November is National Diabetes Month
MANHATTAN, Kan. — November marks National Diabetes Month, a time to spotlight one of the most pressing chronic health conditions in the United States.
Alongside well-known topics like blood sugar and insulin, A Kansas State University expert also is drawing attention to a lesser-known but powerful player in diabetes management: the gut microbiome.
“We have trillions of microbes living on and inside our bodies, most of them in the gut, and usually they live in harmony,” said Priscilla Brenes, a nutrition and health specialist with K-State Extension. “They often provide beneficial support, but when there’s an imbalance – called dysbiosis – it can actually be harmful.”
That imbalance, researchers are finding, may be closely linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. When the gut microbiome is out of balance, it can lead to inflammation, weakened immunity, and even disruption in how the body processes sugar.
The gut microbiome begins forming at birth and continues to evolve throughout life. Brenes notes that factors such as how we were born – via natural birth or C-section – the foods we eat, our stress levels, medication use, and even our environment influence the microbes in our gut.
One way to support a healthy gut is through probiotics – beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, and miso.
“These probiotics help maintain a healthy community in our gut and support immune response,” Brenes said. “They help with our immune response, or how our bodies respond when we get sick, or to other pathogens in the environment.”
Brenes said yogurt is a common choice for adding probiotics to one’s diet: “When shopping for yogurt, look for labels that say ‘live cultures.’ That means the probiotics are still active when you consume them.”
Just as important are prebiotics – fibers from fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains that feed the good bacteria.
“Think of it like this: just as we eat every day, our (beneficial) gut microbiota also need to eat,” Brenes said. “Prebiotics are their food source.”
Brenes said the connection to diabetes comes down to what those good bacteria produce when they digest fiber: short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs.
“These SCFAs help strengthen the gut lining, acting as a protective screen,” Brenes said. “They help prevent harmful substances from entering the bloodstream and support better blood sugar control by reducing inflammation and helping insulin work more effectively.”
According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 258,000 Kansans have been diagnosed with diabetes, or approximately 10.3% of the state’s population. The ADA estimates 17,000 new cases are diagnosed in Kansas each year.
Brenes recommends a pair of publications available for free from the K-State Extension bookstore: Good Gut Health, and Taking a Look at Fermented Foods.
Local extension offices also will have information two community-based diabetes programs, Dining with Diabetes and the new Live in Control Diabetes program.
Live in Control pairs individuals with diabetes and a support partner to work together on managing blood sugar, medications, and diet, Brenes said.
“It’s about not doing it alone,” she said. “And November is a great time to start taking those steps.”
