Conference rocks::weight_control

    My mother was diagnosed as being diabetic last year, so I'll let
    you know what little I know:
    
    Diabetes is a result of the pancreas producing too little insulin
    to cope with digestion of sugar.
    
    In my mother's case; she had been seriously overweight for many
    years, she had terrible eating habits (far too much sugar and fats),
    and both her grandfather and a first cousin had developed diabetes
    (I believe there is a genetic predisposition to this disease). 
    Her doctor is trying to control, and possibly reverse, the disease
    with diet - she can eat only 1000 calories per day, no sugar and
    no salt.  
    
    I believe that my mother has "adult onset diabetes", which can be
    a result of being overweight, and can be reversed without insulin
    therapy.  I understand that "juvenile diabetes" is more serious
    and, in most cases, cannot be reversed.
    
    When I heard that my mother had diabetes, I got plenty scared. 
    I originally wanted to lose weight to put less of a strain on my
    bad back, but this gave me even more incentive to reach goal (a
    healthy weight for me).
    
    Lynn
    

    Darlene,
    
    McDougall has an ENTIRE chapter on diabetes.  If you like I will
    make a copy of it and mail it to you through interoffice mail.
    
    Here's one quick point.
    
    Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S.  1 in 20
    people has diabetes in this country.  There are two kinds of diabetes.
    
    	* Childhood-Onset Diabetes - Ususally starts in children or
          young adults.  Referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes, because
          it is caused by actual lack of insulin in the body and therefore
          requires injections of insulin for treatment.  Childhood-onset
          diabetes represents less that 5% of the cases of diabetes.           
          
        * Maturity-Onset Diabetes (Adult-Onset Diabetes) - More common
          form.  Usually develops as people get older, and usually fatter.
          This form is referred to as noninsulin-dependent diabetes,
          because in most cases insulin therapy is not required to maintain
          life or health.
          
    
    Here's what happens:
    
       The fact that the blood sugar levels are elevated in both forms
    of the disease is a characteristic they share and the reason why
    both are called diabetes.  However, they represent two different
    problems with insulin.  Childhood-Onset is caused by the fact that
    the body can produce only an insufficient amount of insulin.
    Adult-Onset is caused by a lowered effectiveness of the insulin
    that the bidy does produce.  
       Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas that regulates the
    amount of sugar present in the circulating blood.  Insulin performs
    this job by helping the sugar to pass through the cell membranes,
    to get inside to the cells "machinery".  Once inside a cell, the
    sugar is converted into compounds that eventually yield energy.
    If too little insulin is produced, or if the insulin fails to function
    properly, then the cells will be starved for energy.  This happens
    because the cells' usual food source, which is sugar, is blocked
    out.  Since the sugar cannot enter the cells, the sugar level in
    the blood rises.  
    
    If you want more, let me know and I'll get the entire chapter out
    to you.
    
    Glenn

    
    Atkins also talks about diabetes in his book.  Adult-onset *is*
    controllable by diet -- my father was diagnosed as pre-diabetic some
    years ago, lost a lot of weight, and has never actually developed
    diabetes.  His father died from it in his 50's (I think).
    
    You are right to be worried, but don't get too freaked out.  Get your 
    weight under control and avoid large quantities of sugar (which raises
    blood sugar, which causes insulin production, which lowers blood sugar,
    which makes you crave sugar, which raises blood sugar....  Get the 
    idea?  This is why your pancreas gets out of whack --> diabetes!).
    
    Beverly
    

    Thanks everyone for your replies.  I'm not very overweight,
    (5-10 lbs. and that is a matter of opinion, usually only my own),
    but I do seem to have the problem Beverly mentioned in .3  .  I
    do eat a substancial amount of sugar (and fat) when you compare
    the percentage of calories in my diet which comes from those sources.
    I often experience the eat sugar, crave more sugar syndrome.  Actually,
    the cycle usually starts with crave sugar (usually in the morning
    or any time when I haven't eaten for a while).  At times it gets so bad
    that my hands begin to shake to the extent that I can't hold a full glass
    of liquid without spilling it.  At that point, I usually go for
    the quick blood sugar raiser, sugar, and off I go on this unhealthy
    cycle.   Because I never had any real information on what this could
    do to my body, I have continued in my bad eating habits despite
    the results.  However, after reading these replies, I will definitely
    become more disciplined in that area.
    
    D.

    
> At times it gets so bad that my hands begin to shake to the extent that 
> I can't hold a full glass of liquid without spilling it.  At that point, 
> I usually go for the quick blood sugar raiser, sugar, and off I go on 
> this unhealthy cycle. 
    
