Diabetes
There are two types of diabetes. Types one and two - usually written with Roman numerals: I and II.
Type I diabetes usually occurs in children and young adults and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In Type I diabetes, the pancreas does not produce insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Type II diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In Type II diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin (they are insulin resistant).
Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When sugar builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:
Type II diabetes is associated with obesity, particularly obesity caused by eating foods too rich in refined carbohydrates like sugar, white bread, cakes, biscuits and other foods which were not available to our Paleolithic ancestors.
Because these foods were not available over the history of human evolution, our bodies have not developed mechanisms for coping with them satisfactorily. Some people, however, do not become overweight or susceptible to Type II diabetes. These people are generally from genetic stock whose ancestors have a history of settled agriculture (Europeans, Indians, Chinese). People with the highest susceptibility to Type II diabetes are generally from genetic stock whose ancestors have been hunter-gatherers until very recently (Inuit, American Indians, Australian Aborigines, Maoris and Pacific Islanders). Being hunter-gatherers means they will have been well-adapted to the energetic activity of hunting and gathering and the type of foods associated with hunting and gathering: fish and animals, tubers and fruit.
The lessons from the histories of these two types of peoples are relevant to everyone with a tendency to obesity.