Think about the way our modern media world works. You are flooded with information, videos, links, tweets, and everything else at a hyperfast pace. It comes from your phone, your computer, your TV, your gabbing coworkers, and on and on. Many of us breathe in that info like oxygen—constantly needing to be plugged in—and it’s very difficult to shut off. Our brains often feel as if they’re at capacity, and it’s overwhelming.
The same type of thing has been happening in our bodies for decades. But instead of being steamrolled by a social media feed, our bodies have been walloped by, well, the original kind of feed: a trough of excess calories, easy-to-grab junk food, drive-through fat bombs, and a steady stream of “treats.”
This collective change in our dietary habits (as well as more readily available processed foods) is one of the main reasons why this country has been fighting an obesity epidemic. With more than 70 percent of Americans overweight, we’re not just putting pressure on our scales; we’re also burdening our health care systems (and our lives!) with all the downsides that come with excess belly fat.53
One of the main effects of excess weight and inches around your waist: development of type 2 diabetes, the condition that comes with elevated levels of blood glucose from increased insulin resistance. About 9 percent of Americans have type 2 diabetes, with at least another third of us at risk of developing the disease.54 This condition—the seventh leading cause of death in the United States—has plenty of problems associated with it, including eye, nerve, and kidney damage.55 But it is also scary because of the increased risk of heart and brain-functioning problems.
Now, if you remember our discussion from earlier in the book, you’ll recall the biology of the problem: When you eat too much food or focus on the wrong kinds of foods, you have more circulating glucose in your blood. Your pancreas, which produces insulin, cannot keep up with the excess. And that’s a problem, because insulin is what hauls the glucose out of your blood and into your muscles and organs to use for energy. The remaining blood sugar—with nowhere to go—then circulates in your blood, combining with your proteins and causing them to become less functional. This in turn weakens cellular bonds in your arteries and damages them, and also creates all other kinds of unstable environments in your body.
The way to prevent diabetes comes down to losing some inches around your waist and extra weight by eating healthier, and by moving your body. Losing waist size and weight helps decrease insulin resistance. Also, because you’ll be eating better quality foods, you’ll be reducing the excess sugar and saturated fat that needs to be processed.
Managing stress works the same way: Your brain won’t try to comfort you by demanding excess or poor-quality calories. Activity also works to help you lose weight, making your muscles work harder and thereby improving their ability to use insulin and absorb glucose. Some research even shows that exercise and a healthy diet have a greater effect on reducing diabetes risk than diabetes medication.56 You don’t need to sweat like a first-time public speaker to see the effects. Walking—10,000 steps a day seems to be the number that really breaks down insulin resistance57—and doing some resistance exercises can reduce the risk.58
Without question, the best thing you can do to prevent diabetes is follow the When Way approach to eating well, which will help you maintain a healthy weight. For reinforcements, here’s how you can focus your plan of attack:
MVP: Have a cup of coffee. Or two. Or more! Four cups of coffee (300 milligrams of caffeine) has been suggested to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 25 percent (it’s similar with decaffeinated coffee). It’s not totally clear why it has this effect, but some speculate that the nutrients in coffee help reduce insulin resistance and improve metabolism.59 Others think it’s because coffee and caffeine decrease your desire for food. Just don’t mistake coffee for a milk shake and fill it with cream and sugar. If you want to add something to take the bitter edge off, try some almond milk and sprinkle in some cinnamon, which has been shown in small studies to help control blood sugar.60
Key Players: Healthy fats and healthy grains are key not just for controlling weight, but also for their role in reducing risk. Research shows that increased intake of polyunsaturated fats from vegetables, nuts, and seeds—for example, those found in olive oil, avocados, walnuts—may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.61 Same goes for whole grains and fiber. Women who average about two servings of whole grains a day are around 30 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who don’t.62 (Simple carbs—white bread, white rice, some cereals—don’t have the same effect because they have a high glycemic index, which causes higher spikes in blood sugar.) Those healthy fats and grains, of course, are staples of a well-balanced diet and should be part of your “what to eat anytime” way of eating. Eating diverse, fiber-rich foods helps improve glucose control; research has shown that by-products of some gut bacteria reduce potentially harmful bacteria that increase insulin.63
Cut From the Team: Red meats, processed meats, and all processed food (especially those loaded with sugar) are the main villains here. Research has found that just one small serving of red meat a day increases risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20 percent, while small amounts of processed meats (yes, that means bacon) increase the risk by more than 50 percent. The theory is that a substance found in red and processed meats may damage the cells that produce insulin, making it harder to handle blood glucose. But researchers have also uncovered some good news: If you swap those meats with a serving of nuts or whole grains, you could lower the risk of diabetes by 35 percent.64 You’ll also want to avoid foods that are high in simple sugars. These are those refined carbohydrates (found in most forms of packaged and processed foods) that give an immediate blood sugar jolt to your system. Your body cannot handle those fast influxes the way it can handle slower-digesting foods.
| SUB OUT… | SUB IN… |
| Soda | Black coffee or unsweetened green tea. Studies show these beverages can reduce your risk of diabetes.65,66 |
| Chips | Crunchy vegetables with sea salt. You’ll get that satisfying crunch you crave, without the grease, fat, and carb bomb. |
| Fries | Baked potato skins with olive oil and garlic or roasted asparagus. Delicious, and better than deep-fried white potatoes, which are just sugar and fat that help increase the risk of diabetes. |
| Delivery pizza | Do-it-yourself pizza with 100 percent whole grain crust, marinara, and lots of veggies (you can use a little low-fat or skim mozzarella). If you make it yourself, you control the carbs, sugar, salt, and fat. |
| Burgers | Salmon burgers or veggie burgers with your favorite spices, topped with grilled onions and peppers. These are loaded with good fat and fiber, respectively, instead of bad saturated fats and lack of fiber in a traditional burger. |
| Desserts | Berries mixed with a few chunks or sprinkles of dark chocolate (to satisfy your sweet cravings, but with fiber and antioxidants to keep your blood sugar from spiking). Pair with a glass of red wine (moderate alcohol consumption can help with prevention). |
The Spice of Your Life
One fear as you transition from junk foods to more healthful options is the thought of sacrificing taste. After all, those processed foods are infused with fat, sugar, and artificial flavors to make your tongue do the “wow” dance and get you hooked. The secret to combating that scenario is hidden in your spice rack. The possibilities for new flavors are endless: garlic, coriander, dill, cilantro, curry powder, you name it. There’s a zillion combinations and ways to make our food fun, flavorful, and different—and appeal to our inherent desire to enjoy what we eat. When you make the spice aisle one of your favorites, your senses will thank you—and so will your body.