Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas

Diabetes is a disease of the pancreas that effects the entire body. Beta cells in the pancreas are responsible for producing the hormone insulin which allows sugar to be used for energy and for storage, unlocking cells throughout the body to allow glucose to enter as fuel. In diabetes, either the pancreas produces insufficient insulin or cells in the body are resistant to the insulin produced. Because of this, sugar remains in the blood, leading to high blood sugar levels. This sugar builds up and the excess is responsible for complications including diseases of the heart, eye, kidney, nerves and other organs. Diabetes can be inherited.

Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes, is caused by the destruction of the body's insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Although this type of diabetes is more prevalent among children and adolescents, it cans strike at any age and accounts for 10 percent of all diabetic cases. Daily injections must be taken to metabolize the glucose digested. Because of the attack, the pancreas is unable to produce or does not produce insulin at all, which is needed by the body for the energy. The result is an increase of glucose amount in the blood, which consequently spills to the urine. The increased level may result to too many complications associated to diabetes so patients are undergoing regular medical treatment, plus they need to watch their diet.

Those who only know one or two facts about pancreas diseases can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you're learning here.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Right nutrition diet decrease the stress on the pancreas

On the nutritional side, the treatment for people with Mature Onset Diabetes is to decrease the stress on the pancreas by making changes in their diet -- decrease starches and sugars and decrease calories. Eat less, eat right. What kind of a diet would be best for preventing Mature Onset Diabetes? Vegetables, vegetables, and vegetables combined with lean proteins such as fish, chicken, water, a little fruit and a little fat. In a hypoglycemic situation, it is wise not to eat grain or sugar, but sprouted grain bread, and other substitutes can be healthy and satisfying.

Because hormones are chemicals, diabetes and hypoglycemia are both hormonal-based problems. What we know about the hormone system is that it works as a balanced interdependent system. Diabetes is an endocrine-related, systemic problem. With a systemic problem like diabetes, you have a body system problem--you do not just have a condition by itself. It is known that the pancreas is related, through hormone interaction, to the adrenals, and the adrenals are in turn related to the reproductive system. It is known that these glands are related through hormone interactions to the pituitary and the pituitary is related to the thyroid gland, the thyroid is related to the thymus, and the thymus is related to the immune system.