Archive for the ‘Diabetes Treatments’ Category

Statistics show that around 8% of the people in the United States have diabetes.  This number easily translates to approximately 16 million people.  Further, the American Diabetes Association estimates that every year, diabetes accounts for the following:

• 178,000 deaths
• 54,000 amputees
• 12,000-24,000 cases of blindness

If neglected, diabetes can cause serious health complications, ranging from blindness to kidney failure.  And because of all these complications, it is predicted that diabetes will exceed both heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death.

Symptoms of Diabetes

The symptoms of diabetes include:

• excessive urination
• excessive thirst and hunger
• sudden weight loss
• blurred vision
• delay in healing of wounds
• dry and itchy skin
• repeated infections
• fatigue and headache

Two Types of Diabetes

There are two different types of diabetes:

1.  TYPE I DIABETES

This is also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. It is responsible for 5-10% of cases of diabetes.  It is more common in Caucasians and it runs within the family.

Type I diabetes is caused by a pancreatic inability to produce insulin.  The pancreatic cells which secrete the hormones, are destroyed by the body’s own immune system.  This is probably because the body mistakes it for a virus.  Viral infections are thought to be the trigger that sets off this auto-immune disease.

As a result, the body cells starve because they no longer receive the hormonal prompt to take in glucose. If left untreated, this will lead to death within a few months.

While most Type I diabetics are young, do note that this type of diabetes can develop at any age.  You can have yourself checked through a blood test which shows the presence of anti-insulin/anti-islet-cell antibodies.

2.  TYPE II DIABETES

This is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes.   It accounts for 90-95% of all cases.  While Type II is generally hereditary, it is unlikely to develop in normal-weight individuals eating a low- or moderate-carbohydrate diet.

The following groups are more likely to develop this type of diabetes:

• Obese, sedentary individuals who eat poor-quality diets based on refined starch.  As these constantly activates pancreatic insulin secretion, they become prone to develop insulin resistance.
• Native peoples such as North American Indians whose traditional diets did not include refined starch until its recent introduction by Europeans have extremely high rates of diabetes.
• Blacks and hispanics are also at higher risk.

This type of diabetes is a result of body tissues becoming resistant to insulin.  Often, while the pancreas is producing more than average amounts of insulin, the body cells have become unresponsive due to the chronically high level of the hormone. Eventually, the pancreas may exhaust its over-active secretion of the hormone and the insulin levels fall to below normal.

This type of diabetes can lead to health complications over several years and cause severe disability and premature death.

This type of diabetes is found primarily in one age group.  Usually in people over 40 years of age.  However, with the rise of childhood and teenage obesity, the Type II diabetes is appearing in children as well.

Complications of Diabetes

As had been mentioned several times, diabetes can lead to life-threatening complications if not properly managed.  Some complications include:

• kidney damage (nephropathy)
• heart disease
• nerve damage (neuropathy)
• retinal damage and blindness(retinopathy)
• hypoglycemia (drastic reduction in glucose levels).

Diabetes also damages blood vessels, especially smaller end-arteries, leading to severe and premature atherosclerosis.  People with diabetes are also prone to foot problems as their feet lose sensation.  This condition is called neuropathy and affects approximately 10% of patients.  Foot injuries become common to diabetic and often go unnoticed.  These injuries do not heal because of poor circulation through the small arteries in the foot. Gangrene and subsequent amputation of toes or feet is the consequence for many elderly patients with poorly-controlled diabetes.

Controlling Diabetes

Sadly, there is no permanent cure for diabetes.  However, strict dietary monitoring and insulin injections can help control Type I diabetes.  Implanted pumps which release insulin immediately in response to changes in blood glucose are in the testing stages.

Since Type II diabetes is largely caused by diet, in theory it should be easily preventable and managed.  In practice though, many diabetic and obese people without diabetes find it difficult to adhere to a healthy diet much more lose weight.  As a result, they are frequently treated with drugs which restore the body’s response to insulin and in some cases, they are injected with insulin.

If you suspect you have diabetes or are in a high risk group, please see your doctor and have yourself tested.

Mentioned by Kevin Trudeau in his updated edition of his “Natural Cures” book. He references an interview with a Dr. Yung Su Kim and a “combination of herbs researched at the University of Calgary, called by the Asian Diabetic Association” the final cure for diabetes.

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