Information about diabetes.
Although diabetes has been recognized since antiquity and remedies have been  tried since the middle Ages, the pathogenesis of the disease was studied and
understood mainly in the 20th century.
Diabetes is considered the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. There are nearly
twenty one million people in the United States or 7% of the population who suffer from
diabetes. However, it is believed that only fifteen million have been diagnosed, whereas
the rest of the patients do not know they have developed the condition.
Worldwide, 246 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes. The figure is expected
to rise to 380 million by 2025 and to exceed the 700 million patients by 2050, if the
epidemic spreads at the same rate. According to data given by the World Health
Organization (WHO), every year, seven million people are diagnosed with diabetes all
around the world and every ten minutes a death occurs due to the disease.
What happens to food sugar?
During digestion, food gives a wide range of ingredients. Sugar is included among the
most important ones and it is distributed by the blood stream into tissues and organs.
Most of the carbohydrates in food are
rapidly converted to glucose, the principal sugar in blood. Cells normally utilize
insulin, manufactured in the beta cells of the pancreas gland, in order to produce energy
from glucose.
What are the heath problems caused by diabetes?
Diabetes is a life-long disease that makes human body unable to produce or use
insulin or both. This affects the blood sugar which
gets above the normal levels. Patients suffering from diabetes present a metabolic
malfunction which involves total or partly difficulty to obtain energy from foods.
How does this happen?
 Deficiency or normal levels
of insulin in the blood stream are fundamental health issues. This is because the hormone
controls the transfer of glucose from the blood into cells. In diabetes, the body either
cannot use insulin or it is unable to produce adequate amounts of this. In many cases the
production of insulin is zero. In any case, the glucose that is obtained from foods
remains unused.
If the sugar cannot be
metabolized, its amount increases steeply in the blood stream. This situation is called
hyperglycemia and, in a long term, affects badly a lot of vital organs and systems. In
hyperglycemia, the level of glucose in the
blood increases, while the cells are dramatically deprived from this
carbohydrate.
Diabetes signs and risk factors.
The early signs of diabetes include frequent urination, unusual
thirst, hunger, weakness, unintentional weight
loss and blurry vision. In numerous cases, there are no signs whatsoever. Over time,
high blood glucose levels result in progressive damage of nerves and blood vessels,
leading, in turn, to diabetes complications such
as cardiovascular conditions, sight problems, nephropathy, neuropathies, gingivitis, sexual disorders, gangrene and potential limb amputation.
Factors that worsen the
harmful effects of diabetes are smoking, prolonged high cholesterol levels, hypertension, increased body weight and
sedentary lifestyle.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults to be monitored for diabetes
at least every three years. A person at high risk should be screened more often.
What is the treatment for diabetes?
There is no cure for diabetes. The immediate goals are to control blood glucose and
eliminate the consequences of high blood sugar. The long-term goals of treatment are to
prolong life, relieve symptoms and prevent complications, especially heart disease and
kidney failure. In general, understanding and participating in the treatment plan on
behalf of the patient is vital as blood glucose levels change continuously. Another
crucial issue is that diabetes medication and any
herbal remedy must be taken faithfully and
according a physician's advice.
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