diabetes 2

This type of diabetes is a temporary form of insulin resistance that usually occurs halfway through a pregnancy. It results from excessive hormone production in the body
or the inability of the pancreas make the additional insulin that is needed during pregnancy in women with no previous history of diabetes. Without enough insulin
sugar builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.

Gestational diabetes affects about four percent of all pregnant women although it is usually goes away after childbirth. Untreated gestational diabetes can lead to problems for both the mother and the child. Although insulin does not cross through the placenta to the baby
sugar and other nutrients do.

Extra blood sugar goes through the placenta
giving the baby high blood sugar level. This causes the baby’s pancreas to produce extra insulin to get rid of the blood sugar
which can lead to microsomatia or a fat baby syndrome. Microsomatia develops because extra blood sugar and insulin cause the baby’s body to produce extra fat.

Babies with microsomatia are prone to other health problems including damage to their shoulders during birth. Because of the extra insulin newborns may have very low blood sugar levels at birth and may also have a higher risk of breathing problems.

The treatment of gestational diabetes should start quickly to prevent adverse effects to the mother and the baby. It should aim to keeping blood sugar level equal to those of pregnant women who do not have gestational diabetes. Treatment includes special meal plans and scheduled physical activity as well as daily blood sugar testing
so as to keep it under control.

For complete information on Gestational diabetes
diabetes supply
diabetes treatment
diabetes mellitus visit www.diabetesmellitus-information.com

In 1550 BC
the famous Ebers Papyrus advised treating diabetes with high fiber wheat grains. Not much has changed since then. Plant foods are the drug of choice for treating diabetes. There are large numbers of scientific research findings to confirm the effectiveness of plant foods in managing this disease. Through the centuries
more than 400 plants have been identified
used
and prescribed as diabetic remedies.

Raw onions and garlic have been long been favorite anti-diabetic drugs in Europe
Asia and the Middle East. The vegetable bitter gourd and the herb ginseng have been widely used for treating diabetes since the ancient time in India and China. Common mushroom is widely used in parts of Europe to lower blood sugar. Barely bread is a popular treatment for diabetes in Iraq. Other foods
used in different countries
in the treatment of diabetes include beans
cabbage
cinnamon
coriander seeds
cucumber
fenugreek seeds
Indian gooseberry and lettuce.

All these foods have anti-diabetic properties. Scientific research has confirmed that most of these foods
or their compounds
either lower blood sugar
or stimulate insulin production. Some of the more important foods that help to lower blood sugar or stimulate insulin production in diabetes patients are discussed here.

Artichoke is a tuberous root with a top like a sunflower. This vegetable contains good amounts of potassium
a fair amount of calcium and some iron and sulphur
all of which are needed by the body for maintaining good health.

Artichoke is beneficial in the treatment of diabetes because of its high insulin content. A fully ripe artichoke is said to contain more than two percent of insulin. Ripe artichokes are generally available only during autumn or fall. The insulin is converted into sugar in winter. Artichokes are most effective when eaten raw in salads. It cooking is required; they should be boiled
unpeeled
in a small quantity of water for about 10 minutes. Artichokes can be effectively combined with other vegetables.

For diabetes information
diabetes diet
diabetes treatment
diabetes causes visit www.diabetesmellitus-information.com

Figures from the American Diabetic Association show that diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S
killing approximately 210000 persons every year. Medical and other related costs can soar over $100 billion a year!!

The good news is there is a great deal that you can do to help manage the condition at an early stage. Being informed truly is the best medicine. Learning as much as you can about your diabetes
how to control your blood sugar
complications and how to prevent them
can help you stay healthy. As always
be sure to consult your physician first before implementing or changing diet or exercise routines or taking any over the counter medications or nutritional supplements.

Diabetes is a serious condition. It is a chronic disorder of carbohydrates
fat and protein metabolism
characterized by fasting elevation of blood sugar level and a greatly increased risk of heart disease
stroke
kidney disease and loss of nerve functions.

There are two major types of diabetes. Type I and Type II.

