Diabetes - Causes and Prevention

Diabetes mellitus (sometimes called "sugar diabetes") is a condition that occurs when the body can't use glucose (a type of sugar) normally. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body's cells. The levels of glucose in the blood are controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is made by the pancreas. Insulin helps glucose enter the cells.

In diabetes, the pancreas does not make enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the body can't respond normally to the insulin that is made (type 2 diabetes). This causes glucose levels in the blood to rise, leading to symptoms such as increased urination, extreme thirst, and unexplained weight loss.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes)

Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, accounts for 10-15% of all people with the disease. It can appear at any age, although commonly under 40, and is triggered by environmental factors such as viruses, diet or chemicals in people genetically predisposed. People with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with insulin several times a day and follow a careful diet and exercise plan.

Type 2 diabetes (previously known as non-insulin dependent diabetes)

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 85-90% of all people with the disease. This type of diabetes, also known as late-onset diabetes, is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. The disease is strongly genetic in origin but lifestyle factors such as excess weight, inactivity, high blood pressure and poor diet are major risk factors for its development. Symptoms may not show for many years and, by the time they appear, significant problems may have developed. People with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to suffer cardiovascular disease. Type 2 diabetes may be treated by dietary changes, exercise and/or tablets. Insulin injections may later be required.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)

GDM, or carbohydrate intolerance, is first diagnosed during pregnancy through an oral glucose tolerance test. Between 5.5 and 8.8% of pregnant women develop GDM in Australia. Risk factors for GDM include a family history of diabetes, increasing maternal age, obesity and being a member of a community or ethnic group with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While the carbohydrate intolerance usually returns to normal after the birth, the mother has a significant risk of developing permanent diabetes while the baby is more likely to develop obesity and impaired glucose tolerance and/or diabetes later in life. Self-care and dietary changes are essential in treatment.

Causes Of Diabetes

Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar), resistance to insulin, or both.

To understand diabetes, it is important to first understand the normal process of food metabolism. Several things happen when food is digested:
A sugar called glucose enters the bloodstream. Glucose is a source of fuel for the body.
An organ called the pancreas makes insulin. The role of insulin is to move glucose from the bloodstream into muscle, fat, and liver cells, where it can be used as fuel.

People with diabetes have high blood sugar. This is because their pancreas does not make enough insulin or their muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond to insulin normally, or both.

There are three major types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood. The body makes little or no insulin, and daily injections of insulin are needed to sustain life.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1 and makes up most of all cases of diabetes. It usually occurs in adulthood. The pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal, often because the body does not respond well to the insulin. Many people with type 2 diabetes do not know they have it, although it is a serious condition. Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common due to the growing number of older Americans, increasing obesity, and failure to exercise.

Gestational diabetes is high blood glucose that develops at any time during pregnancy in a woman who does not have diabetes.

Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans. About 54 million Americans have prediabetes. There are many risk factors for diabetes, including:

1. A parent, brother, or sister with diabetes

2. Obesity

3. Age greater than 45 years

3. Some ethnic groups (particularly African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic Americans)

4. Gestational diabetes or delivering a baby weighing more than 9 pounds

5. High blood pressure

6. High blood levels of triglycerides (a type of fat molecule)

7. High blood cholesterol level

8. Not getting enough exercise

The American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults over age 45 be screened for diabetes at least every 3 years. A person at high risk should be screened more often.

How To Prevent Or Control Diabetes

Diabetes prevention is proven, possible, and powerful. Studies show that people at high risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight. You can do it by eating healthier and getting 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. In other words: you don't have to knock yourself out to prevent diabetes. The key is: small steps that lead to big rewards. Learn more about your risk for developing type 2 diabetes and the small steps you can take to delay or prevent the disease and live a long, healthy life.

Small Steps. Big Rewards. Your GAME PLAN to Prevent

Watch Your Diet

There is no one magic diet that works for everyone. Nor is there a single diet that works best for one individual over a long time. Pay attention to your genetics, and to your ethnic group's traditional foods. If you are African American, that does not mean overcooked vegetables or pork rinds. Such garbage came on the nutritional scene only recently, and is not a true ethnic food. The same is true for Italians who overdose on pepperoni pizza. Being Italian myself as, well as having enjoyed fantastic African cuisine, I can tell you there is a lot more to these diets than the recent introductions often associated with these cultural groups.

Except for Eskimos and a few other highly specialized ethnic groups, all diets must adhere to the same few macronutrient rules. For example:

Eliminate as many processed carbohydrates as possible.

Don't eat carbohydrates 2 hours before bedtime.

Balance your fat/carbos/protein in a roughly 30-40-30 ratio (this is a guideline, not a hard and fast rule--it doesn't work for everyone).

Eat at least 5 or 6 small meals a day.

