From: young@sasquatch.serum.kodak.com (Rich Young (x37176))
Subject: Re: Vegetarians and Missionaries
Organization: Clinical Products Division, Eastman Kodak Company
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 22:27:37 GMT

biehler@acsu.buffalo.edu (Timothy J. Biehler) writes:

>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.
>>
>
>	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.

  In the still further interest of accuracy, let it be noted that the last
  paragraph quoted from the Merck Manual said, in part, that diet hasn't been
  shown to "...REVERSE or PREVENT the disabling manifestations of diabetes."
  [emphasis added]

  The above two paragraphs talk only about "reduced risk", which is not the
  same as reversal of existing conditions, nor is it equivalent to absolute
  prevention.

  The implication that diabetics "do not need" to control fat intake is an
  unfortunate artifact of editing for brevity.  Perusal of the source will
  verify this.  In addition, my statement regarding "the only real
  contribution of fat" was addressed to the CAUSE of the condition, NOT its
  treatment.

[...remainder of "correction" post deleted for brevity...]

-Rich (young@serum.kodak.com)

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