What Is Diabetes?

In layman terms, “diabetes” is the inability of the body to process sugars properly. When we eat or drink, our “pancreas” produces a hormone called “insulin”. Insulin is released into the blood and helps to regulate the amount of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. Diabetes is a condition where this process does not function correctly.

Types of Diabetes

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (often called “insulin dependent” diabetes) occurs when the body fails to produce insulin. Type 1 diabetic persons require the administration of insulin injections to balance their blood sugar levels.

In Type 2 diabetes (often called “non-insulin dependent” diabetes), the body produces insulin but is incapable of using the insulin properly. People with Type 2 diabetes can often control their condition successfully through diet and exercise regimes. Type 2 diabetes is commonly known as “adult-onset” diabetes because it tended to occur in adulthood. It is, however, becoming more common in all age groups including young children.

The danger is that while diabetes is not immediately life threatening the long term effects of high blood sugar can be damaging to one’s health. Uncontrolled diabetes and prolonged high blood sugar levels can, in later life, cause problems to many organs including the kidneys, eyes, nerves and the heart.

Controlling blood sugar by a combination of medicine, diet and exercise will vastly reduce the danger of long term complications. Recent research shows that 2 in every 100 people have diabetes. About half of these people do not even know they have it. Many people have diabetes without being aware of it.

Testing For Diabetes

How do you find out if you have diabetes? The simplest way to check if you have diabetes is to arrange a blood sugar check with your doctor. If the results of the blood sugar check are abnormal, further investigations will be needed (eg a glucose tolerance blood test as mentioned above).

Diagnosis of diabetes can occur unexpectedly during a routine check-up but more often it follows from the sufferer experiencing the symptoms of diabetes. These symptoms can be many or few, mild or severe depending on the individual.

Common Diabetes Symptoms:

Loss Of Weight – Glucose is the form of sugar which is the body’s main fuel. Diabetics cannot process this properly so it passes into the urine and out of the body. Less fuel means the body’s reserve tissues are broken down to produce energy with a resultant loss in weight.

Thirst – No matter how much a sufferer drinks their mouth still feels dry. The problem is often compounded before diabetes is diagnosed by sufferers drinking huge amounts of sugary drinks. Of course this increases the blood sugar level and leads to increased thirst.

Urinating More Often – Sufferers need to urinate often and pass large volumes each time. This increased frequency of urination goes on night as well as day. Some sufferers make the understandable mistake of thinking this is caused by the increased thirst and drinking more. What is happening is that high sugar levels in the blood spill over into the urine making it syrupy. To counter-act this water is drawn from the body causing dehydration and therefore thirst.

If you have experienced any of these symptoms it does not necessarily follow that you are diabetic however it would be advisable to visit your doctor to be sure. There is also a syndrome called “pre-diabetes”. If it does turn out that you have diabetes please do not panic! It can come as a shock and it will mean some changes in your life. While it is incurable it can be treated so the long term complications are reduced or even eliminated. The vast majority of diabetics live completely normal lives and many of them don’t need to take any medication.

By knowing exactly what diabetes is – and being able to recognize the symptoms – you can prevent it from building up without your knowledge. Start today by monitoring your health and daily eating habits. An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure.

Type II diabetes is the more common of the two types of diabetes in existence. About 90% of diabetes sufferers have type II diabetes. Type II diabetes mostly affects adults, although its onset can be experienced at any age. Type II diabetes in children is becoming more common.

Some common symptoms of type II diabetes are abnormally increased thirst, increased frequency of urination, blurred vision, numbness of the limbs, and unexplained weight loss. Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should seek medical advice immediately. Type II diabetes can be a life-threatening condition, but it can be controlled and treated with medication and natural remedies. A simple blood test is all that is needed to diagnose diabetes.

The Importance of Diet and Exercise

Diet and exercise are two key components to the control of type II diabetes using natural remedies. There is no cure for diabetes, but well managed diabetes can enable the diabetic person to live a normal full life without the need for medication.

It is well known that obesity is one of the main causes of type II diabetes. Genetics also influence a person’s predisposition towards becoming diabetic. Somewhere in the order of 80% of persons diagnosed with type II diabetes have at least one family member who is also diabetic. We can’t change our genetic makeup, but we can change our eating and exercise habits to keep our weight under control.

Obesity is responsible for many ailments as well as diabetes, some of which can be fatal. Obesity can cause all sorts of symptoms from chronic back pain to kidney failure. Obesity is a major contributory factor in strokes and heart disease.

Adopting a sensible healthy diet and taking regular moderate exercise can be sufficient to enable you to maintain the optimum weight for your age and height. Avoiding obesity can be a matter of making some small lifestyle changes. Those small changes can save your life.

Type II Diabetes and Medication

Many people who are diagnosed as diabetic assume that having diabetes means they will face a lifetime of medication. Some people believe that the onset of type II diabetes automatically results in a regime of daily insulin injections. Neither of these assumptions is correct. Many diabetes sufferers do not need prescription medication.

Following a sensible diet and taking appropriate amounts of exercise is often sufficient to stabilise a person’s blood sugar levels. Although diabetes is incurable, most type II diabetes sufferers are able to live a perfectly normal life. They keep their condition under control without having to take prescription medication.

The worst fear of a newly diagnosed diabetic is often that the only treatment available is daily insulin injections. This is far from the truth. If their diabetes cannot be managed through changes to diet and increased exercise, there are many effective oral medications available.

Natural Herbal Remedies for Type II Diabetes

Natural herbal remedies for diabetes have been in use for centuries. The treatment of diabetes with natural remedies should only be considered if it is approved by the doctor treating the diabetes patient.

There are many herbs that are claimed to be effective in the treatment of type II diabetes. These herbal remedies include well known plants such as fenugreek, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, ginseng, onion, curry plant, and prickly pear, as well as numerous more exotic herbal substances. Herbal diabetes remedies are also commercially available. These take the form of herbal compounds often made from several different types of plant extract.

The treatment of diabetes should never be entrusted to unlicensed practitioners. Diabetes is a serious condition and, if a diabetic person does not get the correct treatment, the condition can be fatal. It should also be noted that many of the natural herbal remedies have unpleasant (and sometimes potentially dangerous) side effects. Diabetes should always be managed under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner.