Scientists are uncovering how gut bacteria directly impact blood sugar and insulin response. Poor gut health can trigger inflammation, insulin resistance, and increase diabetes risk. Maintaining a balanced microbiome may hold the key to preventing and managing diabetes naturally.
When people think of diabetes, they generally picture sugar, insulin, or the pancreas. But there’s another significant player quietly influencing your blood sugar, one that tends to be ignored. It’s not in your blood, it’s in your belly.
Yes, your gut may harbour surprising clues to why diabetes develops and how it can be controlled.
Your Second Brain and The Master Metabolic System:
Inside your gut is a bustling community of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, collectively known as the ‘gut microbiome’. These microbes are anything but harmful; instead, they aid in digesting food, controlling your immune system, and even talking to your brain and hormones. You might consider these closeted metabolic allies in your body.
According to Dr Tejaswi V, Consultant – Diabetes and Endocrinology, Manipal Hospital Kanakapura Road, when this fragile balance of gut bacteria is disrupted, a condition called dysbiosis, the body’s metabolism begins to stray. Disrupting the balance of skin bacteria appears to change how the body processes food and manages weight, all because inflammations are brought on by toxins released from harmful bacteria, which also interferes with insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Over time, this inflammation can make the body resistant to insulin, the first step toward type 2 diabetes.
Modern Living, Ancient Bodies:
Our grandparents never discussed their gut health, but the diet of yesteryear protected it. Preindustrial food regimens (like Indian diets) that were high in fibre, or lentils, vegetables, and fermented foods such as curd or buttermilk, kept gut bacteria diverse and flourishing.
Today, we live in a world where everyone is on the move, and our hectic food habits reflect a new reality. Poor diets high in refined carbs, sugary drinks, processed snacks, and antibiotic overuse have cleared the gut of healthy bugs.
False “better-for-you” sweeteners (like artificially sweetened, “diabetic-friendly” sodas) can change gut bacteria in unfavourable ways that don’t help blood sugar control.
Healing Starts in the Gut:
The good news? The gut is quite resilient. Making a few simple lifestyle changes can help restore its health:
- Eat more fibre: Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables feed the good bacteria in your gut.
- Add fermented foods: Curd, idli batter, kombucha, and homemade pickles bring beneficial microbes back to your gut. Meanwhile, reduce processed foods and sugar.
- Exercise daily: Moving your body can improve your gut and blood sugar health.
- Get good sleep and manage stress: Both are important for keeping your gut balanced.
The main idea is clear — your gut and blood sugar are closely connected.
A New Perspective on Diabetes
Maybe it’s time to think about diabetes not just as a sugar problem, but also as a gut problem. Taking care of your microbiome might be one of the simplest, most natural ways to keep your blood sugar and your whole body balanced. Sometimes, the best way to improve blood sugar control starts not with a pill, but with a healthy gut.
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