Metabolic Health

Why 442 Million People Live Diabetic and What We Can Do About It

An invitation to see the big picture of how lifestyle choices can lower the suffering of metabolic disorders like type II diabetes

Suffering from Diabetes in the 21st Century

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the 21st century. Currently, 442 million people live with diabetes. It is a serious matter for society.

1.5 million people die from diabetes, 17.9 million from cardiovascular diseases, and 9.6 million from cancers each year.

We must be doing something wrong in the 21st century as we did not have such scary stats in previous centuries.

Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers have commonalities. They all relate to human metabolism. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are caused by malfunctioning metabolism.

CDC informs that more than 34 million Americans have diabetes and another 88 million US adults have prediabetes.

So, around one out of three people in a developed country are affected by a disease whose cause, diagnosis, and treatment methods are known.

Furthermore, the 21st century is known as the information age.

Yet “90% of 88 million people with prediabetes” in a developed country don’t even know they have it, according to CDC.

Moreover, CDC highlights that “A person with prediabetes is at high risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke”.

Even worse, cardiovascular diseases kill 17.9 million people, according to the World Health Organization.

US citizens are not the only people suffering from diabetes leading to heart disease and stroke. There are even worse cases in other countries.

For example, 116 million people in China in 2019 had diabetes, according to Statista. And 77 million people live with diabetes in India.

Sadly, “The lifetime risk of diabetes in metropolitan cities in India is alarming across the spectrum of weight and rises dramatically with higher BMI,” according to this paper.

What are we doing wrong in the 21st century?

What does the big picture show?

If we take a mental picture from the pinnacle of the diabetic planet, two words will shine like a Christmas tree.

First, anyone denying the effects of sugar and insulin resistance on the prevalence of diabetes is most likely from another planet.

The paradox of sugar has been well-known for centuries. Yet we wasted a lot of precious time on the paradox of cholesterol.

The bloodstream needs glucose to supply immediate energy to the cells, tissues, and organs to function. Yet the same bloodstream hates excessive sugar perceiving it as toxic (genetically) for the body.

So if the body senses too much glucose, it hurriedly attempts to get rid of it using its insulin weapon.

In summary, the bloodstream loves sugar in small amounts but hates it in large quantities. Thus, the body rewards us if we supply it little and punishes us if we give too much it.

Finding the right balance is an individual matter. For example, my solution is to replace sugar with healthy fats and eat one meal a day. Each of us is unique, so we need to customize dietary solutions based on our needs and goals.

A little kid in kindergarten can grasp this basic knowledge.

Yet, millions of highly educated adults with governmental power cannot implement the message of this simple knowledge to protect innocent people from the suffering caused by too much sugar in the bloodstream.

Ironically, this basic yet profound knowledge construct has been documented in the medical literature for a long time. So we cannot blame innocent science as it did its noble duty generously.

Every healthcare professional at least holds a basic understanding of sugar metabolism and the role of insulin.

Yet, millions of people suffer from the effects of diabetes caused by excess glucose that the body hates and the elevated insulin feeding the fat stores and growing waistlines.

The big picture poses three WHY questions:

Why are we addicted to sugar as we do to tobacco smoke, alcohol, or drugs?

Why do governments find ways to control tobacco, alcohol, and drug use but cannot control the addictive behavior of sugar?

Why are refined carbohydrates (the main sugar source) still touted as the best nutrition even by trusted healthcare professionals?

I don’t know the answers to these difficult questions.

However, I developed perspectives over the years after reviewing the metabolic health literature and reversing my prediabetic situation with simple lifestyle habits.

The topic is close to my heart as numerous family members, friends, colleagues, and community members have diabetes. Some of them even developed cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancers, concerning me deeply.

In addition, living at the onset of diabetes in my younger years gave me empathy and compassion for the suffering caused to millions of people from type II diabetes. Therefore, I am adamant about passing along my experience.

The Purpose and Inspiration of the Article

The article’s title includes why, what, and how questions on purpose.

My goal is to reframe and amplify these questions for my readers to create awareness of the importance of lifestyle choices that can reduce these concerning statistics.

