Diabetes-Gut Connection

The often quoted line from physicians regarding body fat is “calories in, calories out.”  Or, “a pound of body weight is equal to 3.600 Calories, so weight-management is merely a matter of math and will-power.”  These over-simplified adages infuriate many a patient who is diligently working on eating healthfully and still can’t lose weight or manage their blood sugar.  Since the mid-1900’s, with the widespread availability of packaged foods and the frequent use antibiotics, as well as the changes in lifestyle and sleep habits, diabetes rates and obesity levels have increased dramatically.  Now, medical researchers are finally coming to an understanding of the role that the gut biome plays in the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes.  Please check out this interesting article form the Journal of Diabetes Investigation that looks at the gut ecosystem and it’s effect on the develop of diabetes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5754518/.