The American diabetes epidemic is out of control—literally

It never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to to avoid doing things that are good for them.   

But what really baffles my mind is the way that modern medicine enables this type of helplessness by perpetuating the myth that it’s difficult to adjust your lifestyle to meet any specific health goal (like losing weight).  

When in reality, setting and achieving realistic health goals isn’t actually as hard as you may think. Especially when it comes to blood sugar control. 

In fact, as I regularly report, a diabetes diagnosis is completely preventable. But according to a recent analysis in the New England Journal of Medicine, we are quickly—and surely—losing control… 

Millions of Americans are at risk 

As it stands, nearly 1.6 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year.  

That alone should stand as a wake-up call to finally get your health in check. But according to this new analysis, even after a diabetes diagnosis, Americans are losing control of their blood sugar and blood pressure levels much more frequently than they were just 10 years ago. 

Researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing data from five National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), collected from Americans over the last two decades.  

They considered the following markers indicative of good diabetes control: An HgbA1c level of less than 7 percent, a blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg, and a non-HDL cholesterol level below 130 mg/dL. (A pretty low bar, if you ask me.) 

Results showed that, from 1999 to 2010, Americans had decent control over these parameters. Unfortunately, between 2015 and 2018, that progress came to a grinding halt—as only 22 percent of diabetics had all three measures under control.  

That translates into millions of diabetics at serious risk for further health complications— heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, amputations, cancer, obesity, and more—in this country alone.  

All because they can’t change their behavior—and often times, aren’t being guided to do so!  

Case in point: The researchers conclude that doctors should be prescribing more first-line drugs to treat high blood sugar, blood pressure, and bad cholesterol. 

But, I beg to differ. We’re not going to solve this problem by prescribing more drugs. In fact, I fail to imagine a circumstance under which that action wouldn’t make this crisis even worse.    

America’s favorite pastime 

Clearly, our priorities here are out of whack—in more ways than one. 

Over the past year, especially, I’ve been thinking a lot about America’s obsession with restaurants (and all the pandemic relief money they’re getting to reopen). But this just doesn’t sit right with me… why does our government think it would be better to focus on re-opening bars and restaurants rather than making sure kids are safely back to school? 

Well, that question alone betrays a sad truth: Americans view eating primarily as entertainment—not as sustenance for good health.  

Simply put, eating is America’s favorite pastime. It’s getting us into a lot of trouble. And the bottom line is, this country needs a total food makeover. 

There needs to be greater emphasis on food quality—starting with the “foods” like corn, wheat, and soy that our own government subsidizes. (We need to consider how school lunches and food assistance programs like SNAP support Big Food at the expense of American health, and go from there.) 

But I’m not holding my breath. So in the meantime, all I can do is what I have always done—teach you how to take control of your own health with proper nutrition.  

Because the truth is, healthy eating can be fun and delicious. (And it may just save you from a diabetes diagnosis down the road!) 

Sure, dining out is fun. (It’s one of my own favorite things to do, too!) But there are multiple ways to make healthy choices in any restaurant. Plus, there’s just no substitute for a good homecooked meal.  

So, start making better dietary choices—starting TODAY. Choose fresh, whole foods—like lean protein, organic produce, nuts, and more.  

For extra guidance, order yourself a copy of my A-List Diet book. And if you’re a subscriber to my monthly Logical Health Alternatives newsletter, you can search the archives for various diet hacks and nutrition advice—including how one controversial diet trick could reverse America’s top killers—from cancer to diabetes… and more! (Check out the May 2017 issue for more details.) Not yet a subscriber? Click here to become one today! 

Source: 

“Blood Sugar Control in Diabetes Getting Worse: Study.”  WebMD Health News, 06/09/2021. (webmd.com/diabetes/news/20210609/blood-sugar-control-in-diabetes-getting-worse-study)