Diabetes
As most readers know, there are two basic forms of diabetes: type 1- the immune-mediated form, and type 2- otherwise known as insulin resistance. Once the mechanisms behind these two devastating conditions are understood, you will see why I say that type 1 occurs way too often and type 2 should not even exist at all.
Type 1 diabetes results when the immune system attacks the islet cells of the pancreas, which are responsible for the production of insulin. The lack of insulin then causes the blood sugar to rise out of control. Many mechanisms for this autoimmune attack have been proposed. The diligent researcher will repeatedly come across references to alpha s-1 casein, one of the principle proteins found in cow milk, absent in most sheep and goat milk. Looking up “A1 vs. A2 milk” will yield a very interesting read. They will also see that early exposure (before age 5) is also considered a key. In fact, Researchers have shown that our kids who get cow’s milk in the first 5 days of life have a 40-50 times higher rate of type 1 diabetes, as well as much higher rates asthma and juvenile onset rheumatoid arthritis.
Are there any other dairy connections? Hmmm…How about the fact that the groups of people most at risk are Black Americans, Native American Indians, Asians, and Hispanics? What do they have in common? They are the most lactose intolerant of all Americans, with incidence approaching 100% in some groups. Does lactose intolerance cause diabetes? Of course not. Lactose is just a sugar. It causes a few minor symptoms such as diarrhea and gas, but it is the protein in cow milk that does the true harm. It is the protein that is involved in immune-mediated reactions ranging from allergies to autoimmune disorders. The lactose intolerance is just another warning sign that worse things are on the way. This is key and worth repeating. Lactose intolerance is simply a warning sign to stay away from cow milk products. What is it warning you of? Would you believe diabetes, for one? Just look again at the above “ethnic” groups. They are the newest groups of people to start consuming cow milk relative to the Caucasians from Western Europe. The latter have had much more time to adapt to cow milk consumption, haven’t they?
But unfortunately, the same is true of another major food item. Yes, it’s the number two food allergen again, wheat. People with celiac disease also have a 40-50 times higher rate of type 1 diabetes than the general population. Caucasians of western European decent have been eating their “common wheat” they made back in 400 AD for over 1500 years (see The Answer). Those groups listed above are relative newcomers to this powerful grain. In fact, the slaves taken from their homeland in Africa were first exposed to bread on the slave ships. Over 40% of them never made it to their ports of destination due to the death rates on those ships from dysentery and the like. Sounds a lot like celiac disease. The point is that the number one (cow milk) and the number two (wheat) human allergens are the newest foods to these four groups of people and they had devastating effects on their immune systems, including their role in diabetes. But wait until you read about Sickle Cell Disease. Now there’s a story.
But what about type 2 diabetes? The incidence of this condition is absolutely skyrocketing in this country. There has been a 70% increase in type 2 diabetes in this country in the age group of 9-19 years old in the last 5 years alone…. last 5 years. Then, how in the world could I say that it should not even exist when we have so many afflicted? Again, once the mechanism is understood, this statement is easy to make.
Insulin is a crucial hormone, as we all know. It is critical for blood sugar regulation. However, it is a two-edged sword in that too much insulin is harmful. The “short-version” of the explanation is that chronically high levels of blood sugar from over-consumption of complex carbohydrates causes the pancreas to keep insulin levels abnormally high. Because persistently high levels of insulin can be damaging to our system, the body develops a “defense mechanism” known as insulin resistance. As a result, the insulin being secreted loses its effectiveness and the blood sugar rises. This condition has the same net effect as type 1 diabetes (in which there is a lack of insulin)…a rise in blood sugar occurs…but in the case of type 2 diabetes, this occurs in the face of more than adequate insulin levels. This all makes sense doesn’t it? Now I’m going to throw wrench in the works for you.
That is the conventional explanation for type 2 diabetes. The more accurate explanation, I believe, is found in the understanding of hydrogenated oils. These abnormal oils were invented in the early 1900’s and marketed for the first time in 1911 in the form of salad and cooking oils. By the mid 1950’s, margarine was outselling butter. In the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, there was a dramatic increase in a new form of diabetes that they later termed type 2 diabetes. By 1950, there had been a 585% increase in the incidence of diabetes since the turn of the century. In the ten years between 1985 and 1995, there was a 60% increase in the number of deaths from diabetes. In the past 5 years ALONE, there has been a 70% increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the “unlikely” group ranging from 9-19 years of age.
What in the world could be causing the skyrocketing incidence of this horrible condition, especially in our children? I think you know. It’s what I call the all-too-convenient-food industry. This is a combination of prepared convenience foods and snacks AND the fast-food industry. 90% of prepared foods such as frozen dinners, microwave snacks, and finger foods now have hydrogenated oils in them. Also, try to find a candy bar without them. Then we look at the fast-food market and really see the fuel for this bonfire. Yes, everything is deep-fat fried in hydrogenated oils, covered with cheese, put on a wheat bun, and served with more complex carbs (that were deep-fat fried in more hydrogenated oils) and a big glass of sugar water (or sugar saturated cow milk-shake… take your pick). Do we really need to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out? Complex carbs + hydrogenated oils = Disaster.
For more information on type 2 diabetes and hydrogenated oils, please read the very important article found here: www.dldewey.com/hydroil.htm .
Dogtor J
