Diabetes Information and Treatment Guide

Diabetic complications can be classified broadly as microvascular or macrovascular disease. Microvascular complications include neuropathy (nerve damage), nephropathy (kidney disease) and vision disorders (eg retinopathy, glaucoma, cataract and corneal disease). Macrovascular complications include heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease (which can lead to ulcers, gangrene and amputation). Other complications of diabetes include infections, metabolic difficulties, impotence, autonomic neuropathy and pregnancy problems. (more…)

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition caused by too much glucose in your blood. Your blood sugar level can be too high if your body doesn’t make enough of the hormone insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach) and moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it’s broken down to produce energy.
If diabetes is not treated, it can cause long-term health problems because the high glucose levels in the blood damage the blood vessels. (more…)

Type 1 diabetes is a completely different disease than Type 2. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Scientists believe that it may be a virus that triggers the immune system to attack the cells and permanently destroy them. The pancreas can no longer make the insulin necessary to transport sugar from the blood into the other cells of the body for energy. Sugar builds up in the blood and over time can damage internal organs and blood vessels. (more…)

Diabetes is currently an incurable condition in which too much glucose (sugar) is present in the blood. Find out more about the different types and how it’s treated. (more…)

How is diabetes treated?

The major goal in treating diabetes is to minimize any elevation of blood sugar (glucose) without causing abnormally low levels of blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin, exercise, and a diabetic diet. Type 2 diabetes is treated first with weight reduction, a diabetic diet, and exercise. 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. (more…)

Diabetes has been around for centuries. There are presently sixteen millions diabetics in America, but eight million do not know that they have the disease. Today, diabetes is in third place as the cause of mortality, behind cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Herbs for Diabetes

One Chinese herb that shows promise in the treatment of diabetes in called mai men dong or ophiopogon. Research done in China has demonstrated that it can potentially stimulate regeneration of cells in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. The cells in this part of the pancreas are responsible for the proper production of insulin, and therefore the proper processing of blood sugar in the body. Stimulating regeneration of these cells can potentially reverse diabetes in adult-onset diabetics.

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