Type two diabetes, otherwise known as adult onset diabetes, has become one of the fastest growing diseases in North America. Should you be concerned? Absolutely. That's because you can develop type two diabetes at any time. What's more, many people have it and show absolutely no symptoms. Left unchecked, it can lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke later in life.



WHAT CAUSES ADULT ONSET DIABETES?

No one knows for sure why some people develop diabetes and some don't. Certainly, genetic factors are a large part of the equation but lifestyle choices are an equally important consideration. A diet rich in fats and refined sugars is a leading factor in developing this disease, as is excess weight.

Many doctors believe that the underlying cause of diabetes is chronic inflammation, but what does that mean? Quite simply, it means that type two diabetics can benefit tremendously from eating a balanced diet of low glycemic index foods and taking anti-inflammatories, such as acai.

HOW DO ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES HELP?

To understand why taking something like acai would help a type two diabetic, you first have to understand some of the theory behind the recent findings. You have cells in your blood called macrophages and it's the job of these cells to clean up cellular debris and/or start specific defensive mechanisms within the body. When macrophages get into tissues they release cytokines, these allow your body to 'talk' to different parts of itself. But cytokines can also make tissue insulin resistant which is what causes type two diabetes. The important thing to take away from this is that macrophages only enter tissue as part of an inflammation response (to clear away dead cell matter). So, less inflammation in the body means less macrophages in your tissue which means less insulin resistance.

WHAT EXACTLY CAN ACAI DO FOR ME?

Acai helps in two ways. Firstly, it helps curb your appetite. All diabetics know how crucial controlling their diet is. Managing a proper diet on an empty stomach makes things a lot harder than they have to be. When you're hungry, you're more prone to snack on 'forbidden' foods and risk your overall health in the process. Acai simply helps to fill you up. No more hunger cravings means a better chance of staying on your diet and consequently better health. The second thing acai helps with is that it's a low glycemic index (low GI) food. What does that mean? In simple terms, it just means that the food is slow to digest. Low GI foods, by their very nature, mean that your blood sugar and insulin levels rise slowly (as the food is digested).

If you're wondering what kind of acai to take, I prefer the solid or capsule form versus the liquid. The main benefit consuming a solid is your not paying for expensive fruit juice fillers (which is often the case with the liquid acai supplements). Also, the amount of acai you get for what you pay is amazing. 'Pound for pound' it's one of the best deals out there.

Managing diabetes can be hard but with acai and a proper diet you can be on your way to better health and an improved quality of life.