[Kim Jaeho's Life Story]<275> A Life Free from Diabetes

As AI technology advances today, the importance of energy supply is becoming more prominent due to the surging electricity demand required to keep data centers running 24 hours a day. So, how does our body appropriately produce and supply the energy needed for its activities?

Unlike plants, which directly generate the energy required for growth and survival using solar energy, the cells in our body live by burning nutrients such as glucose, constantly supplied via the bloodstream, along with oxygen to produce energy.

Because our body’s cells operate non-stop 24 hours a day, they require a constant supply of glucose-blood sugar-from the bloodstream to survive. As blood containing glucose circulates through the blood vessels, cells that need glucose open their channels to take in blood sugar for use as an energy source. In cases of severe hypoglycemia, cells are unable to produce enough energy for their activities due to glucose deficiency, making it crucial to maintain sufficient blood sugar levels.

However, having too much blood sugar is not beneficial either; maintaining an appropriate level is essential. If blood sugar is too high, it can damage cells-including those in blood vessels and nerves-causing serious problems. Given that there is often a significant imbalance between the supply and demand of blood sugar throughout the day, how does our body maintain it at an appropriate level?

The demand for blood sugar is not constant and fluctuates based on cellular activity. Glucose generated from the digestion of carbohydrates is absorbed in the small intestine and transported to the liver through the portal vein. The amount of glucose absorbed increases sharply about one to two hours after a meal as food is digested, then drops rapidly once absorption is complete. However, the demand for blood sugar continues 24 hours a day, and the variation in demand is much smaller compared to the fluctuation in glucose absorption.

Our body has a perfect system to maintain blood sugar within a proper range, using two hormones called insulin and glucagon. If we maintain this mysterious system well, blood sugar will not stray outside the appropriate range and there will be no problems. However, repeated unhealthy habits can lead to issues with blood sugar regulation.

Most cells cannot use blood sugar without the help of insulin. When insulin sends a signal to insulin receptors on the cell surface, the cell opens its channels to allow blood sugar inside, where it is used for energy production. A small amount of insulin circulates throughout the body via the bloodstream at all times.

After a meal, as food is digested and glucose is absorbed, blood sugar levels rise sharply. Beta cells in the pancreas then increase the secretion of insulin. The increased insulin stimulates insulin receptors on cells to promote glucose usage. Additionally, insulin signals the liver to convert some glucose into glycogen, thereby lowering blood sugar to an appropriate level.

When digestion ends and the amount of absorbed glucose decreases, the supply of blood sugar falls below its usage, causing blood sugar levels to drop below the optimal range. At this point, glucagon secreted by alpha cells in the pancreas signals the liver to convert stored glycogen back into glucose, raising blood sugar to a proper level.

The total amount of glucose present in the bloodstream-when the blood volume is 5 liters-is about 5 grams, which is known to be enough for only about 10 to 15 minutes of typical activity. Therefore, during periods when glucose is not being absorbed, the constant conversion of stored glycogen in the liver to glucose, triggered by pancreatic glucagon, is always occurring.

Because the genes within our cells operate properly to keep blood sugar within a suitable range, most people are able to live day to day without major problems. But what happens if this system fails to function properly?

If blood sugar drops below the appropriate level and the liver does not properly convert stored glycogen into glucose in response to glucagon, a condition commonly called 'low blood sugar' or hypoglycemia may occur. This can cause symptoms such as fatigue, tremors, paleness, cold sweats, dizziness, agitation, anxiety, palpitations, hunger, headache, and tiredness. If hypoglycemia continues for a long time, it can lead to convulsions or seizures, and even shock, potentially resulting in loss of consciousness.

Conversely, after a meal, if too much glucose is absorbed and remains in the bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to spike, the resulting hyperglycemia can damage cells, including blood vessels and nerves. Persistent hyperglycemia is the hallmark of diabetes.

Today, diabetes ranks as the 6th or 7th leading cause of death in Korea. In 2024, 11,064 people died from diabetes, accounting for 3.1% of all deaths. It is a troublesome disease that causes significant suffering for patients and is difficult to cure. According to the 2024 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the prevalence of diabetes is 13.8% for men and 7.8% for women, with many more people in the prediabetic stage.

With health checkups becoming commonplace, the number of people being told they are prediabetic or diabetic continues to rise. But are people responding to diabetes appropriately? Many people take the medication prescribed by their doctor but do not make any personal efforts to improve their condition. Can diabetes be well managed with this approach?

Diabetes generally appears in two forms: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when insulin, the hormone required for blood sugar regulation, is either not produced at all or produced in very small amounts. Because this form mainly affects children and adolescents, it is often called juvenile diabetes.

The cause of type 1 diabetes is known to be an autoimmune disease in which immune cells attack and destroy the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Modern medicine admits that the cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown and thus cannot present a clear method for prevention or cure. The main management strategy is supplying insulin through injections.

Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes cases, usually occurs when insulin is normally secreted by the pancreas and signals the cell receptors, but the cells do not open their channels to allow glucose inside due to insulin resistance.

To treat type 2 diabetes, a variety of medications are used: drugs that improve insulin resistance, drugs that stimulate insulin secretion, drugs that both increase insulin secretion and inhibit glucagon secretion, and drugs that suppress glucose reabsorption in the kidneys. However, these do not address the fundamental cause of insulin resistance, so the goal is only to relieve symptoms. Various side effects of these medications can also inconvenience patients.

To live a life free from diabetes, it is necessary to prevent or cure the disease, not just alleviate symptoms. Current treatment methods have limitations. So what is the problem, and is there a solution?

In order to live a healthy life free from diabetes and other diseases, there is something we must pay attention to. All the systems needed for us to live healthily exist in our cells in the form of genes. This is what I call 'supreme intelligence,' or 'the best doctor prepared within my body.' When we persist in unhealthy habits that interfere with this remarkable system at work, various diseases occur.

Earlier, I explained that a system exists in our cells in genetic form to regulate blood sugar within a proper range. This is the supreme intelligence, 'the best doctor prepared within my body,' and the reason for diabetes is that this system does not function properly.

People tend to ignore this crucial fact and rely on drugs developed by humanity, but the effects and limitations of such medications are clear. If the root cause of the disease is not resolved, the outcome is all too predictable.

To prevent and cure diabetes, we must create a favorable environment that allows 'the best doctor within my body' to work enthusiastically and entrust everything to this supreme doctor. This is the strategy behind Newstart (see Life Story, Part 6).

The first of Newstart’s eight principles is 'life diet,' which involves eating a sufficient variety of whole plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, and grains, without favoring specific foods. In addition, it is important to reduce the consumption of sugar, processed or refined unhealthy carbohydrates, saturated fats and trans fats, salt, and alcohol, which cause many problems when consumed in excess, and to practice the other Newstart principles: exercise, water, sunlight, temperance, air, rest, trust, and love.

Independent researcher

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.