Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Type I diabetes

Type II diabetes

Gestational diabetes

Long-term complications from diabetes

Prevention / remedies / treatment for diabetes

References

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition in which a person has a high blood sugar (glucose) level. It occurs when either the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or because body cells don't properly respond to the insulin that is produced. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which tells cells to absorb glucose and store energy. If glucose is not stored it remains in the blood (hyperglycemia) and gradually causes complications.

The optimal blood glucose range is 85-105 mg/dl, rising to the 120-140 after eating a meal and back into the optimal range within a couple of hours. Doctors regard the normal fasting blood sugar level as 80-120 mg/dL. A typical diabetic's level is 160 mg/dL two hours after a meal containing carbohydrates.

Over 6% of the world's population has diabetes, and it is "one of the biggest health catastrophes the world has ever witnessed". (5) It is not only a rich country disease, and is rapidly increasing in developing countries. in 2000 the five countries with the greatest number of people with diabetes were India (31.7 million), China (20.8 million), USA (17.7 million), Indonesia (8.4 million), and Japan (6.8 million). (6)

It is recognized as a global epidemic by the World Health Organization. (7) It causes massive human suffering, disability and socioeconomic cost.

Diabetes is a preventable disease caused by eating too much sugar, refined carbohydrates (things made with flour), sweet and dried fruits, and other sweet things.

Type one diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes): the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin. This causes an increased level of glucose in the blood and urine.

This condition is eventually fatal unless treated with insulin. Usually the person injects insulin for the rest of their life. When managed correctly, the person can remain healthy. However, with imperfect management similar symptoms to type 2 diabetes can occur. In addition, the sufferer has an increased risk of vehicle and other accidents.

Incidence of type 1 diabetes

The incidence ranges from 0.8-1.7% in the USA and northern Europe to 3.5% in Scandinavia to a low of 0.1% in Japan and China. (1) Less than 10% of all cases of diabetes are type I.

Causes of type 1 diabetes

• Diet. Cow's milk and other dairy products introduced too early, before the age of two.
• Congenital. Type 1 diabetes has a congenital risk. With identical twins, when one twin has type 1 diabetes the other twin has it only 30%-50% of the time.
• Breastfeeding, insufficient. None, or weaned too soon.
• Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy or infancy. (32)
• Toxic chemicals. Agricultural chemicals, environmental pollution.
• Environmental. There is a 10-fold difference in occurrence between Caucasians living in different areas of Europe. (9)

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes

The hallmark symptoms of type 1 diabetes are listed below. See also symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

• Frequent urination (polyuria).
• Thirst.
• Hunger.
• Weight loss.
• Dry mouth.



Other possible symptoms of type 1 diabetes

• Dry skin.
• Rapid, deep breathing.
• Drowsiness.
• Abdominal pain.
• Nausea/vomiting.

Type two diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (noninsulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes) is caused by eating too much sugar, refined carbohydrates (things made with flour), sweet and dried fruits, and other sweet things. It occurs when the cells in the body fail to properly respond to insulin (insulin resistance).

Incidence of type 2 diabetes

Approximately 90-95% of all cases of diabetes are Type 2. It is increasing at an alarming rate. In the USA, 11% of people over the age of 20 have Type 2 diabetes, and 24% of those over the age of 60 (Source: CDC). It is estimated that 28% of people with diabetes in the USA do not realise that they have the disease, leading to terrible consequences five years later - loss of limbs, blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, strokes and nerve damage. Diabetes used to be an adult disease, but now it is also common in children.

Two thirds of the population suffers from metabolic syndrome, sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes, with symptoms of aches, pains, tiredness, a tendency to overweight and a general feeling of malaise. Diabetes has increased in line with obesity. It is also increasingly diagnosed in children, again in parallel with obesity.

Causes of type 2 diabetes

• Sugar. (17) It is primarily caused by a diet high in refined, processed foods providing a high level of sugar (especially fructose). (14, 15, 16) Polyunsaturated vegetable oils and MSG are also involved.
• Relentless snacking on sugar and refined carbohydrates. The continual use of sweet foods and drinks for most of the day causes a sustained blood glucose level that never has a chance to go down to normal. Eventually this sugar assault overwhelms and damages the pancreas and the entire insulin-glucose storage system.
• Artificial sweeteners. (22)
• Lack of exercise, lack of movement during the day. (30)
• Obesity increases risk of diabetes, but thin people can also be diabetic. Those who are not obese often have a risky high waist-hip ratio.
• Sleep. 1. Lack of, 2. irregularity, and 3. being a night owl rather than an early bird.
• Chronic stress. (29)
• Pharmaceutical drugs including glucocorticoids, thiazides, beta blockers, atypical antipsychotics,[19] and statins. (2, 3)
• Smoking.
• Alcohol.
• Testosterone deficiency is associated with type 2 diabetes.
• Genetic factors. (minor cause).

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes

In the first year or two, there may be few symptoms.

• Increased thirst.
• Urinary incontinence. Frequent urination, especially at night. (31)
• Oedema (edema).
• Hunger. Increase in appetite / constant hunger, especially for sugar and other carbs.
• Blurred vision, other degenerative eye ailments.
• Acetone smell in breath.
• Fatigue and lethargy, especially after eating.
• Reduced intelligence.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Micronutrient deficiencies caused by sugar and by poor eating, particularly vitamin C, vitamin D, (32) potassium and zinc. Sugar is an antagonist to vitamin C and potassium.
• Fatty liver.
• Erection problems, female sexual dysfunction.
• Tingling or numbness in hands and feet. Nerve damage leading to weakness and poor sensitivity.
• Mood swings (hostility through to mania), confusion, brain fog.
• Abdominal pain.
• Vaginal infections (recurrent).

