Diabetes Mellitus
Definition:
Diabetes is referred to as Diabetes Mellitus in medical sciences. It falls in the category of metabolic disease and is caused when a person suffers from the problem of high blood sugar levels in his/her body. The main reason of diabetes is that either pancreas is not able to produce enough amount of insulin to control the blood sugar levels, or the insulin produced by the pancreas is not properly responded by the cells.
There can be 3 major types of diabetes mellitus:
Type 1 is a kind of diabetes mellitus when the body is unable to generate insulin and has to be dependent on insulin, injected from outside. This type of diabetes occurs generally in teenage or during the ages when a person is about to enter his 40s.
Type 2 is a kind of diabetes where insulin is produced in adequate quantity by the pancreas, but that quantity is not absorbed properly by the cells of the body, resulting in high levels of blood sugar level.
Type 3 is gestational type, which occurs in pregnant women without any previous diagnosis of the disease.
Signs & Symptoms:
Sudden rise in blood sugar levels
Increased urination
Increased thirst
Gradual loss in weight
Felling hungry most of the time
Skin related problems, such as itching, dry skin, etc.
Slow healing of wounds and abrasions
Body becomes susceptible to fungal and yeast infections
Fatigue and irritation
Blurred vision
Tingling sensation or numbness
Presence of ketones in urine
Raised blood pressure
Cause:
To understand diabetes, first you must understand how glucose is normally processed in the body.
How insulin works
Insulin is a hormone that comes from a gland situated behind and below the stomach (pancreas).
The pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream.
The insulin circulates, enabling sugar to enter your cells.
Insulin lowers the amount of sugar in your bloodstream.
As your blood sugar level drops, so does the secretion of insulin from your pancreas.
The role of glucose
Glucose a sugar is a source of energy for the cells that make up muscles and other tissues.
Glucose comes from two major sources: food and your liver.
Sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it enters cells with the help of insulin.
Your liver stores and makes glucose.
When your glucose levels are low, such as when you haven’t eaten in a while, the liver breaks down stored glycogen into glucose to keep your glucose level within a normal range.
Causes of type 1 diabetes
The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. What is known is that your immune system which normally fights harmful bacteria or viruses attacks and destroys your insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leaves you with little or no insulin. Instead of being transported into your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream.
Type 1 is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, though exactly what many of those factors are is still unclear.
Causes of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes
In prediabetes which can lead to type 2 diabetes and in type 2 diabetes, your cells become resistant to the action of insulin, and your pancreas is unable to make enough insulin to overcome this resistance. Instead of moving into your cells where it’s needed for energy, sugar builds up in your bloodstream.
Exactly why this happens is uncertain, although it’s believed that genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is strongly linked to the development of type 2 diabetes, but not everyone with type 2 is overweight.
Causes of gestational diabetes
During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones to sustain your pregnancy. These hormones make your cells more resistant to insulin.
Normally, your pancreas responds by producing enough extra insulin to overcome this resistance. But sometimes your pancreas can’t keep up. When this happens, too little glucose gets into your cells and too much stays in your blood, resulting in gestational diabetes.
How To Cure:
- Jambul
Leaves and berries of jambul plant help to keep blood-sugar levels in control. Having it in your daily diet can make pancreas more efficacious, which, in turn, will benefit the diabetic patients.
- Bitter Gourd
Having a glass full of bitter gourd juice in the morning and that too empty stomach will help you in maintaining a proper glucose levels in your body, over a period of few months. It will be really bitter when you drink it, but very benefitting.
- Fenugreek
Fenugreek is another helpful herb that aims at controlling diabetes mellitus in your body. Soak fenugreek seeds in water. Leave them overnight. Consume them the next morning, prior eating or drinking anything else. You can also add powdered fenugreek in your milk and have it every day for treating diabetes.
- Guavas
Guavas are rich in vitamin C, and at the same time, they are highly fibrous. One can maintain a healthy glucose level by having a guava every day.
- Mango Leaves
Soak mango leaves for overnight in water and consume them the next morning on an empty stomach. You can also consume them in powdered form. Dry mangos leaves and make a powder out of them and store it. Consume this powder with water, twice daily, for effective results.
- Cinnamon
Cinnamon is another ingredient that is bliss for patients, suffering from diabetes mellitus. Mix 4 teaspoons of cinnamon powder with water and boil it on low flame. Consume this extract every day for controlling and maintaining healthy blood glucose levels in your body.
- Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has already proved its consistency in being beneficial in a lot of body ailments as a home remedy, and diabetes is not an exception. Take equal quantities of aloe vera juice, turmeric, and bay leaf, and mix them together. Have this mix every day before the meal as it will help in keeping the blood glucose levels in control.
- Water
Water helps to mobilize sugar levels of the body and also maintains a healthy glucose level inside the body. Studies have exposed that consuming 2.5 liters of water a day have shown drastic improvement in the condition of people, suffering from diabetes mellitus.
- Sunlight
Sunlight is the best natural source of vitamin D, which is really essential in controlling blood glucose levels inside the body. Expose yourself to sunlight early in the morning to have some sunlight that will keep the problem at bay and will keep you healthy.
