Diabetes

Diabetes can be defined as a disorder wherein the body does not able to produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The factors that result into this disorder are still unknown, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. Diabetes is of two types: Type 1 diabetes, which commonly occurs during childhood or adolescence, and type 2, which usually occurs after age 45, but is increasingly being diagnosed in children and adolescents.

Causes

The 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 case of Type 1 diabetes the cells present in the pancreas that create insulin are destroyed, which results in a severe lack of insulin. This causes autoimmune reaction (the result of the body attacking and destroying its own cells in the pancreas)

The causes responsible for this are yet unknown but a number of views about this reaction have been proposed which includes infection with a specific virus or bacteria; exposure to food-borne chemical toxins; and exposure as a very young infant to cow's milk.

The second type of diabetes (Type 2) 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 procedure is also termed 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.

Symptoms of Diabetes

The symptoms of diabetes mellitus, especially in Type 2 diabetes develops slowly. Many people have type 2 diabetes for as long as eight years before it's diagnosed. Two of the symptoms common with most of the people facing the disorder are increased thirst and frequent urination. That's because excess glucose circulating in your body draws water from your tissues, making you feel dehydrated. To quench your thirst, you drink a lot of water and other beverages, and that leads to more frequent urination. Diabetes insipidus isn't caused by a problem with blood sugar, but rather by a hormone disorder originating in the pituitary gland in your brain that makes your kidneys unable to conserve water.

Diabetes Diet

The patients suffering from diabetes need to take special dietary guidelines prescribed to them by their health care professionals. In the view of nutrition experts there is no one diet for diabetes, but people with diabetes should follow the nutrition guidelines, while paying special attention to carbohydrate intake. The patient should also take care of the amount of food consumption to maintain blood sugar levels. The following dietary guidelines will help diabetics-

Go for starches such as bread, cereal, and starchy vegetables. Aim for six servings a day or more. For example, have cold cereal with nonfat milk or a bagel with a teaspoon of jelly for breakfast. Another starch-adding strategy is to add cooked black beans, corn or garbanzo beans to salads or casseroles.

Intake a lot of fruits and vegetables - Have a piece of fruit or two as a snack, or add vegetables to chili, stir-fried dishes or stews. You can also pack raw vegetables for lunch or snacks.

Limit your sugar consumption- Deduce your favorite sweets in your diet once or twice a week at most. Split a dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth while reducing the sugar, fat and calories.

Diabetes Drugs
» Januvia
» Actos
» Metformin

Soluble fibers are a boon for diabetics, they are found in fruits, vegetables and seeds. They help in slowing down or reducing the absorption of glucose from the intestines. Legumes, such as cooked kidney beans, are among the highest soluble fiber foods. Other fiber-containing foods, such as carrots, also have a positive effect on blood sugar levels. Insoluble fibers, found in bran, whole grains and nuts, act as intestinal scrubbers by cleaning out the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Consult a dietitian and follow a meal plan taking into consideration your lifestyle, your medication, your weight and any medical conditions you may have in addition to diabetes as well as your favorite foods, the dietitian will help you create a diet that will prevent complications of diabetes and still give you the pleasure you've always had in eating.

Cure

A lot of research is going on for the cure both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, especially type 1. There have been several approaches to cure this disorder which includes- Pancreas transplantation, Islet cell transplantation, Artificial pancreas development and Genetic manipulation. Each of these face a hell lot of challenges such as preventing immune rejection; finding an adequate number of insulin cells; keeping cells alive; and others. But progress is being made in all areas.