Type 2 Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a health problem that occurs when your body’s glucose (sugar) level is too high. During diabetes, the body’s pancreas does not make enough insulin, a hormone that helps reach glucose to your cells. Because of this, glucose levels remain high in the body’s blood. There are three common types of diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes occurs when your body does not make any insulin because of the immune system destroying all the cells that make insulin. Type 1 Diabetes usually occurs in children. Type 2 Diabetes is more common and occurs when your body cannot make enough insulin or use insulin properly. This type of diabetes usually happens in older adults. Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women and usually disappears after the baby’s birth. People with diabetes usually have to take insulin regularly. Diabetes can result in heart and kidney disease, nerve damage, and even eye problems.

How is type 2 diabetes related to canned food?

Canned foods generally contain BPA and increased BPA levels is linked to type 2 diabetes. BPA is a type of EDC, an endocrine-disrupting chemical. EDCs interfere with hormones in our body, and therefore affect normal body processes. According to the U.S. Endocrine Society, increased exposure to EDCs increases the risk of acquiring Diabetes 2. Researchers are still unaware about the mechanism behind how EDCs increase the risk of Diabetes 2, but they do know that EDCs, such as BPA, are definitely associated with Diabetes 2. BPA is not the only thing in canned food that might cause Diabetes 2. Canned foods are also high in sugar (since sugar is used a preservative), and although sugar does not directly cause Diabetes 2, sugar does directly cause obesity. Obesity can eventually lead to Diabetes 2 because obesity increases the risk for insulin resistance.

Are there any studies that link canned food to diabetes 2?

Yes, one study used 1455 participants and tested each participant's BPA. The more BPA a person had, the more likely that person was to develop Diabetes 2. In fact, the results of the study showed that the people with the highest BPA were two times more likely to acquire Diabetes than the people with the lowest BPA. Since canned food contains BPA, eating canned food makes you more susceptible to developing Diabetes.

How serious is Diabetes 2?

Diabetes 2 is a very serious condition, which if not attended to properly, can result in many problems. Some problems include vision damage, gum damage, nerve damage, circulatory system damage that could lead to amputations in the feet or legs, and hypertension. If the sugar levels in your blood become too high due to Diabetes 2, there is a chance you might die. In fact, in 2017, there were approximately 1.83 million deaths worldwide because of Diabetes among people under the age of 60. (https://www.statista.com/statistics/495457/deaths-due-to-diabetes-worldwide-number-by-region/)

How can Diabetes 2 be avoided?

Make sure you are not obese or overweight as this can lead to Diabetes 2. In order to do stay fit, exercise on a daily basis. Avoid junk food and canned food because these contain a lot of sugar. Eat a healthy diet. Also, minimize your exposure to BPA by not eating in plastic or cans.