The American Diabetes Association might be the worst place for a diabetic to turn for dietary advice

Drug-free diabetes

Imagine you’re the one hearing the news from your doctor. “It’s diabetes. And it’s bad. We need to get aggressive about treatment right away.”

What would you do next? The same thing we all do these days when we get any diagnosis…head to the internet.

And when you search on “diabetes” or “diabetes treatment,” you’re likely to end up on one of the most dangerous sites for you or anyone suffering with blood sugar issues: The American Diabetes Association website.

Be afraid…be very afraid…

Smoking gun

Last week, I told you about Steve Cooksey. As I mentioned, Steve’s type 2 situation was severe. In addition to diabetes medication, he also began taking four insulin injections each day.

Two different nutritionists steered Steve to the American Diabetes Association for dietary guidelines. But he soon realized that the ADA carb-loaded path was a road to ruin.

After embracing a strict non-carb diet, Steve was soon able to control his diabetes without insulin or type 2 medications. He started a blog to share the details of his success.

Throughout this process, Steve learned more and more about the ADA. And the more he learned, the less he liked.

In one post, Steve writes that the ADA, “promotes a meal plan that creates more and more drug usage… while they receive MILLIONS from the companies that profit from the meal plan.”

That’s a brazen charge. Of course, when I read it, I didn’t doubt it for a second. Nevertheless, I wanted to get evidence to back it up. All it took was about half-a-dozen mouse clicks.

First, we’ll look at donations. On the ADA website, I found a page titled “Our Corporate Sponsors.” And there they are, corporate logos and all! Here are some of the drug companies that donate at least a half million dollars per year to the ADA…

• Merck
• Lilly
• Abbott
• Sanofi Aventis
• Takeda
• Novo Nordisk

Okay, but does the ADA really advocate dietary choices that promote drug use?

On the website of Diabetes Forecast (the ADA magazine), I found an article titled, “Are Carbs the Enemy?”

And there it is — the smoking gun.

The article weighs the pros and cons of carb intake. And the question is “settled” with the observation that diabetes patients can eat their favorite foods in moderation. But that good news is qualified with this: “…as long as they lower their blood glucose with medication and exercise.”

Exercise? Absolutely.

Control portions? Excellent advice.

Eat what you want and balance that with medication? APPALLING! (Unless you’re a Merck executive.)

The wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing that is the ADA website is an abomination. And it is the last place any diabetic should go for advice on how to safely and effectively manage or cure diabetes.

Want to take the danger out of your surfing? You can find plenty of tips for living drug-free with diabetes on Steve’s blog: diabetes-warrior.net.

Sources: 
“$19 million paid to ADA by BigPharma?” Steve Cooksey, Diabetes Warrior, 2/8/11, diabetes-warrior.net

“Are Carbs the Enemy?” Tracey Neithercott, Diabetes Forecast, American Diabetes Association, forecast.diabetes.org