Q I don't really eat that many sweets and I'm on the thin side, so why did I end up with prediabetes?
A Blood sugar problems aren't caused by sweets alone — visceral fat, low muscle mass, family history, lack of exercise, and stress all play a part. Even if you look thin, plenty of belly visceral fat or too little muscle can throw off blood sugar control.
Detailed Answer
Sweets are not the only cause of prediabetes. Even if you look thin, if you have a lot of visceral fat deep in your abdomen — so-called "skinny fat" — or too little muscle, your body's insulin works less efficiently at processing blood sugar, and it rises. Add family history, lack of exercise, a diet centered on refined carbohydrates, chronic stress, and poor sleep, and it can appear even in thin people.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
At Dongjedang, we view blood sugar problems in thin people, too, as "the metabolic power to burn sugar declining, with surplus becoming stagnant." We consider whether metabolism is suppressed and circulation blocked to be more important than how much fat you carry, so through pulse diagnosis and consultation we find each person's blocked and weak points. We focus on clearing the stagnation and reviving metabolism to change the body into one that burns sugar well.
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