From: biehler@acsu.buffalo.edu (Timothy J. Biehler)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: Re: Vegetarians and Missionaries
Date: 8 Apr 92 03:40:45 GMT
Organization: UB

In article <1992Apr7.210548.22130@ssd.kodak.com> young@sasquatch.serum.kodak.com (Rich Young (x37176)) writes:
>dm3o+@andrew.cmu.edu (David F. McWade) writes:
>
>>>Rich Young writes:
>>>
>>>Does one explain to the diabetic that his/her sweet
>>>tooth may well cause death, or does one rip the candy out >of his/her
>>>mouth and make thinly-veiled references to thinking capacity?
>
>>   I think this is particularly ironic because diabetes is more aggravated
>>   (and caused) by fat intake (particularly animal fat intake), than sugar
>>   intake.  A vegetarian (vegan) diet is probably the best thing for a
>>   diabetic or person interested in not getting diabetes in the future.
>
>  Please note that the above question about a diabetics' sweet tooth is
>  quoted completely out of context.  Having said that, the following is
>  quoted from __The Merck Manual__, Fifteenth Edition, 1987, without
>  permission:
  >
>DIABETES MELLITUS (DM):
>
>	"A syndrome resulting from a variable interaction of hereditary
>	and environmental factors, and characterized by abnormal insulin
>	secretion, inappropriately elevated blood glucose levels, and a
>	variety of end organ complications including nephropathy, retinopathy,
>	neuropathy, and accelerated atherosclerosis."
>
>	"DM has no distinct etiology, pathogenesis, invariable set of
>	clinical findings, specific laboratory tests, or definitive and
>	curative therapy, although it is nearly always associated with
>	fasting hyperglycemia and decreased glucose tolerance."
>
>	[...]
>
>DIET FOR DIABETES:
>
>	"Beyond the basic requirements to provide adequate calories and
>	necessary nutrients to achieve desirable weight and sustain
>	normal growth and development, 2 factors in diabetic patients
>	require specific dietary adjustments.  INSULIN-TREATED PATIENTS
>	require day-to-day consistency of intake of calories...and timing
>	of meals."
>
>	[...]
>
>	"OBESITY is the other factor requiring dietary treatment.  Decreased
>	caloric intake with even moderate (15 lb.) [adult] weight reduction
>	will lower fasting plasma glucose, lipid, and insulin levels toward
>	normal as insulin resistance is decreased."
>
>	[...]
>
>	"Current information, however, fails to demonstrate that diet
>	programs emphasizing adhering to a specific "diabetic" diet or
>	avoiding specific foods can reverse or prevent the disabling
>	manifestations of diabetes."
>
>	[...]
>
>  There are a total of 15 pages (of tiny, tiny print) in the Manual which
>  describe the various forms of diabetes; anyone with further interest should
>  consult the listed source.  It would appear, however, that the only real
>  contribution of fat in general, and animal fat in particular, is in its
>  contribution to obesity.
>
>Don't get angry, get accurate information.

	In the interest of accurate information ...
	seeing as the above is out of date (even for 1987)
	information in response to bullshit.

	It *is* important for individuals with diabetes to control
	blood fats, and much research has been done indicating that
	lowering cholesterol levels is associated with reduced risk
	of some diabetic complications.  There has been some research
	done indicating that moderate (as opposed to standard American
	diets, which are excessive in this regard) protein intake
	may be associated with reduced risk of diabetic complications.
	(While one might be going awfully far to say that the "ideal"
	diabetic diet is vegetarian, it is true that the ideal tends
	toward low to moderate meat consumption.)

	It is true that a high carbohydrate, high fiber diet is also
	most effective in controlling blood sugar levels.  There most
	decidedly are specific dietary recommendations to be followed
	which will reduce overall likelihood of complications of
	diabetes.  Ask any doctor, or call the American Diabetes
	Association chapter in your area.

	It is also true that better overall control of blood sugar 
	levels is associated with reduced risk of complications.
	There are many factors which contribute to the control of
	blood sugar levels, but it is certainly true that eating
	significant amounts of simple sugar will throw blood sugars
	out of control.

	The original statement that fat intake is of more concern to
	diabetics than sugar intake is nonsense.  Fat intake is
	a significant factor in avoiding complications, but the best
	single indicator of likelihood of complications is overall
	blood sugar control.  While avoiding sugra entirely will not
	necessarily bring this about (one must balance medicaton,
	exercise, and diet), eating sugar will make this quite difficult.

	Overweight leads to greater risk of developing diabetes,
	and so for a non-diabetic fat intake may be of greater
	concern in terms of avoiding diabetes.  But for a person
	who already has is, sugar is generally more significant than
	fat.

	This is not meant as a major flame, but is merely intended
	to correct misinformation.  The actual details of what
	and what not diabetics should eat is a bit far removed
	from the original point of minding one's own business
	(I am inclined to agree that you shouldn't yank any
	food out of another person's mouth, whether it is fatty
	or sweet or both :-)).  But if folx must go off on tangents
	the info should be correct.

Tim
	
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* "I'm too sexy for my cat,		*				      *
*	I'm too sexy for my hat!	*  Tim Biehler			      *
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Newsgroups: rec.food.veg