1 Learn about diabetes. Diabetes is a group of chronic hormonal
disorders that results in too much sugar (glucose) in the blood. There are a
number of forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, usually
appearing when a person is quite young. Type 2 diabetes is an acquired disorder
that used to be considered an adult condition that is unfortunately appearing
more and more often in children. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of
diabetes. A third form of diabetes is called gestational diabetes and occurs in
the second half of pregnancy and is relatively common, occurring in less than
10% of pregnant women.
- Some
physicians include pre-diabetes as an early form of diabetes. Individuals
with prediabetes have higher than normal levels of blood glucose, but not
high enough to be diagnosed as diabetics. Individuals with pre-diabetes
(also known as insulin resistance) have a very high risk of developing
type 2 diabetes.
2 Investigate how insulin affects blood sugar. Insulin, a hormone produced by the
pancreas, is the main chemical messenger that “tells” the cells that it is time
to take up glucose. Insulin is involved in messaging the liver to take up
glucose and transform it into the storage form of glucose known as glycogen.
Insulin is also involved in a wide range of other functions like protein and
fat metabolism.
- All
diabetics can also be said to have insulin resistance. The reason they
have high blood glucose is that the cells in their body do not take up
glucose. The reason for this is that the cells in their body do not
respond normally to insulin.
- If
the cells become insulin resistant, they “ignore” or can’t respond to the
signal from insulin. This
can increase the levels of glucose in the blood. When this happens the
pancreas responds by producing even more insulin in an attempt to “force”
the glucose into the cells. The problem is that since the insulin has no
effect on the insulin-resistant cells, the blood glucose levels can keep
rising. The body’s response is to convert the high levels of glucose in the
blood into fat, and that can set up a scenario of chronic inflammation and
other disorders like full blown Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and
heart disease.
3 Understand how Type 2 diabetes functions and
its traditional treatment. The
most common symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include: increased thirst along with
more frequent urination, increased appetite, weight gain or unexpected weight
loss, blurry or changed vision, fatigue, and increased number of infections. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed by your symptoms and a number
of specific blood tests that measure how well your body handles sugars.
- Most
cases of diabetes can be controlled with a combination of medications
(hypoglycemics -- medicines that lower blood sugars), diet, and exercise.
Insulin may be ordered for some patients, especially those with Type 1
diabetes.
4 Find out why cinnamon can help control Type 2
diabetes. Current research
indicates that one of the components of cinnamon, methylhydroxychalcone polymer
or MHCP, can improve how cells respond to insulin. MHCP seems to mimic some of
insulin’s activity. It also appears to work side by side with insulin, by
improving the effectiveness of insulin. MHCP also has antioxidant effects,
though it is not clear that these have anything to do with the ability of
cinnamon to control blood glucose.
Warnings
- Do not use cinnamon supplements as a replacement for diabetes medication except under the supervision of a medical professional. Cinnamon supplementation is likely most effective in combination with healthy diet and lifestyle choices and a medical treatment regimen.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét