Sugar High Brings the Heart to New Low

October 14, 1:08 PMDenver Low Carb ExaminerLinda Duffy

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Sugar not so sweet when it comes to your heart.

Diabetics have always been at a much greater risk of heart disease than non-diabetics. According to the American Heart Association, approximately three-quarters of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease. The exact mechanism by which diabetics succumb to heart disease was not totally understood. A new study by US and Australian researchers sheds light on the process that can lead a diabetic to a coronary incident.

"...short-lived sugar highs can trigger changes in gene expression that lead to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques - the build-up of white blood cells on artery walls that causes the narrowing or 'furring' of arteries and reduces blood flow to the heart." (Full story)

Since diabetics have to work so hard to stabilize blood sugar, this finding gives more credence to the idea that they should be following a diet low in carbohydrates, especially easily digestible starches and sugars like wheat, rice, corn, soy, and sugars which are notorious for spiking blood sugar. Notice the study did not say that LONG TERM high blood glucose caused the build up of white blood cells, but it was the short-lived spikes. So even if you take medication to get your blood sugar lower, the damage is already done by the time your glucose meter tells you things are getting out of control.

Reducing carbohydrate intake to normalize blood sugars, unfortunately, isn't the approach recommended by many doctors or the American Diabetes Association. Instead, they have adopted the stance that carbohydrates in the form of whole grains should be the base of your dietary intake.  With the new information that even small spikes can cause plaque build up, the recommendation that diabetics get 45-60 grams of carbohydrates per meal begins to sound insane. If you add to that the fact that the AMA also considers a "normal" blood sugar for a diabetic (fasting level 90-130 mg/dl) to be above that of a healthy person without diabetes (fasting level 70-100 mg/dl), advice given to diabetics is more like a recipe for disaster than a health plan.

Dr. Richard K. Bernstein, who is a type 1 diabetic, takes another approach to glucose management. He advocates a diet low in carbohydrates specifically designed to keep blood sugar levels stable and in the right range. Highlights of the Bernstein plan include:

• A very low carb diet to allow much tighter blood sugar control
• Diet allows 6 grams of carbohydrates for breakfast, and 12 grams each for lunch and dinner
• Avoiding all foods with added sugar, all foods with starches, all fruits
• Blood glucose testing up to 8 times per day
• Target blood glucose levels that are nearly constant for the entire day
• Weight loss for obese type 2s
• Exercise for all type 2s
• Basal/Bolus dosing (Basal (medicine) / Bolus (medicine)) for insulin users, a technique that he invented in 1972.
• Patient taking responsibility for blood sugar control

Dr. Berstein isn't alone in recommending a low carb diet for better blood glucose management for diabetics. Others like Dr. Mary Vernon , Dr. John Briffa, Richard D. Feinman, PhD and Dr. Katharine Morrison are also recommending a low carb diet for better diabetes management. Now they have proof that their recommendations are saving their patients from heart disease at the same time. 

With the new evidence that even small blood glucose jumps can cause coronary damage, it is foolish to give diabetics the impression that they can eat whatever they want as long as it is in moderation. With heart health seriously at stake, current recommendations for diabetes management need to be seriously reconsidered.

As Doctor Morrison said in the Bristish Journal of General Practice; "The lower the carbohydrate consumed the less insulin is needed for type 1 diabetics and the less hard the pancreas has to work for type 2 diabetics. For example, insulin dependent diabetics can expect to half or third their insulin requirements. Less insulin injected results in more predictable blood sugars and less hypoglycaemia. The medical establishment has been less than enthusiastic about adopting low carb diets. All of the usual gripes have been thoroughly debunked or can be dealt with by modifications to the diet. It is time to stop feeding patients a diet of junk science and start feeding them food that makes them well instead of sick."

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