In my last blog on the subject of diabetes I focused on yoga as an alternative treatment in combating the condition. Further from that I have been investigating what goes on with diabetes at a cellular level. Ultimately, I can look at the disease from an esoteric explanation, but the fact is that like all diseases it is a very physical problem and requires treating that way immediately.
Its estimated that globally in the year 2010, 285 million people were effected by diabetes and its expected that that figure will go up to 438 million by the year 2030. The largest portions of sufferers of diabetes are in India, China, The USA, Russia and Brazil.
In the UK in 2009 the documented figure for diagnosis of Diabetes was 2.6 million people and by 2025 that figure is expected to rise to 4 million. In the year 2008 alone, 145,000 people received a diagnosis. It has to be remembered that often people have the disease and dont display symptoms, so how many people go undiagnosed?
You are probably already aware that there are two main types of diabetes; Type 1, where insulin is insufficient in the blood stream and type 2, where insulin is present, even in high levels, but the body becomes insulin resistent, which means that the insulin is prevented from performing its natural function. The resistance to insulin develops into the type 2 diabetes.
At cellular level when the body detects high levels of blood glucose, cells known as beta cells in the pancreas release insulin into the blood, where it has a number of functions:
1. Converts glucose into glycogen which is stored.
2. It delivers glucose to muscle tissue for immediate use for energy production.
3. It promotes uptake of amino acids for synthesis of protein in cells;
4. Speeds fatty acid synthesis,
5. Slows the breakdown of glycogen, and
6. Slows glucose production in the liver, thus preventing blood glucose levels from spiking.
A genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes means that a person will have abnormality of beta cells in the pancreas and despite being healthy is likely to develop the type 2 condition. Though it is generally accepted that this happens the highest occurences of type 2 diabetes occurs when people are obese and over the age of 35. An obese person that possesses thickening around the waist, and is relatively inactive, will exhibit imbalances of blood glucose and insulin levels which eventually lead to diabetes.
Cells become oversensitive and become inefficient in their response to insulin releases by the pancreas. That means that glucose levels remain higher for longer. Because the glucose level is high, more and more insulin continues to be produced by the pancreas. Initially this may not be such a problem but over time the constance presence of insulin makes the cellular response to the presence of insulin insufficent and so the blood glucose levels begin to rise unit the beta cells are unable to meet the demand placed upon them for, at which point the blood glucose levels remain high. High levels of blood glucose result in symptoms of excessive thirst, and insufficent delivery of glucose and glycogen to the the cells results in fatigue. These two symptoms are classic of type 2 diabetes.
The type 2 form of diabetes is usually referred to as “adult onset” diabetes due to it happening after the age of 35. But in modern days the problems of obesity in children is leading to an increase in type 2 diabetes in both teenagers and children. Diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and even limb amputations and its because of these extreme eventualities that in modern day the condition of diabetes is presenting the healthcare industry with such probelms and the emphasis on early diagnosis and immediate care is important.
90% of cases of diabetes are type 2 variety, compared to the type 1 variety. It is the type 1 variety that involves injection of insulin, but the type 2 variety can be treated using medication such as metformin. The function of metformin is to reduce blood glucose levels which lessens insulin production and this over time is hoped will desensitise the response to insulin. Of course this is not guaranteed. The trouble with metformin is that it has many side effects. It can leave you feeling nauseas, it can lead to immediacy of the bowels and flatulence. The symptoms are meant to subside after about 2 or 3 weeks, but flatulence can be a problem which persists.
It is possible to keep blood sugar levels down by exercising regularly, and eating a diet based on low glycaemic index foods, which permits blood sugar to be released slowly, preventing spikes in glucose levels, which the body finds it hard to cope with. Ofcourse this can ultimately lead to weight loss and it is said that exercise does do the job of insulin, therefore diet control and movement are an option. As the glucose levels are allowed to lower and stay down, does this reverse the condition of Diabetes? It is said that extremely low calorie diets coupled with exercise can do this, but how easy is it to mantain a diet of no more than 600 calories per day, in either male or female, when you consider the recommended calorie intake for a female is 1940 calories and 2550 for men. The reduction is drastic, especially when you consider that these recommendations are based on normal body energy requirements and are not reflecting exercise in ones lifestyle.
Some research indicates that an insufficiency of certain minerals can promote the resistence to insulin. These mineral will be highlighted in the next blog on the subject of Diabetes.
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