Diabetes: A disease in which the body doesn't produce or properly use insulin.

Insulin: A hormone, insulin unlocks 'doorways' in cells and allows glucose that comes from sugar, starches, and other foods, to enter the cells and be used as energy. Glucose provides the energy that the body needs to function normally and fuel daily activities.

Diabetes causes

Diabetes Can Cause:

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

Hypoglycemia

Retinopathy: Nearly 39,000 Americans lose their sight to diabetes each year.

Nephropathy: One out of three people with insulin-dependent diabetes develops kidney failure and need kidney transplants.

Type 1 diabetes-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; and

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.

Type 1 diabetes is typically recognized in adulthood, usually after age 45 years. It used to be called adult-onset diabetes mellitus, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. These names are no longer used because type 2 diabetes does occur in younger people, and some people with type 2 diabetes need to use insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is usually controlled with diet, weight loss, exercise, and oral medications. More than half of all people with type 2 diabetes require insulin to control their blood sugar levels at some point in the course of their illness.

Poor Diet (Malnutrition Related Diabetes) : Improper nutrition, low protein and fibre intake, high intake of refined products are the expected reasons for developing diabetes.

Obesity and Fat Distribution : Being overweight means increased insulin resistance, that is if body fat is more than 30%, BMI 25+, waist grith 35 inches in women or 40 inches in males.

Diabetes Symptoms

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes due to high blood sugar may include:

&bullIncreased thirst

&bullIncreased hunger (especially after eating)

&bullDry mouth

&bullFrequent urination

&bullUnusual weight loss

&bullIncreased fatigue

&bullIrritability

&bullBlurry vision

Diabetes treatment

See a picture of glucagon, which is typically administered as an emergency diabetes treatment when a patient is suffering from symptoms of hypoglycemia -- confusion, seizures, or unconsciousness

If the patient is obese and has had difficulty losing weight on their own, talk to a healthcare provider. He or she can recommend a dietitian or a weight modification program to help the patient reach a goal.

Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sweets.

When these measures fail to control the elevated blood sugars, oral medications are used.

If oral medications are still insufficient, treatment with insulin is considered.

Adherence to a diabetic diet is an important aspect of controlling elevated blood sugar in patients with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has provided guidelines for a diabetic diet.

Diabetes remedies

Bittermelon (karela) is one of the best options 21 . Srivastava Y, Venkatakrishna-bhatt H, Verma Y, et al. Antidiabetic and adaptogenic properties of Momordica charantia extract: An experimental and clinical evaluation. Phytother Res 1993;7:285-9.. It can be simply fried with salt and other condiments and can be taken 2-3 daily. Half-cup karela juice can also be taken.

Take 15 fresh mango leaves and boil them in 1 glass of water. Keep them overnight. Filter and drink the next morning.

As a part of diabetes home remedy treatment, grapefruit is considered most beneficial. Eat three grapefruits three times in a day.