Did you ever want to know how fast food causes diabetes? There are actually a number of ways that fast food causes diabetes. Of course, how much fast food one eats is a personal choice. However, that also means that it is up to each and every person to attend to their own health. This may mean reducing your own fast food intake.
In the past our ancestors were either hunters and gatherers or they were farmers. They did not have blocks of food chains lined up to serve them saturated fats and refined sugars any time they chose. They spent as much or more energy out of their bodies trying to find or grow food as they took in at the end of the day. Furthermore, take into account what they ate. Normally it was lean meats with no additives or preservatives, vegetables, and possibly treats made of fruits and berries. Therefore, our bodies are not ‘set up’ for meals high in fats, sugars, carbohydrates, and cholesterol.
Another way to look at the way fast food causes diabetes is through stress. When our ancestor saw danger coming, such as a bear attack, what did he probably do? Run. Nowadays when we get yelled at by our boss, run down by family members, flipped off in the car, or otherwise feel attacked and stressed, what do we do? Most of us stop off at the closest burger joint. This is wrong. Exercise is actually the best stress reliever; it causes the best release of stress and releases endorphins which are “happy” hormones. Everyone should exercise at least 30 minutes a day, diabetic or not.
Specifically Why Fast Food Causes Diabetes
If you want to understand why fast food causes diabetes, you must first understand what insulin resistance is. Many of us eat large amounts of sugar and carbohydrates, which are found often in fast foods. The burger you ate last night, the fries at lunch, and the mocha shake that you had at breakfast to wake you up were all high in carbohydrates and sugar. Carbohydrates and sugars break down and form glucose in our blood. Insulin, a hormone in our bodies, is created as a way to transfer the blood sugar into our cells.
Now this over-intake of sugar is ok every once in a while. Our body just reacts by creating more insulin and it is all taken care of. However, if we eat things like pizza, ice cream, and chips too often then our cells become resistant to the insulin. When the insulin is not used, not only is it still in our blood stream but blood glucose (blood sugar) stays in our bloodstream as well, eventually leading to diabetes. This is how fast food causes diabetes.
Excess sugar in the blood stream causes damage to blood vessels, nerves, and internal organs. Exercising can help improve insulin resistance and reduce the amount of sugar in your blood, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Choosing to eat carrots over a bacon cheeseburger might not sound too appetizing, but as you do this more and more you begin to crave natural foods more often. It is definitely better than being obese or crippled by diabetes. Begin living a better lifestyle today, and remember how fast food causes diabetes.
