Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. There are two varieties of diabetes: Type 1 & Type 2. Both are treatable and many Americans live active lives with diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is more common earlier in life and is marked by a pure insulin hormone deficiency. Type 1 diabetes is often discovered through the rapid onset of ketoacidosis. Ketones build up in the blood when the body uses fat as an energy source. The build up of ketones is what causes keotacidosis. Ketoacidosis starts gradually as the ketones build up unknown to the diabetic until it hits suddenly and requires immediate medical attention.

Type 2 is the more common type of diabetes which develops much more gradually than Type 1 diabetes. Nearly 10 percent of Americans over the age of 20 have diabetes and almost 20 percent of those over 60 have Type 2 diabetes.

20 million Americans have diabetes and the number is expected to double over the next few decades. The medical community has expressed concern over the rising cases of diabetes as it continues to put a strain on medical resources. Diabetes accounts for an alarming number of hospital admissions, total hospital days, 3 out of 5 non-traumatic amputations.

But that's not all, diabetes is the number one cause of new blindness and a common cause of kidney failure that results in the need for dialysis or kidney transplant. In total the annual medical bill associated with diabetes is approaching $150 billion dollars which is a staggering amount for one disease.

With all the advances in medical technology, the question has been raised as to why we haven't yet found the answer to the coming diabetes epidemic. Our genetic make-up may hold the answer.

Our prehistoric ancestors were hunters and gatherers. They had to hunt their own meat and gather their own fruits, nuts, and berries. Obviously their diets were devoid of fast food, soda pop, Twinkies, and potato chips among others. They ate a healthy diet of lean meats, fruits, nuts, and berries. Their bodies were also equipped with genes that helped them survive in times of famine when there was little or no food to be hunted or gathered.

No flash forward a few thousand years to modern times. Our genetic makeup has not changed significantly but our lifestyles have changed dramatically. Food is cheap and abundant. So much so that most Americans are overweight. Perhaps the same gene that helped prehistoric people maintain weigh during hard times is responsible for weight gain in modern times. Medical science has not found the definitive answer yet.

In any event, the excess fat in the blood of most Americans raises triglyceride levels and lowers good cholesterol. In addition, blood pressure is generally higher than recommended. All these factors put tremendous strain on insulin producing beta cells. Insulin is the hormone the body produces to control blood sugar and abnormalities in insulin levels are the cause of diabetes.

So there you have it. To decrease your risk of diabetes stop eating junk food and go on the caveman diet. That still leaves you with plenty of choices including all types of meat and fish, fruits & vegetables, and nuts & berries. Otherwise your chanced of developing diabetes in your later years are very high if you choose to eat like the typical American who eats too much fast food and too much fat in general. The choice is yours.