Diabetes
What is Diabetes
Diabetes is a disorder caused by insufficient or lack of production of insulin (a hormone) by the pancreas (a gland in the abdomen). Insulin is responsible for absorbing glucose (a simple sugar) into the bloodstream, where it is available for body cells to use for growth and energy.
When most people eat, the pancreas automatically produces the correct amount of insulin to absorb the glucose. In people with diabetes the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the body's cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine and passes out of the body, with the result that the body loses its main source of fuel.
What are the Symptoms of Diabetes
People with type 1 diabetes usually develop symptoms over a relatively short period. Symptoms in people with type 2 diabetes are not as noticeable as in type 1. Type 2 symptoms are often diagnosed by chance through routine medical check-ups. Symptoms vary from person to person, but common symptoms include:
- Increased urination.
- Increased appetite or loss of appetite.
- Excessive thirst.
- Visible weight loss.
- Blurred vision.
- Recurrent skin infections.
- Fatigue.
- Vaginal infections or infections of the foreskin in uncircumcised men.
- Slowly healing sores.
What are the Causes of Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreas doesn't make enough or any of the hormone insulin, or when the insulin produced doesn't work effectively. In diabetes, this causes the level of glucose in the blood to be too high.
In Type 1 diabetes the cells in the pancreas that make insulin are destroyed, causing a severe lack of insulin. This is thought to be the result of the body attacking and destroying its own cells in the pancreas(known as an autoimmune reaction).
It's not clear why this happens, but a number of explanations and possible triggers of this reaction have been proposed. These include:
- Infection with a specific virus or bacteria.
- Exposure to food borne chemical toxins
- Exposure as a very young infant to cow's milk, where an as yet unidentified component of this triggers the autoimmune reaction in the body.
- However, these are only hypotheses and are by no means proven causes.
Type 2 diabetes is believed to develop when:
the receptors on cells in the body that normally respond to the action of insulin fail to be stimulated by it - this is known as insulin resistance. In response to this more insulin may be produced, and this over-production exhausts the insulin-manufacturing cells in the pancreas There is simply insufficient insulin available; and the insulin that is available may be abnormal and therefore doesn't work properly.
The following risk factors increase the chances of someone developing Type 2 diabetes:
- Increasing age.
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity.
Traditional Medical Treatments for Diabetes
While dietary control and an organised exercise programme are important for both types of diabetes, the medications used are different. Type 1 diabetes will require insulin treatment. Type 2 diabetes may be sufficiently controlled by diet and exercise alone. If medications are required, it is usually treated with oral glucose-lowering tablets (oral hypogylcaemics). Occasionally, those with type 2 diabetes will need insulin treatment.
Complementaty/Alternative Treatments for Diabetes
If you are interested in trying a natural treatment in addition to standard treatment, be sure do so only under the close supervision of a qualified health professional. If diabetes is not properly controlled, the consequences can be life threatening.
Also inform your physician about any herbs, supplements, or natural treatments you are using, because some may interact with the medications you are taking and result in hypoglycemia unless properly coordinated. Consider keeping track of your herbs, vitamins, and supplements with the Supplement Diary and giving your doctor a copy.