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition in which occurs in pregnant women who have not previously been diagnosed with high blood glucose levels. The insulin receptors on cells do not function properly. If affect about 3-10% of pregnancies, and is most common in the third trimester. It usually has few obvious symptoms, and usually resolves after delivery.

However, the infant is at increased risk of problems such as being large for gestational age (which may lead to delivery complications), low blood sugar, jaundice and an increased risk of obesity and diabetes later in life.

GDM can be treated with the same recommendations, including diet and exercise, as type 2 diabetes.

Long-term complications from diabetes

• Life-expectancy reduced by 10 years. (12)
• Cardiovascular disease, hardening of arteries (risk increased 2-4 times). (12, 13)
• Stroke. (12, 13)
• Chronic renal failure. (12, 13) A study showed that diabetes and its consequent kidney disease were healed after two months on a ketogenic diet. (20)
• Retinal damage, blindness. (12)
• Circulatory problems leading to damage to limbs and organs. Damage can be so severe that amputation is necessary. (12, 13)
• Frequent infections.
• Cognitive dysfunction, dementia, Alzheimer's disease. (10, 11)
• Autism. Risk of autism or other ASD in children of diabetics.
• Nerve damage occurs when blood sugar is above 140mg/dl. (10, 11) Diabetics, and people who regularly consume sweet foods and drinks are slowly poisoning their brain and nerves.

Prevention / remedies / treatment for diabetes

• Diet. A ketogenic diet in which you eliminate all sugars, refined carbohydrates, and especially fructose. (14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21) A ketogenic diet can permanently heal diabetes. (20, 21, 28)
• Lose weight. If you are overweight, get back to normal. Removing excess fat from the liver and pancreas (fatty liver) is a key to complete remission of type 2 diabetes. (26, 27, 28)
• The conventional medical model and the American Diabetes Association recommend treating diabetes with insulin. The ADA recommends that type 2 diabetics eat carbohydrates every day! This recommendation is seriously flawed. (17, 19, 21)
  This study (19) shows that insulin therapy does more harm than good.
  A ketogenic diet is a more effective, faster and permanent treatment for diabetes than standard medical treatment. (21)
• Intermittent fasting. Do not snack between meals! Extend the size of the window when you do not eat anything. At first this window may be when you are sleeping, but start having dinner earlier or breakfast later. Eventually move to having two meals per day, and eventually your long term goal is one meal per day. These are long term goals, but you will notice a big and quick improvement just when you stop snacking.
• Vitamin D deficiency is a chronic, widespread and severe cause of diabetes and insulin resistnce. (32)
• Micronutrients. Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and zinc may be low.
• Exercise. A minimal level of aerobic exercise. The exercise should be pleasant and not exhausting while the diabetes heals. Recommended - walking every day (30 minutes or a lot more), gardening, housework, gentle sports and so on. Resistance training (strength training, weights, building up muscle) is also necessary. (4, 30)
• Taurine.
• Apple cider vinegar. ACV improves insulin sensitivity. (24, 25) Take ACV in a glass of water a couple of times each day.
• Berberine.
• Methylene blue.
• GABA.
• Eliminate dairy products, especially if you suffer from type I diabetes. A likely cause of type I diabetes is too early exposure to milk and other dairy products while breastfeeding and during the first two years of life.
• Citrus (lemon) bioflavonoids.
• Fecal transplant. (18)
• White Chinese mulberry. (23)
• See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.

References

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2. Izzedine, H; Launay-Vacher, V, Deybach, C, Bourry, E, Barrou, B, Deray, G. Drug-induced diabetes mellitus. November 2005, Expert opinion on drug safety 4 (6): 1097-109. doi:10.1517/14740338.4.6.1097. PMID 16255667.

3. Sampson, UK; Linton, MF, Fazio, S. Are statins diabetogenic? July 2011, Current opinion in cardiology 26 (4): 342-7. doi:10.1097/HCO.0b013e3283470359. PMC 3341610. PMID 21499090.

4. Shoback, edited by David G. Gardner, Dolores. Greenspan's basic & clinical endocrinology (9th ed.) 2011. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. Chapter 17. ISBN 0-07-162243-8.

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6. Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R, King H. Global prevalence of diabetes: estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030. May 2004, Diabetes Care 27 (5): 1047-53. doi:10.2337/diacare.27.5.1047. PMID 15111519.

7. Diabetes Fact sheet No. 312. World Health Organization. Aug 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012.

8. OMIM. DIABETES MELLITUS, INSULIN-DEPENDENT; IDDM. Retrieved 4 December 2012.

9. Knip, M.; Veijola, R.; Virtanen, S. M.; Hyoty, H.; Vaarala, O.; Akerblom, H. K. Environmental Triggers and Determinants of Type 1 Diabetes. 2005, Diabetes 54: S125-S136. doi:10.2337/diabetes.54.suppl_2.S125. PMID 16306330.

10. Singleton JR et al. Increased prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance in patients with painful sensory neuropathy. Diabetes Care. 2001 Aug; 24(8):1448-53.

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12. UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group (UKPDS). Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. UKPDS 33. Lancet. 1998 Sept 12; 352(9131):837-53.

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