Diabetes & Inflammation
This is part one of a two-part series.
It is not a new discovery that diabetes and inflammation coexist. What is new is victims of inflammatory disorders, like fibromyalgia, are so busy dealing with pain and diluted quality of life, they don’t check blood sugar levels, especially A1c – the three-month average blood sugar and best indicator of dietary lifestyle.
Anatomy of the Vicious Cycle
Swedish studies identified the two disorders are connected! And researcher, Dr. Richard K. Bernstein’s equation connects this vicious cycle:
Inheritance + inflammation + fat in the blood feeding the liver = insulin resistance = elevated serum insulin levels = fat cells build as abdominal fat = rise in triglycerides in the liver’s blood supply = enhanced inflammation = increased insulin levels due to increased insulin resistance.
Fat is Fat, Right?
When researchers write about fat, they’re not referring to consumed fat – they’re referring to blood fat – from eating carbohydrates and existing body fat. Inflammation, researchers believe, is tied to underlying insulin resistance, and I agree because of observations in my practice. Here’s their methodology:
The Immune System:
• Brings more red and white blood cells to the area when detecting an assault of inflammation.
• Opens blood vessel walls so fluid can come into the infected or injured parts.
• Sends healing substances like cholesterol to the area to make “patches” for damaged areas and help new cells grow. That’s fine for an infected finger, but imagine that process going on continually in your kidneys, eyes or coronary arteries!
Once the invader – inflammation – is defeated, the system cools, right? Not always. Active immune cells originally called to help should go home, leaving a few guards watching for another attack; but that doesn’t always happen. When there’s no cool-down, the tissues stay hot and swollen – resulting in blood vessel wall breakdown that can become blocked.
Research shows chronic low-grade inflammation plays a role in all major diseases — heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune, arthritis and fibromyalgia, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Biological Bandages
High blood sugar triggers inflammation and injures blood vessels. Researchers report injuries caused by high glucose and high blood pressure call immune system defenses “to the rescue” and plaques form like bandages to heal damage. Even more health-depleting is chronic inflammation because the plaques break down, move through the system and can restrict or block the flow. According to Harvard cardiovascular expert, Peter Libby, MD, “It isn’t just sludge caking up on vessel walls, there’s an inflammatory response – making plaques susceptible to rupturing. When that occurs, organs are damaged or outright destroyed! Chronic inflammation is what will likely kill you if you have heart disease and/or diabetes.”
Origins of Inflammation
Where does it come from? There are medical unknowns but we know inflammation is caused by environmental chemicals, excessive and chronic, infections, allergies (food and environmental), high glucose, excessive abdominal fat, high carbohydrate foods, sugar, high blood pressure and unnatural food. When stressed, the body prepares for damage – cranking-up inflammatory responses, period.
Dr. Gilbѐre is Founder/CEO Institute for Wholistic Rejuvenation, an acclaimed author (18 books), talk-show host, creator of 8 post-graduate courses and 1,700+ health articles. She consults worldwide via telephone and Skype and in Gig Harbor. Visit: www.gloriagilbere.com or call 888.352.8175.
