Just confused.. Is one person prone to diabetes just because they eat Sweets? Would it be genetic? At what age should one start testing for the same? I’m very confused because I love to eat Ice Creams but every post I see on social media regarding sweets, Everyone keeps commenting Welcome Diabetes. I’m 20M for reference.
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When you eat a lot of refined carbohydrates, like sweets, bread, processed foods, for a long time, your body is in a constant state of trying to fight high blood sugar. Carbs that are processed are absorbed more quickly, which causes your blood sugar to spike immediately after eating. Your body tries to lower your blood sugar by releasing insulin, but after a long time of constantly producing insulin, your cells become desensitized to it. So since insulin doesn’t work as well, your blood sugar stays high. In the early stages of Type II diabetes, you can take oral anti-diabetic drugs, but if you don’t control your diet to correct the problem, they will eventually stop working. Your body will stop producing insulin, and you will need to take insulin for the rest of your life. Once your pancreas stops producing insulin, it won’t ever turn back on.
There is a genetic component to it, if you have family that develop type II diabetes you are at greater risk of developing it yourself, but it is a disease mostly caused by modifiable risk factors. If you keep your weight down, and control yourself around carbs, you will most likely be able to avoid it. Exercise also helps with insulin resistance. If you exercise regularly, you are training your muscle cells to use glucose (blood sugar), so when you aren’t exercising they will respond to insulin (the stuff that brings glucose into the cells) more easily.
The test that doctors use to monitor your risk for diabetes is called A1C. It is a blood test that is usually done once a year to track your blood sugar levels over the span of three months. If you get an A1C that is higher than the normal range, but not yet in the diabetic range, they will monitor you more closely, and ask you to start making lifestyle changes.
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