Type I is also known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) and often occurs in children and adolescents. Individuals with Type I diabetes need to inject insulin everyday. It occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin (a hormone which helps deliver sugar from the blood to the body’s cells).

Type II is also known as Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) and is usually an adult disease. In type II diabetes
insulin is present but not appropriately available due to insulin-resistance. For a variety of physiological reasons
the hormone (insulin) is unable to do its job. The pancreas produces insulin but the body’s cells do not respond to its action and can’t absorb the glucose from the blood so glucose levels rise in the blood.

There are a number of causes which give rise to diabetes. Some of the causes are listed below; however
they should not be considered a complete list. 

Heredity plays a major role. Some individuals or ethnic groups may be genetically susceptible than others. 

Experts are convinced that obesity and a sedentary lifestyle also play a major role in the development of diabetes. 

Impaired digestion and an overworked pancreas. 

Syndrome-X (results from a combination of disorders such as hypertension
high cholesterol
blood clotting abnormalities and insulin resistance)  

Chromium deficiency. 

Prenatal factors. Recent evidence supports the concept that the nutritional status of the mother during pregnancy plays a role in determining whether the child will develop diabetes later in life. 

Food with refined sugars and high glycemic index.  

Imbalance between two critical hormones- insulin and glucagon.  

Misplaced T7 (thoracic 7) vertebra.  

Complications resulting from diabetes can be grave if not controlled.
Some complications include but are not limited to:

Hypoglycemia and diabetic coma.

Cataracts
diabetic neuropathy
retinopathy
nephropathy
skin ulcers
gangrene leading to amputation
stubborn skin infections and heart disease.

There are some early warning signs you should be aware of if you suspect development of diabetes such as 1) Frequent urination 2) Constant thirst or hunger 3) Blurred vision 4) Numb or tingling hands or feet 5) Slow healing of cuts and bruises 6) Frequent skin infections.

Proper treatment is often delayed because diabetes is not diagnosed until a patient is already experiencing complications.

Diet is an extremely important part of diabetic therapy. Nutrition is the cornerstone for good health. A couple of diet considerations after consultation with your physician could include complex carbohydrates that are rich in fiber
fresh vegetables and fruits of low glycemic index
rather than simple carbohydrates such as breads and pastries.

Complex carbohydrates take longer for the body to break down and absorb and therefore provide a slower or more gradual increase in blood sugar levels. Your physician may even advise you to eat smaller frequent meals throughout the day. Along with diet
exercise is also of equal importance. Exercise will increase tissue levels of chromium and also increases the number of insulin receptors. In many instances
changes in diet and exercise may push borderline blood sugar down to a normal range.

The best prevention is adopting a healthy lifestyle. Because obesity is so strongly associated with TypeII diabetes
weight control is an important element of diabetic management. If you want to lose weight to control diabetes
high blood pressure and reduce the risk for developing heart disease then walk
walk and walk some more.

Insulin injections don’t cure diabetes. They enable you to live with it…..that is if you call injecting yourself multiple times a day
“living”. The key word is HEALTHY LIFESTYLE through diet
exercise and certain herbs and supplements.

Many of the vitamins like Vitamin B complex
Thiamine or Vitamin B1 and Pyridoxine or Vitamin B6 are great controller of diabetes. Other vitamins like vitamin C and vitamin E also works great in controlling diabetes. Have a look on the benefits how they can help you controlling your diabetes.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C is considered highly beneficial in treating diabetes. Because of stress
urinary losses and destruction by artificial sweeteners
the vitamin C requirement is usually high in diabetics. Large amounts of this vitamin sometimes bring very good results. Dr. George V Mann in Perspective in Biology and Medicine recommended extra vitamin C for diabetics. Natural insulin output increases in diabetics with supplementary doses of vitamin C.

The intake of vitamin C in the form of dried Indian gooseberry (amla)
the richest known source of vitamin C
or tablets of 500 mg or from natural sources of vitamin C besides amla
are citrus fruits
green leafy vegetables
sprouted Bengal gram and green grams.

