Managing Blood Sugar
The previous section described why it is important to maintain blood sugar, as well as body fat, within a healthy level. High blood sugar damages several body organs over time, so that the body cannot lower blood sugar levels when it gets too high. Body fat also damages cells in similar ways to high blood sugar. Indeed, high blood sugar can increase body fat, and high body fat can cause insulin resistance and pancreatic damage. So a combination of high blood sugar and body fat compounds and accelerates the progression from insulin resistance to diabetes, and then the development of diabetes complications.
To prevent diabetes-related illnesses, it is crucial to manage blood sugar levels and body fat levels through diet and exercise.
Sugar and fat are like batteries. The body does not need batteries if it does not need to use their energy. We use up energy during physical activity. If activity level is lower than the amount of energy batteries we eat through our diet, sugar and fat will be stored up. So to prevent disease, we can (1) eat less sugar and fat, and (2) burn up sugar and fat by exercising.