Fight diabetes with this one dietary hack

Living with diabetes is burdensome. It’s a serious disease that can wreak havoc on your health.  

But there’s new research—and even though it only focuses on cells, the findings are so promising that I just have to share them with you.  

This study addressed the global health issue of type 2 diabetes. (Around one in 10 American adults and 10 percent of the global population suffer from this disease.) 

In fact, scientists from the University of Geneva in Switzerland discovered how one dietary hack might just be the key to delaying and fighting against it. 

The best part? The “hack” is something I’ve always recommended as part of a healthy, balanced diet… 

Dietary fat is protective 

As I often report, type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease. Remaining sedentary and making poor dietary choices greatly contribute to its onset.  

Of course, for years, dietary fat took much of the blame, too.  

But fat does NOT aggravate this disease. In fact, new research shows it actually plays a protective role. (This is hardly a surprise. But it’s exciting, nonetheless.) 

Researchers looked at insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. (Insulin is a hormone your pancreas creates that controls blood glucose [sugar] levels. When insulin productivity becomes less effective, blood sugar levels spike. Over time, this contributes to type 2 diabetes.)   

Then, to analyze the effect of certain dietary choices, researchers exposed beta cells to an excess of sugar, fat, and a combination of the two. And here’s what they found… 

Beta cells exposed to too much sugar produced much less insulin than normal.  

When the cells were exposed to a combination of fat and sugar, however, the cells stored the fat in the form of droplets to use in case of starvation. (This process relates to are our caveman, hunting-and-gathering processes.) But that’s not all… 

The fat storage created a dynamic, protective cycle: Researchers discovered the fat helped the beta cells adapt to too much sugar, allowing them to maintain close-to-normal insulin secretion (and blood sugar control).  

High fat; low disease 

Of course, the concept of fat being healthy and protective against disease isn’t new to my readers or my patients. 

But it’s exciting to see other people starting to realize that through diet, one can absolutely BOOST their health and SLASH disease risk.  

Now, I understand that the science of fats can be confusing. I encounter misconceptions about fats nearly every day. But make no mistake… the right kinds of fats are protective to your health.  

In fact, I outline why and how in my very own, A-List Diet—a high-fat, low-carb eating plan. (Order yourself a copy by clicking here!) 

So, if you haven’t already, start putting dietary fat to work for you. Focus on enjoying grass-fed and -finished meat (including beef), wild-caught fish and seafood (like herring and salmon), eggs, avocados, some cheese (perhaps alongside fresh veggies), nuts, and healthy cooking oils (like macadamia nut, avocado, and olive oils, which are full of monounsaturated fatty acids [MUFAs]). 

Plus, for cooking tips and simple home-cooked meals using many of these ingredients (and more!), check out my Cooking with Dr. Fred show on YouTube and Instagram. 

Source:  

“The unexpected benefits of fat in type 2 diabetes.” ScienceDaily, 01/12/2022. (sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220112094014.htm)