Well, if you keep eating what your parents and grandparents ate, there is good chance you will inherit their diabetes. The primary reason here is not genetics, but lifestyle. We are referring to the lifestyle you have so unknowingly inherited from them that is making you ask this question!
Let us get a few facts clear first.
Research says that genetics account for 20% of lifestyle disorders, the rest is down to your lifestyle and the environment, of which lifestyle dominates at around 70%.
Having said that, when we speak of type 2 diabetes, it is a lifestyle disorder (Type 1 diabetes is the result of a genetic defect and really has no natural cure for it). We call it a lifestyle disorder because it occurs as a result of what you eat, what you think, how you sleep, what you do, basically a culmination of your day to day lives. This means, if you alter your lifestyle, there is a 70% chance that you will not inherit diabetes. Seems like a fair deal doesn’t it? But let me tell you where we go wrong.
We fall prey to the whole genetics and mass psychology trap. We have been made to believe that we will inherit diabetes and other related disorders like cardiovascular disease and cancer just because our elders had them. Well, you do have a similar genetic structure, but you can definitely improve your knowledge on the subject of nutrition and how food forms the very essence of longevity. By doing so, you will be able to alter the one component that is in your hands- your lifestyle. And by doing so, you will ensure that diabetes can literally not touch you.
We would often see that parents who do not exercise much have the same effect on their kids (ofcourse there will be exceptions from one generation to the other), and similarly if they enjoy junk food, so does the offspring. It is these habits that I am referring to. Also it is important to note that there is a group of parents who are very health conscious, but is their knowledge on the subject sufficient to ensure that they kids do not inherit diabetes? Sadly, that is not the case.
Today, what the food industry deems as healthy, actually isn’t. How are we able to consume more and more packaged foods today? Why is the size of the fruit & vegetable corner at the supermarket reducing in size? Well, they don’t want us to stay healthy. They have been fooling us for decades and we have ended up implementing it all without verifying the facts. This is called mass psychology folks. We humans tend to get swayed easily. An advertisement with an elite athlete showcasing a new protein rich snack is released and it has us all running to buy it.
Open your minds and think for yourself for once. Do your research and listen to your body. Our bodies are designed to heal and repair themselves. Diabetes is just an abnormality that can be a thing of the past. There is enough evidence published that people who consume a predominantly vegetarian diet and very little to none of animal based produce, have shown greater improvement and resilience to health issues like diabetes, hypertension, obesity and heart disorders. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, nuts & seeds has been proven to promote healthier body weight and BMI, greater insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance.
The answer is NO, you will not and will not inherit diabetes provided you do not blindly follow a lifestyle that has been inherited or falsely created by the food industry. Eat scientifically correct food, get enough sleep, keep moving and stay happy!
Have a query about nutrition or just want to talk about your eating choices? Just drop it on my Whatsapp and i'll get back to you.