Our body generates energy from glucose or sugar we consume every day. The over consumption and concentration of glucose is the general cause of diabetes. The blood sugar levels in our body spike that causes a metabolic disease. The medical terminology for this illness is Diabetes Mellitus, this metabolic disease is caused by the pancreas inability to produce enough insulin in the body. This insulin is responsible for controlling the glucose level. Diabetes can also occur when the glucose produced by the pancreas in not accepted properly by the cells in the body. The insulin is responsible for moving glucose from the blood to the other parts of the body, such as the liver, fat cells and muscles. Therefore the lack of production of insulin can cause complication in these areas.
There are three types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes – Is caused when the body is not able to generate insulin and is required to inject insulin from a syringe. This type of diabetes can occur in children to adults. This mostly a hereditary disease, but can happen to anybody.
Type 2 diabetes – Happens when the cells in the body are unable to absorb the insulin produce by the pancreas properly, thus cause high blood sugar levels. People that are obese or overweight are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Though, lack of exercise, high consumption of sugar and genes can also increase your risk factor.
Type 3 diabetes- This type of diabetes occurs in pregnant women, the hormonal changes in the body cause the spike in blood sugar levels. Adding risk to pregnancy and may cause the baby to develop type 2 diabetes. This type usually occurs when pregnant women increase their intake of food to the extent that their sugar level increase dramatically.
Diabetes when not treated early on can affect the whole health system, affecting almost all of the organs. This disease can affect the heart, kidney, eyes, blood vessel, infection, nerves, cause limb amputation, high blood pressure, coma and more. Don’t worry though, diabetes can now be managed with medication, healthy lifestyle choices and a balanced diet. The remedies and food below can help treat diabetes or can be a great compliment to your current medication
Bitter Gourd – Bitter gourd is one of the most used and effective food for diabetics. This has been widely used in Asian countries to treat metabolic diseases. Bitter gourds are part of the mommordica charantia fruits, these types are fruits are known to increase insulin sensitivity, increase insulin level and repair damage cells. It also affects the body’s ability to metabolize glucose. Bitter gourd helps increase the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin and prevent insulin resistance. Thus making it good for both type 1 and type 2 diabetic. You can consume bitter gourd as a supplement, juice or dish.
Fenugreek – Fenugreek is widely used in traditional medicine to lower blood sugar levels. There has been recent studies done on fenugreek and type 2 diabetes sufferers. It has shown that fenugreek can lower the digestion rate of carbohydrates and sugar. Fenugreek can also stimulate the cells in the pancreas increasing its ability to produce insulin. You can create a fenugreek drink by soaking four tablespoons of fenugreek in a cup of water and leaving it overnight. Crush the seeds in the morning and strain the mixture, drink it. Do this every morning and see a significant change in your health.
Holy Basil or Tulsi – This is a popular medicinal herb that is known for its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-stress, anti-tumor, anti-fungal, anti-asthmatic and anti-diabetic properties. Basil leaves are effective in improving blood glucose levels and increase insulin production. You can chew on 2 to 5 fresh basil leaves in the morning (empty stomach) or crush the basil leaves to extract a teaspoon of it. Add the extract in your fruit juice or water and drink in the morning (empty stomach).
Papaya Leaf – Papaya leaf is great for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It can help increase insulin sensitivity to help cells take in the glucose. The leaves can also help reduce the complication caused by diabetes. IT can help reduce kidney damage, reduces stress hormones, improve healing and lessen fat in the liver. Create papaya leaves by boiling 8 papaya leaves in 8 cups of water. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and strain, drink this mixture everyday.
Diabetes is a hard to identify on its onset stages. You may or may not realize that you are suffering from this disease. It is best to consult your doctor or get yearly checkups to determine your general health, but if you start to notice some of the symptoms below get tested immediately. Symptoms: gradual weight loss, feeling hungry all the time, fatigue, irritation, blurred vision, increased sugar levels, slow healing of wounds, tingling sensation in the hands and feet, body is susceptible to yeast and fungal infection, increase in blood pressure, dry skin, and skin itching.
