Atkins Diet and Diabetes

The Atkins diet principles lay the foundation for a healthy, more balanced diet than the standard American diet. The emphasis is on the use of good carbohydrates in balance with sufficient protein. This is in stark contrast to what most Americans eat on a daily basis. The average American eats many processed foods with hidden sugars and highly processed carbohydrates. This has put most Americans on the road to diabetes and pre-diabetic diseases. What is sad is that diabetes has a predictable range of stages and is easy to recognize.

The path to diabetes has to do with something called the glycemic index. All carbohydrates are rated on this index with respect to the level of insulin reaction they produce. Foods with a high glycemic index will cause the pancreas to release a lot of insulin to break down the amount of sugars and carbohydrates (which produce high amounts of glucose). The refined carbohydrates and sugars that make up the vast majority of the American diet are very high on the glycemic index.

We are able to digest these foods more easily as children, because our bodies function more efficiently in our childhood. There may have been side effects, such as weight gain and mood swings, but they were not noticeable. However, as we get older, these symptoms begin to grow and become more common. The nationwide obesity epidemic is the result of carbohydrate-rich diets and unstable blood sugar levels.

Many overweight people are also insulin resistant. Insulin resistance means that insulin does not do its job of removing glucose from the blood stream. The pancreas becomes overworked and huge amounts of insulin are released, sometimes as much as 20 times more than the body actually needs. This causes the blood sugar level to drop to an extremely low level. This causes a chain reaction in the body which leads to the release of adrenaline to correct the blood sugar problem.

With age the blood sugar and insulin problems get worse. The condition is called hyperinsulinism and is a precursor to type II diabetes. It is normally associated with high blood pressure and high triglycerides.

After years of following a carbohydrate-rich diet, you will finally become fully diabetic. Insulin is the body's primary fat creator and extra pounds are usually associated with late onset diabetes. Pre-diabetic conditions, if not treated effectively, will lead to diabetes indefinitely.

However, there are easily recognizable warning signs for diabetes that appear early. Your doctor can perform insulin tests to let you know if you are at risk for pre-diabetic conditions, and studies show that low-carb diets such as Atkins can help. Monitoring your blood sugar level is one of the most effective methods to control pre-diabetic conditions.

The Atkins diet helps control blood sugar effectively. The combination of proteins, fats and good carbohydrates keeps your body happy without the roller coaster effect. Controlling carbohydrates in quantity and type will help limit insulin spikes. This will make your pancreas work as intended, and it will reduce the chance of developing pre-diabetic disorders. It is a vicious circle that, if not controlled, can lead to diabetes later in life. When effectively monitored, the Atkins diet produces stable blood sugar throughout the day and helps you stay off the road to diabetes.