    Yup, sounds real familiar!  Think of it as a withdrawal (as in nicotine
    or alchohol) - you just have to get through it.  The first time is worst, 
    when you've been in this pattern for years -- it'll take 2-5 days.  Eat 
    moderate amounts of protein and starch frequently -- carbohydrates get 
    broken down to blood sugar, but since they're complex, you don't get the 
    sudden rush.  Drink a lot of water.  When it gets really bad, eat some 
    fruit or have a glass of milk - the sugars in those are a bit more 
    readily available.  But keep your daily intake of them relatively low.
    Remember that honey is a sugar for these purposes, too.
    
    Breaking free of sugar is no fun, but I think you'll find that you feel
    better, have more energy, and need less sleep.  And I'd bet dollars to
    diet jello [:-)] that (a) you've got dark circles under your eyes, and
    (b) they'll fade!
    
    Beverly
    

    Good thing I'm not a gambler or I'd be out of a lot of diet 
    jello.  :^)
    
    Funny, just the other day I remember looking in the mirror and
    wondering why I had circles under my eyes while getting about 7
    hours of sleep a day.  
    
    Cold turkey is out of the question, but I will begin to make a
    concerted effort to cut down-->out the sugar.
    
    D.    

    re .6
    
    Darlene...remember help is only a few cubes away...
    
    Loretta

    Does anyone have a good list of all the forms that sugar comes in...
    It would be handy for reading labels...while buying those groceries..
    
    Thanks in advance...Loretta

    A few I've seen are:
    
    Fructose
    Sucrose
    Corn Syrup
    ...and even... High Fructose Corn Syrup (no kidding!)
    
    I'm sure there are more.
    
    Lynn

    
    Dextrose, Lactose.  I think the suffix "-ose" means sugar.
    
    As for how I knew about the circles -- Dr. Mandell refers to them as
    "allergic shiners."  I've discussed his book (Dr Mandell's 5-Day
    Allergy Relief System) elsewhere in this conference; you might want to
    pick it up . . .
    
    Beverly
    

    Yup, look for the -ose suffix when you're trying to decode
    what's sugar and what's not.  
    
    A few more - Maltose, Glucose (the simplest form).  Also look
    for fruit juice concentrates (used in some jellies, it IS a little
    slower breaking down than most sugars, but still is faster than
    you want).  I've also seen "cane and fructose sugar syrups" on labels.
    
    If you want a complete listing, get any book on diabetes from your
    library, or write to the Diabetes Association.  Here's one address
    gleaned from my phone book:
    
    	Diabetes Association
    	New Hampshire Affiliate
    	194 N Main
    	Concord, NH
    
    I would bet your doctor has an informational pamphlet, as would
    your DEC nurse's office.
    
    Good luck,
    	Louise

    To:216.2 Glenn McIntosh
      I would like to take you up on the offer for more info on ADULT
    ONSET diabetes. I have just been diagnosed as having this and need
    all the info I can get. This note was very helpful in dis-alarming
    me but I know it is serious. Please send me a copy of the info you
    referenced to: Stan Grodin, AKO4-1/C8. Thanx for the help.
    
    Regards,
    
    Stan

    You are a good candidate for Adult onset Diabetes/ Type II if you have
    Diabetes in your background, it is hereditary, you are over 40 years of
    age, if you are overweight, or if you have had a baby that weighed over
    9 pounds.  If you fit in this category you should have a glucose
    tolerance test periodically to determine if you are diabetic or a
    potential diabetic.
    
    Junvenile diabetes/Type I is the type of diabetes that most children or
    young people have.  The pancreas either does not produce any insulin or
    minute amounts thus the necessity for insulin injections.
    
    Research has not really found out what causes diabetes in the young, it
    can be cause by trauma to the pancreas, a virus, heredity, a variety of
    reasons, if not diagnosed and maintained carefully it can have dire
    effects including death in both young and old.
    
    A child can lead a fairly normal life if diagnosed early and medical
    advice is followed correctly, but it is not easy what with holidays
    that stress candy (Easter), peer pressure, etc. 
    
    Some children have a very difficult time because it is very difficult
    to adjust their insulin, they used to be called "brittle diabetics",
    I'm not sure this term is used any more, but this type of diabetic has
    a very difficult time and is apt to develop many other negatives. i.e.;
    kidney problems, neuropathy, blindness, etc.
    
    Any chronic or potentially fatal disease does not just effect the
    individual that has it but effects the family and caretakers as well.
    
    For diet the recent edition of the American Heart Association Cook Book
    is now being recommended in some areas for diabetes.  Check with the
    Joslin Clinic which is one of the major authorities on this disease.
    
    Pat