Insulin resistance is the reason for type 2 diabetes . Although the pancreas secretes it, the body needs more to process sugars , to such an extent that it is insufficient in people who develop the disease. What is less clear is why this resistance occurs. It is known that obesity, smoking and lack of exercise increase the probability of developing it . DNA holds the key, as there is a genetic predisposition .
As Eduard Montanya, director of the Network Center for Biomedical Research on Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases, explains, people with fully competent beta cells, even in cases of sedentary lifestyle and obesity, will never suffer from diabetes. A study published in Cell Reports suggests that the NAT2 gene may be behind the inability of muscle and fat cells to process sugar. Silencing it in rats found that its metabolic functions were deconfigured. Their study may open up another field to avoid type 2 diabetes. But since it is not yet clear what the genetic predisposition is, and since healthy habits are recommended for all people, regardless of this disease, the objective sought by public health is that the population does not fall into the clutches of sedentary lifestyle and obesity.
In any case, food and nutrition play an essential role . For example, the proliferation of sugary drinks has triggered the incidence of this evil . Not necessarily because sugar has a direct relationship, but as an indirect cause, through associated weight gain. Exercise is not only recommended because it helps control weight, but because it improves the absorption of sugar and prevents this chronic disease . For those who suffer from it, it is also very beneficial, since it increases insulin sensitivity. New guidelines from the American Diabetes Association recommend that, beyond regular exercise, those with the condition engage in light activity every 30 minutes during prolonged periods of sitting. It involves walking and stretching to improve blood glucose management. Three minutes is enough. For them, controlling their sugar intake is crucial, since they need to have an amount of insulin to process that they cannot produce .
According to Dr. Montanya, it is not necessary to restrict glucose to zero either. You have to moderate it a lot, yes, and control when it is taken, since the body’s mechanisms are not the same, for example, on an empty stomach and after eating. Thus, a sugar intake on an empty stomach can greatly affect a diabetic, but not so much if this amount is produced after meals. Artificial sweeteners are the alternative for them, for example, in a cafe, but Montanya considers that a very moderate social intake of sweet products can be made at the right times.