Since I write a lot about metabolic and mental health, discerning readers keep asking about tips to prevent type II diabetes, heart disease, strokes, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases.

I cannot provide advice but enjoy sharing my reviews and personal experience transparently. I wrote about most of these conditions but left out diabetes to the end.

So the focus of this article is on type II diabetes as a metabolic disorder, excluding type I diabetes, which is an autoimmune disorder. I plan to write another story about type I diabetes as the risks and treatment protocols differ from type II diabetes.

Covering the details of this prominent disease affecting the lives of millions of people is impossible in an article. Thus, I only focus on the critical points at a very high level to spark motivation for people to see the big picture and make necessary lifestyle changes to address the issues.

The Punch Line for Metabolic Diseases in a Movie Metaphor

The movie starts with excessive sugar as the scene’s protagonist awakens the innocent insulin monster and causes havoc in the body.

The confused body starts hating the guiltless insulin monster.

Thus, the civil war begins in the next scene.

According to scientific knowledge, an insulin-resistant body has no chance but to lose the war in the final scene.

So the movie ends by making the body diabetic.

The Harsh Truth from the Movie

If anyone can read the literature on metabolic health, it is not too arduous to see the prominent pattern.

The picture is crystal clear, thanks to science and technology.

Yet, the picture remains as the elephant in the room.

Why are we avoiding the apparent problem of insulin resistance?

One of the most striking health issues of the 21st century is metabolic syndrome.

This fire is fuelled by insulin resistance and further amplified by leptin resistance, making the innocent body crave more food despite the abundant energy it holds in stores.

What can we do collectively to reverse the statistics of diabetes globally?

Current statistics of the 21st century paint a dark picture concerning humanity.

Countless healthcare professionals relentlessly work day and night to reduce the suffering of type II diabetes.

As a humble writer, I don’t have a prescriptive answer to the enormous problem but have a modest approach to initiate the spark for my readers.

Considering the risks of type II diabetes mainly related to lifestyle choices (except for some genetic defects), I offer five influential questions that readers might attempt to answer, priming the brain for personalized solutions.

It is impossible to create answers for billions of people as everyone is unique on this planet. However, learning from the experience of each other and enhancing the body of knowledge with our contributions is possible.

For example, as a person reversing my metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and prediabetic condition with lifestyle choices, I feel obliged to voice my situation and pass along my experience.

Considering millions of people find solutions, imagine what kind of impact it can make if each person shares their experience in this information age.

Leveraging my experience and perspectives, I offer five WHY questions and some prompting points to encourage the affected people to respond genuinely.

Understanding the WHY can empower us to find WHAT, WHEN, and HOW.

1 — Why are we so stressed and anxious?

We know that chronic stress and chronic inflammation are the root causes of many ailments, including metabolic diseases.

Why can’t we manage our stress and anxiety?

Why do we worry about trivial matters wasting our precious energy yet neglecting concern for important matters?

What is the point of worrying about the future with which we have no idea?

Why do we regurgitate the issues of the past that we have no control to change?

Why can’t we cherish the precious moment?

We know that suppressed emotions can cause chronic stress.

Why do we keep suppressing our emotions, and why don’t we meaningfully express them?

We know that chronic stress causes chronic inflammation.

Why don’t we lower stress and address the situation of the inflamed body?

2 — Why do we choose a sedentary lifestyle?

We know the body needs movement to survive and thrive. We also know that sedentary life is one of the root causes of metabolic diseases. We also know that humans evolved by moving constantly.

Why do we refrain from moving the body?

Why do we choose comfort zone over stretch zone?

Why can governments go to the moon yet cannot motivate citizens to walk around their houses?

3 — Why can’t we eat nutrient-dense food?

We know the body needs essential nutrients like proteins, healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins. We also know that excessive refined carbs turn into sugar.

Why do we feed the body with junk food comprising empty calories turning to visceral fat quickly?

Why do we prefer fast food over a home-cooked meal?

Why do governments subsidize the fast-food industry?

We know that excessive and unused calories raise blood sugar levels and spike more insulin making the body more insulin resistant and leptin resistant.