Vitamin E - This vitamin reduces considerably the devastating vascular damage accompanying diabetes. Dr. Willard Shute in The Complete Book of Vitamins recommends 800-1600 IU of vitamin E a day to prevent arterial degeneration in diabetes.

A Swedish study also supports vitamin E therapy for treating diabetes. Vitamin E helps diabetics decrease their insulin requirements. It would be advisable for a diabetes patient to take a daily dose of 200 IU of this vitamin for a fortnight at a time.
Rich Sources of Vitamin E. Valuable natural foods sources of this vitamin are wheat or cereal germ
whole grain products
fruits and green leafy vegetables
milk and all whole raw or sprouted seeds.

Other rich sources of vitamin E are cold pressed crude vegetable oils
especially sunflower seeds
safflower
and Soya beans oils
raw and sprouted seeds and grains
alfalfa
lettuce
almond
human milk etc.

Vitamin A - Diabetics are unable to convert beta-carotine to vitamin A. A supplement of this vitamin
therefore
becomes necessary. A dose of 15000 IU on alternate days is considered adequate by some authorities.

White Flour

Wheat is the most common cereal used throughout the world for making bread. It is a good source of energy. With its essential coating of bran
vitamins and minerals
it is an excellent health-building food.

Wheat is usually ground into flour for use as food. However refined wheat flour constitutes a serious health hazard of the various processed foods being used today for their delicious taste
white flour (maida) is especially harmful. The colossal loss of vitamins and mineral in refined wheat flour has led to widespread prevalence of constipation and other related disgestine disturbance and nutritional disorders
particularly diabetes. The consumption of white flour is thus an important contributory cause of diabetes
and its aggravation
if the disease has already developed.

White Salt

Common salt or sodium chloride is a major factor in maintaining the acid base equilibrium of the body. It is also essential for the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Thus
while a certain amount of salt essential for the body system
it is required in very small quantities
ranging from 10 to 15 g per day.

Excessive use of salt puts extra burden on the kidneys
may cause high blood pressure
which is closely linked with diabetes. Excessive intake of salt promotes water retention in the body
which in due course may lead to obesity
which is a potent cause of diabetes. Too much salt is thus harmful and may promote or hasten the onset of diabetes.

Salt (sodium chloride) and sodium preservatives are added to most processed foods. A sodium-controlled diet must avoid or limit salted snacks; pickles and many others processed convenience foods.

Tea and Coffee

Drinking tea and coffee is a serious health hazard for the diabetic. The most alkaloid principle in both tea and coffee is caffeine. Caffeine is an addictive drug similar to cocaine in as much as it stimulates the central nervous system. While these effects are short-lived
it has been observed that they lead to withdrawal symptoms of irritability
lethargy
headaches and anxiety. The daily intake of tea and coffee causes indigestion and gas formation
diarrhea
and constipation. They also increase the blood sugar level
which may lead to diabetes or aggravate its symptoms where the disease is already present.

Certain factors that contribute to the development of diabetes are

Heredity

Heredity is a major factor. That diabetes can be inherited has been known for centuries. However
the pattern of inheritance is not fully understood. Statistic indicates that those with a family history of the disease have a higher risk of developing diabetes than those without such a background. The risk factor is 25 to 33 percent more.

One reason why diabetes
especially type-2 diabetes runs in the family is because of the diabetes gene. But even it is caused by genetic factors beyond your control; there is no reason to suffer from it. Diabetes mellitus cannot be cured in full sense of the term
but it can be effectively controlled so that you would not know the difference.

Diet

Diabetes has been described by most medical scientists as a prosperity’ disease
primarily caused by systematic overeating. Not only is eating too much sugar and refined carbohydrates harmful
but proteins and fats
which are transformed into sugar
may also result in diabetes if taken in excess.

It is interesting to note that diabetes is almost unknown in countries where people are poor and cannot afford to overeat.

The incidence of diabetes is directly linked with the consumption of processed foods rich in refined carbohydrates
like biscuits
bread
cakes chocolates
pudding and ice creams.

