byproducts and free radicals that interfere with insulin signaling. No matter how much insulin your body produces, if your muscle cells are compromised by fat, they can't use insulin effectively.

What can be done to prevent diabetes?

In 2008, when my family member was diagnosed with high blood sugar, the physician recommended twice-daily insulin shots along with an oral medication like Metformin. We were informed that insulin pens would be a permanent part of the daily routine, which was unacceptable to us. As a result, we began exploring alternative remedies and treatments. We discovered that a plant-based diet might be a viable solution, remember insulin receptors get covered by fats which prevented insulin delivery. Many Indian Gujarati families follow a predominantly vegetarian diet that includes dairy products like clarified butter (ghee), cottage cheese (paneer), and gluten-rich bread (naan). After removing these high-fat and high-gluten foods from our diet, we started seeing improvements. Within three months, we were able to stop using insulin pens. The specific dietary change involved adopting a plant-based diet that focused on raw vegetables and superfoods like Moringa, which helped reduce the excess fat layer affecting insulin delivery.

Moringa Oleifera, or, the "Drumstick Plant," is a real superhero of the plant world. Its leaves are packed with antioxidants like Quercetin, which is like a tiny bodyguard for your blood pressure, and Chlorogenic Acid, which helps your body handle sugar like a pro and keeps insulin in check. Besides being a champion of antioxidants, this plant also moonlights as a cholesterol-buster. It’s like having a personal nutritionist and a bouncer all rolled into one leafy green!