Answered by: Dr. Mariela Glandt

Most of the risk that comes from eating too many sweets is associated with fact that eating a lot of sugar leads to weight gain, which in turn can lead to diabetes.  Having said that, there are studies that show, for example, that if you drink more than 2 soft drinks a day you are at increased risk of developing diabetes, regardless of the amount of weight gain.

When we say that type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors, it is in a way saying yes, there is a predetermined level of insulin production.  There are those lucky people who eat lots of sweets, but somehow their pancreas can compensate for this by producing more insulin, and hence keeping the sugars in the normal range. While there are others whose pancreas cannot respond to that kind of stress, and thus cannot produce enough insulin, and their blood sugar levels go up.  This is indeed preset mostly by genetic factors, and perhaps also by circumstances set in the mother’s womb.  If you have a history of diabetes in your family, try not to stress your pancreas too much! Keep to a healthy diet and exercise.

Answered by: Dr. Mariela Glandt

It is expensive to check blood sugar levels 7 to 8 times a day. While it is fine to eat some bread or brown rice when you exercise, perhaps you need to check with your doctor to make sure that
your medication doses don’t need to be adjusted.  If you are trying hard to keep the blood sugar level above 100, even on the days you are not exercising, then you might be taking too much medication.

Answered by: Dr. Mariela Glandt

You might be experiencing hypoglycemia unawareness. This can happen after being a diabetic for many years. While it is fantastic that you are now tightly controlled, it probably means you are having more frequent bouts of hypoglycemia. Usually when a diabetic experiences hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hormones such as epinephrine, cortisol, growth hormone and glucagon kick in to raise your blood sugar levels, and they cause changes in your body such as sweating and heart palpitations that warn you that something is wrong.  But if you are having too many hypoglycemic events these hormones might be somewhat depleted and you may not be able to respond appropriately to the low blood sugar levels.  Also, when you have hypoglycemia unawareness
the sugar preferentially goes to your brain, rather than to the rest of your body, so that your brain is unaware that you are actually not doing well. I suggest you take extra caution to try to avoid low blood sugar levels.  This will probably restore the response somewhat. In general,  I would suggest checking  your blood sugar at least 7 or 8 times a day, especially before driving or other potentially dangerous situations where low blood sugar could impair your performance. As always, consult your physician for further recommendations, as you may require changes in your medications.