Always eat a high-protein breakfast.

Did you know that the peanuts offered on airlines are LESS fattening than the fat-free pretzels?
It's true. Stay away from fat-free foods--they make your insulin levels do a yo-yo, and that makes you put on fat. Yuck. Worse, it sets the stage for adult-onset diabetes.

Do NOT eat white flour, bleached flour, enriched flour, or any other kind of wheat flour that is not whole wheat. The glycemic effects of such flours will work against you. Eat whole grain flours, and try to get a variety. Amaranth and soy are two good flours. Eat oat groats instead of oatmeal. In short, get your grains in the least-processed form you can. This holds true for everyone, regardless of genetics (unless you have a malabsorption problem). This one "trick" will help you keep your insulin level on an even keel, and that is paramount to diabetes prevention and management.

What also holds true for everyone is: drink lots of water! Fill a gallon jug twice a day, and make sure you drink all of it. Once you get as lean as you want to be, cut back to a single gallon if you want to. For added fat loss, drink chilled (but not super cold) water. Sodas do not count. Such beverages are extremely unhealthy, for reasons I won't cover here. However, I will say that if you want to get osteoporosis, soft drinks are for you. Soft drinks make for soft bones.

Make sure to eat at least 5 or 6 small meals a day, rather than one big one. Doing so levels out your insulin and your blood sugar. Forget about that full feeling. If you find yourself overeating out of anxiety or boredom, fix the underlying problem -- don't add to it by poor eating!

Stay Healthy.

Natural Remedies For Diabetes - Vital Information For Adults and Children

Diabetes is a disease caused by a failure of the biological mechanisms for regulating blood sugar, due to insufficient of the production of insulin (hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy) by the pancreas. The disease is characterized by a significant increase in blood sugar. Three major types of diabetes are Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and Gestational diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a loss of insulin production by particular cells of the pancreas (Beta cells or Langerhans cells. The causes of this loss of insulin production are still unknown. Type 1 diabetes can affect children or adults but, most of times, it starts between few months of life and about 35 years. The organism of a diabetic patient rejects, by the formation of antibodies, cells which are capable of producing insulin. The symptoms are discomfort and frequent urination which can lead to dehydration and weight loss. Type 1 diabetes accounts for 10% of patients with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes or Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a form of diabetes characterized by high levels of sugar in the blood. This type of diabetes results from a lack of insulin secretion and its ineffectiveness to keep the blood sugar within a normal level. Type 2 Diabetes can be caused by genetic factors or unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, obesity, alcohol abuse and high-fat diet. However, the causes of diabetes in the vast majority of cases have not yet any logical explanation.

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a type of diabetes that occurs in pregnant women only. No specific cause has been identified, but it is believed that during pregnancy, the body of the mother produces hormones to support the fetus as it grows. In some women, these hormones work against their bodies, making them less able to make the insulin needed to get energy from body cells. Without this insulin, the level of sugar in the mother's blood starts to build up, which can do harm to both mother and fetus, if left untreated . Gestational diabetes occurs in nearly 7 percent of all pregnancies. Unlike type 1 and type 2 diabetes, Gestational diabetes is often treatable.

General signs of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes
The symptoms of diabetes may occur in different ways: fatigue, difficulty concentrating, blurred vision, intense thirst, frequent urination, insatiable hunger, weight loss,muscle weakness. Some or all of these symptoms are present in patients with diabetes early in the disease. However, some diabetics have few symptoms. The disease is then detected in a blood sample.

Diabetes Natural remedies

Natural remedies have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to support pancreatic health , the endocrine system and all its functions. In more recent times, research has confirmed the importance of natural remedies in diabetes treatment. There are now many published clinical studies demonstrating the ability of a range of herbs to support the endocrine system and pancreatic health and to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Our natural herbal remedies have several synergistically acting compounds present that have anti-diabetic effects. You can find a relief you never found before if you use them along with a healthy diet and a regular exercise program. We have formulated the herbal capsules with all the original qualities of the respective herbs intact. To Learn more about our Natural remedies for diabetes and how you can save 5%, Visit our Diabetic Remedies website.

Diabetes Treatment - The 3 Fundamental Pillars You Need to Know

You may feel afraid and puzzled when the doctor diagnoses you with diabetes. Nevertheless, as soon as you know what it is and how to deal with it, you will feel better. Notwithstanding, even if you feel fine, it is important that you take your condition seriously and immediately start your diabetes treatment.

SO WHAT IS DIABETES?

If you are diabetic, your body is unable to use insulin properly, or even incapable of making enough insulin. Insulin helps you move glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream into the cells of your body, to produce energy for its functioning. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, without which sugar can not enter the cells and thus builds up in the bloodstream.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DIABETES?