Obesity

Obesity is one of the main causes of diabetes. Studies show that 60 to 85 % of diabetics tend to be overweight. In the United States of America
about 80 percent of type –2 non-insulin dependent diabetics are reported to be overweight.

Excess fat prevents insulin from working properly. The more fatty tissue in the body
the more resistant the muscle and tissue cells become to body insulin. Insulin allows the sugar in the blood to enter the cells by acting on the receptor sites on the surface of the cells.

Older people often tend to gain weight
and the same time
many of them develop and mild form of diabetes because who are over weight can often improve their blood sugar simply by losing weight.

Stress and Tension

There is a known connection between stress and diabetes mellitus
those who are under stress and/or lead an irregular lifestyle
need to take adequate precautions and make necessary lifestyle adjustments.

Grief
worry and anxiety resulting from examinations
death of a close relative
loss of a joy
business failure and strained marital relationship
all a deep influence on the metabolism and may cause sugar to appear in the urine.

Smoking

Smoking is another important risk factor. Among men who smoke
the risk of developing diabetes is doubled. In women who smoke 25 or more cigarettes a day
the risk of developing diabetes is increased by 40 percent.

Lifestyle Risk

People who are less active have greater risk of developing diabetes. Modern conveniences have made work easier. Physical activity and exercise helps control weight
uses up a lot of glucose (sugar) present in the blood as energy and makes cells more sensitive to insulin. Consequently
the workload on the pancreas is reduced.

For complete information on causes of diabetes
diabetes supply
diabetes treatment
diabetes mellitus visit www.diabetesmellitus-information.com

Fats

The excessive use of fats has been linked to development of diabetes. A recent study at the University of Colorado Health Science Center
USA found that intake of an extra 40g of fat day increases the chances of developing diabetes by three times. Fat rich diet
especially one saturated with animal fat
seems to damage the insulin’s effectiveness. Research at the University of Sydney in Australia measured the saturated fatty acids in the muscles cells of older non-diabetic men and the women undergoing surgery and found that higher the presence of saturated fatty acids in the cells
the greater the insulin resistance. On the other hand
higher tissue levels of polyunsaturated fats
particularly fish oil
indicated better insulin activity and lower resistance. Fish oil differs from animal fats in that fish oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids. One of the fatty acids called omega-3 is especially good for the heart—it lowers cholesterol and protects from atherosclerosis. In fact
the researchers also reported that intake of omega-3 fish oil to the subjects effectively overcame their insulin resistance.

In another study
Jennifer Lovejoy
assistance professor at Louisiana State of University
USA
studied and the eating habits and insulin activity among 45 non-diabetic men and women. About half of them were obese and the remaining half of normal weight. In both cases
higher fat consumption increased insulin resistance. This indicates
says Dr. Lovejoy
that even normal individuals who decrease their insulin efficiency and boost their vulnerability to diabetes.

Meat and Meat Foods

One of the most important nutrition guidelines to follow is to “eat less saturated fat.” A quick and simple way to do that is to eliminate meat products. They are high both in saturated fat and cholesterol content. People with diabetes have a greater risk of heart disease earlier in life. The practically useless calories added by saturated fats contribute to above normal body weight and obesity
putting a diabetic at greater of heart disease.

Flesh foods are extremely harmful for diabetes. They increase the toxemic condition underlying the diabetic state and reduce the sugar tolerance. Most diseases of the human body are caused by autointoxication of self-poisoning. The flesh of animals increases the burden on the organs of elimination and overloads and system with animal waste matter and poisons. Chemical analysis has shown that uric acid and other uric poisons contained in the animal body are almost identical to caffeine and nicotine
the poisonous
stimulating principles of coffee
tea and tobacco.

The renowned journal Lancet
reports that a patient of diabetes must be persuaded to consume less animal foods. However
in cold countries where meat and mat products constitute the bulk of the diet
patients of diabetes should limit their intake of animal products to eggs and white meal like fish and poultry. Even their use of should be kept to the minimum; all red meat and red meat products should be eliminated from the diet.