How to Cure Type 2 Diabetes - Part 6 Understanding Diabetes

Part 6 Understanding Diabetes

1 Recognize the early symptoms of diabetes. Upon its onset, diabetes has a few, barely noticeable symptoms:

• Frequent urination. This is where the patient passes a lot of urine during the day or night. This occurs because the blood glucose levels are high and increases the absorption of water into the blood stream. This in turn increases the urine that is passed.
• Increased thirst. This is where the patient intakes a large amount of water – more than eight glasses per day – and this does not quench his/ her thirst. This occurs because the amount of urine passed is increased and this leaves the patient dehydrated, increasing thirst.
• Increased hunger. This is where the patient consumes more food than their usual portions. This is because there is lack of insulin that is required for the glucose in blood to be transported to the cells where it is used to provide energy for the body. When there is no insulin, the cells in the body lack glucose and this leaves the patient feeling starved.

2 Recognize the late symptoms of diabetes. As this disease progresses, it slowly takes on more serious symptoms:

• Passing of ketones in urine. This is where there are inadequate carbohydrates and sugar in the body because there is increased sugar in the blood. The body breaks down the stored fatty acids and fats for provision of energy and this process leads to formation of ketones.
• Fatigue. This is where the patient becomes tired very easily. This is because of the lack of insulin that helps in transporting the glucose in the blood to the cells where it is used to provide energy to the body. This leaves the patient with reduced amounts of glucose in the cells therefore, resulting in less energy.
• Delayed healing. This is in cases where the patient has a wound; it takes much longer than usual for healing to take place. This is because of increased sugar levels in the blood. Blood transports the nutrients needed for healing, and when glucose is in excess, nutrients are not appropriately carried to the site of healing thus causing delay.

3 Know the risk factors. Certain people are at higher risk for diabetes due to circumstances that are often out of their control. The risk factors for diabetes include:

• Obesity. Diabetes is common in people who are overweight because there is elevated cholesterol in the body. This is broken down into sugar where it is transported to the blood stream. The increased glucose level is so high such that despite some of it being taken up by the cells, there is still a large amount that is left in the blood stream, thus causing diabetes.
• Genetics. The condition is common in people who have a genetic makeup where there is insulin resistance or the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
• Lack of exercise. Exercise is needed by the body for effective metabolism to take place. When one does not engage in exercises regularly, the glucose that is present in the blood is not appropriately taken up by the cells, resulting in diabetes.

4 Know the complications of diabetes. If treated, diabetes doesn't have to affect your life. However, if left untreated, the complications are many. When diabetes isn't addressed medically, the following may occur:

• Cell damage. Glucose alcohol accumulation within the cells causes osmotic damage leading to cell injury that affects nerves, kidneys, lens and blood vessels. Because of this, its avoid to avoid injury as much as possible.
• Hypertension. Glycosylated collagen increases the thickness of the capillary basement, narrowing their lumens and affecting retina blood vessels. The net result is that blood vessels undergo sclerosis due to protein and glycogen glycation. This increases clotting and blood pressure.
• Xanthomas. This is the technical term for yellow lipid nodules on the skin or in the eyelid due to hyperlipidemia.
• Skin complications. Fungal and bacterial infections, recurrent furuncles, and neuropathic foot ulcers are all common. They ares usually painless because there is a poor blood supply, causing neuropathy (nerve damage) and therefore no sensation
• Ocular complications. New, abnormal blood vessels may form in the iris. In time, cataracts may form in the lens as well.
• Nervous system complications. This includes delayed nerve conduction, nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy as a result of destruction of the small blood vessels in all vital organs.
• Macrovascular complications. This includes atherosclerosis, coronary heart diseases, stroke, peripheral ischemia especially in the lower limbs, and claudication (pain in the lower limbs).
• Gangrene of the foot. This is also known as "diabetic foot."
• Renal complications. This presents itself in the form of urinary tract infections, which often recur.
• Gastrointestinal complications. This includes constipation, diarrhea, and gastroparesis with gastric dyspepsia.
• Genitourinary complications. Impotence may happen due to poor blood flow in men; in women, vulvovaginal infections (infection of the mucous membrane of the vagina), and dyspareunia (painful sexual intercourse for females, mainly due to dryness of the vagina), are also common.

5 Understand the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is mainly an autoimmune disorder resulting in a complete shortage in insulin secretion. Its onset is acute and the patients are normally thinner and younger; 3 out of 4 people with type 1 develop it before the age of 20.

• In type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, there’s a defection in insulin secretion as well as insulin resistance, which is a condition in which the body produces insulin but muscles, fat and liver cells don’t respond properly. More insulin is needed to make glucose tolerance normal (with no value to it), resulting in high sugar levels and high insulin levels at the same time. Patients are normally older, most are overweight or obese, and most cases are asymptomatic.