PRE-DIABETES

There is a condition named "pre-diabetes". People with pre-diabetes have higher than normal levels of blood sugar, though not quite as high as those with diabetes. This is a warning sign to urge one to make a lifestyle change to prevent type 2 diabetes. In the United States alone more than 50 million people have pre-diabetes, studies reveal.

TYPE 1 DIABETES

Then there is type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks the beta cells in your own pancreas, the cells that produce the insulin, and this causes the pancreas to make too little insulin or stop making it at all. This type of diabetes is more common among whites than it is among people of other races.

TYPE 2 DIABETES

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type. According to the CDC, in the United States alone more than 20 million people are affected by this condition. Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body cannot properly use the insulin that it produces itself. This condition is called insulin resistance. This usually happens when you are overweight, and body fat makes it harder to use the insulin your body produces. There may be other risk factors, including aging, physical inactivity, race, family history of type 2 diabetes, etc.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Another type of diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels during pregnancy are higher than pre-pregnancy levels. This is called "gestational diabetes", and its causes are not well known at the present. Some experts' opinion is that the hormones produced by the placenta interfere with the mother's capacity to use her own insulin. If this type of diabetes is not carefully controlled, the baby may be affected. Fortunately, gestational diabetes is usually caught in an early stage and the baby does not suffer any complications.

DIAGNOSIS OF THE TYPE OF DIABETES

To determine what type of diabetes a person has, there are two different tests to be used. The FPG test (fasting plasma glucose), in the first place, measures the glycemia level after fasting for an eight hour period. The other one, the OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test), measures the glycemia level after drinking a standardized drink, rich in glucose. Glycemia levels are then tested several times over a period of four hours.

Just a few years ago type 2 diabetes was referred to as "adult onset diabetes". However, an increasing number of teenagers and even children are diagnosed with this type of diabetes, as juvenile obesity increases. Type 1 diabetes used to be known as "juvenile diabetes", but every day more adults are being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is no longer called "sugar diabetes". So you see that many old terms for diabetes are not relevant anymore.

WHAT YOU MUST DO IF YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES

Although being a frightening situation, receiving a diagnosis of diabetes can be, on the other hand, an excellent opportunity to adopt healthier habits and the decision to take control of your own overall well-being and choose, as soon as possible, the right diabetes treatment you need. If you are a type 1 diabetic, you will need insulin each and every day. If you have type 2 diabetes, or gestational or pre-diabetes, you probably will not need insulin.

Anyway, no matter what the type of diabetes you have, you don't need to live a miserable life, full of restrictions and sufferings. You might be able to improve your condition with the appropriate lifestyle modifications including diet, weight control, exercise and nutritional supplements.

Keeping glycemia level under control is key. Maintaining it in the correct range is the first mandatory step. Scientific studies have consistently shown that attaining this goal helps minimize the risk of complications. Strict blood sugar control drastically reduces the chances of suffering most of the diabetes-related complications: kidney, eye and nerve diseases.

A crucial issue here is the way you deal with food. Healthy eating habits can help diabetics control their weight and thus control their diabetes more easily. Among the diets for diabetics, I would recommend the low glycemic index diets (low GI diets), which help maintain body weight and blood sugar in the right levels. It is important for the diabetic to follow a heart-healthy diet, with high complex carbs content, high fiber and low fat content, to prevent hypertension and high cholesterol.

BOTTOM LINE: THE THREE FUNDAMENTAL PILLARS

People can control their type 1 diabetes with a combination of a healthy diet, frequent exercise, the appropriate nutritional supplements, and of course insulin.

People with anyone of the other types of diabetes may be able to keep their glycemia under control, and even reverse their diabetes with just diet, exercise and supplements, the three fundamental pillars of any diabetes treatment.

Early Symptoms of Diabetes to Look Out For

Diabetes mellitus is a common disease which affects many people worldwide. Chronic uncontrolled diabetes is a major source of death and disability because of the damage it causes to many different tissues and organ systems throughout the body. Over time it causes blood vessel disease which can lead to heart disease and heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. It also has negative effects on the kidneys, eyes and the immune system, to name just a few other long-term damaging effects of diabetes.

Because it is so common and so damaging, many people begin to wonder how to know if they have diabetes. What are the early symptoms of diabetes to look out for? This is actually a very important question because the earlier diabetes is caught, the better the chance of treating it effectively and preventing or minimizing the long-term complications that can occur.

The hallmark of diabetes is poorly controlled blood sugar (glucose). Normally, the blood glucose level hovers throughout the day in a fairly tightly controlled range. Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, helps to lower levels of glucose while other hormones (and eating carbohydrates) raise them. The balance between them helps keep glucose levels normal. In diabetes there is an imbalance because insulin is not working as it should to lower blood sugar levels. The glucose goes up and stays high at most times. This high level of glucose in the blood is termed hyperglycemia.