Why do we overeat?

We know that insulin and leptin-resistant body crave more food leading to obesity.

Why don’t we address insulin and leptin resistance with the help of qualified healthcare professionals?

We know that hormones rather than calories make the decision for fat accumulation.

Why do we neglect hormones yet religiously count calories?

4 — Why can’t we sleep like a baby?

We know that the body and the brain need sleep to function.

We also know that sleep deprivation raises stress hormones (e.g., cortisol), making the body more resistant to insulin.

Why do we neglect sleep, preferring to binge-watch favorite TV shows and play with our gadgets at night, waste our time with strangers on social media, and track the lives of celebrities?

We know that the secret of restorative sleep is good sleep hygiene.

Why do we pollute sleep hygiene with unhygienic behavior?

Why don’t we address hormonal issues causing sleep deprivation with the help of qualified healthcare professionals?

5 — Why can’t we enjoy life?

We all want to have a happy and satisfactory life.

We know that we are selected from billions of competing cells in our parents’ bodies and given the privilege to live on this planet.

We also know that we have a predetermined life on this planet.

Why do we take this privilege for granted and look for life in imaginary places?

Why can we not enjoy our lives with gratitude?

We know that no one is perfect.

Why do we look for perfection in our family members and friends, preventing us from connecting with them meaningfully?

We know that fun is critical for life satisfaction.

Why do we waste our time with unnecessary and imaginary concerns?

Why do we make time to worry about celebrity news but refrain from making time to have fun with loved ones?

Conclusions and Takeaways

I attempted to provide the big picture of metabolic diseases focusing on type II diabetes with critical points. Each point came with a WHY question.

If we attempt to answer these WHY questions, we might prime our minds to bring individualized answers.

The easy answers to these WHY questions might revolve around blaming genetics, circumstances, authority figures, and governments.

Even though these factors might play a role for some of us, I firmly believe that necessary and empowering answers exist in our bodies and minds as stagnant energy.

The body has the healing power, but we need to activate it consciously.

Thus, if we can connect the body and mind by taking personal responsibility and corrective actions, we can generate helpful thoughts and emotions and turn them into effective behaviors.

When we reinforce our behavior and turn them into healthy lifestyle habits, we can create solutions to address the risks of metabolic diseases like type II diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Then the factors beyond our control can have a more negligible effect. For example, we can create epigenetic effects with healthy lifestyle habits by reducing genetic constraints.

In addition, by addressing metabolic diseases with personal responsibility and support from qualified healthcare professionals, we can also reduce the risks of neurodegenerative diseases, mental disorders, cancers, and even other major diseases with healthy lifestyle habits.

Awareness, acceptance, seeking support, and corrective actions by taking personal responsibility seem reasonable approaches to empower our bodies and minds to win this battle.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

I explained the sugar paradox in the attached article.

Sugar Paradox: Key to Solve Metabolic and Mental Health Disorders

Here is a less-known yet impactful hormone on sugar metabolism.

Adiponectin Matters for Fat Loss and Inflammatory Health Conditions

I documented my experience with chronic inflammation.

Here Is How I Defeated Chronic Inflammation via 9 Lifestyle Habits.

I envisioned humanity winning the battle against diseases in the 33rd century in a lucid dream. I hope my vision is realized one day so suffering ends on this planet.

Here’s How a Mature-Age Couple Reversed Diabetes and Trimmed Their Bodies with Lifestyle Habits.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

As a new reader, you might check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting on my reviews, observations, and decades of sensible experiments. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.

Sample Health Improvement Articles for New Readers

I write about various hormones and neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, glutamate, and histamine.

One of my goals as a writer is to raise awareness about the causes and risk factors of prevalent diseases that can lead to suffering and death for a large portion of the population.

To raise awareness about health issues, I have written several articles that present my holistic health findings from research, personal observations, and unique experiences. Below are links to these articles for easy access.

Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and major disorders.

I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:

Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, Cod Liver Oil, and other nutrients to improve metabolism and mental health.

Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I document my reviews, observations, experience, and perspectives only to provide information and create awareness.

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