Diabetes Symptoms

When blood sugar levels are very high there are a number of acute symptoms which can occur. The most common are the three 'P's', polyphagia (increased hunger), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyuria (frequent urination). The high blood sugar causes the blood to become thickened, more concentrated, because of the sugar dissolved in it. Sugar also gets dumped in the urine by the kidney which pulls water with it, dehydrating the body and further concentrating body fluids. The net effect is that the body gets dehydrated and urination increases. The brain senses the dehydration and causes an increased sense of thirst and hunger. Other symptoms that can occur with hyperglycemia include blurred vision, fatigue, dry mouth, dry or itchy skin and recurrent infections (such as vaginal yeast infections, groin rashes and others), among others.

Early Diabetes Symptoms

However, these symptoms generally only occur with quite high levels of blood sugar when diabetes is quite severe. In early diabetes, symptoms can be less common. In fact, in very early diabetes patients may be completely asymptomatic, meaning they have no symptoms. Also, the early symptoms may be mild and may not be noticed or passed off as something less important. At this early stage, sometimes referred to as prediabetes, the blood glucose levels are elevated above normal, but not yet in the high range which could be diagnosed as diabetes. While it is not yet severe, it is still important because the increased sugar may already be doing damage to your organs and most people with prediabetes will go on to develop diabetes in time if they do not make changes in their life to prevent it.

So if early symptoms are absent or mild how do you know if you should be worried about diabetes? For one, simply educating yourself (as you are doing now) about the signs and symptoms of diabetes help to make you more aware so that if you do experience early symptoms you recognize them. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have any concern or suspicion, seek the advice of your own doctor. They can counsel you about your risks for diabetes and perform simple tests which can help identify early diabetes.

Diabetes Risk Factors

One final suggestion is to learn more about your own risk for diabetes. Even if you do not yet have symptoms, knowing whether you are at high risk for developing diabetes can help you to be aware and get screened early. The most common form of diabetes is called Type II Diabetes, adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes. While it generally occurs in adults it can affect younger individuals too, particularly if they are considerably overweight. Many of the risk factors for this type of diabetes are well understood. First and foremost, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle (lack of physical activity) both increase your risk for type II diabetes considerably. There is also a strong genetic link to diabetes which means that family history and ethnicity are important predictors. If you have close family members (parents and/or siblings especially) with Type II diabetes then your risk is greater. Also, individuals of African American, Native American, some Asian and Latino decent are at highest risk for diabetes. Age is also an important factor. As mentioned above, while diabetes can occur at almost any age, its risk increases as one gets older. Finally, in women, a history of gestational diabetes, high blood sugar during pregnancy, is another risk factor.

If you have one or more of these risk factors, your chances of developing diabetes are greater than the general public and you should be on the look out for it. Talk to your doctor about it and ask if getting screened for prediabetes or diabetes is advisable. Also, if you think you are at risk for diabetes or know you have early diabetes, there are changes you can make to help prevent it progressing and causing long-term complications. While some of the risk factors cannot be changed (age, family history, ethnicity, etc.), some are called modifiable risk factors which can be changed. If you improve them, your risk for diabetes will decrease. The best examples are obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Increasing physical activity and exercise both help to control blood glucose and help to control weight. Improving diet and losing weight can significantly improve your body's ability to keep glucose in a normal range. Other factors, such as quitting smoking, and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol can be useful as well. While they do not directly impact diabetes, they are also risk factors for heart disease, stroke and other blood vessel diseases. Controlling diabetes as well as these other risk factors will greatly decrease your chances of developing these diseases as well.

A Note on Type I Diabetes

Type I Diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes and insulin dependent diabetes, is a less common form of diabetes. It most commonly presents in childhood although it can affect anyone. In a sense it is a more severe form of the disorder because the pancreas which secretes insulin is completely dysfunctional and there is little or no insulin secreted. Therefore, this form generally presents earlier with more severe symptoms. Patients can quickly develop severe hyperglycemia and the symptoms associated with it (increased thirst, hunger, frequent urination, etc.). In addition, if untreated by insulin injections, patients can develop diabetic ketoacidosis and diabetic coma, potentially life-threatening conditions which require emergent treatment. The risk factors for Type I diabetes are less well understood.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, stay aware of the early signs of diabetes as well as the risk factors which are associated with the disease. By being educated you can better judge your personal risk for the disease and better catch early signs of the disease. Again, if in doubt, ask your doctor. Making an early diagnosis of prediabetes or diabetes can help prevent the long-term damage that diabetes can do. It allows you to make changes in your life (improved diet, weight loss, exercise, etc.) which can help control diabetes and prevent the death and disability associated with poorly controlled diabetes.