Before we look at natural cures for diabetes lets remind ourselves what diabetes is. Diabetes mellitus is the term used when the blood sugar (glucose) in the body is to high. This is due to either an absence of insulin or the body becoming insulin resistant. There are two type of diabetes.

Type 1

Often called insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile diabetes (because it usually appears before the age of 40). In this type of diabetes the body is unable to produce any insulin at all. Type 1 diabetes is the least common form and it is estimated that 5-10% of Americans diagnosed with diabetes has type 1.

Type 2

The body does not produce enough insulin to deal with blood sugar or the cells ignore the insulin (insulin resistance). Glucose is a fuel for all the cells in the body, insulin is a hormone that that helps take the sugar from the blood to the cells. If glucose (sugar) builds up in the blood instead of going into the cells, it can cause the following problems.

• Your cells may become low on energy
• High blood glucose may over time damage your nerves, heart or eyes.

Diabetes can occur in in people of any race and age. It has been shown that certain groups of people are more likely to contract type 2 diabetes than others these include - Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans and the older population. It is estimated that that 6.5% of the American population has diabetes.

Diabetes symptoms

Diabetes can go undiagnosed for years because most of its symptoms are fairly harmless. If you have any of the following symptoms consider seeing your doctor. Testing for diabetes is very simple and only takes a minuet.

• Going to the bathroom a lot to urinate
• Extreme hunger
• Weight loss
• Feeling tired
• Being irritable
• Blurred vision
• Excessive thirst
• Cuts that are slow to heal
• Dry mouth
• Yeast infections (Thrush)

Diabetes complications

• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Depression
• Gastroparesis (stomach takes a long time to empty)
• Eye complications (glaucoma, cataracts, retinopathy)
• Skin problems (fungal infections, bacterial infections, itching and many more)
• Feet (neuropathy, calluses, foot ulcers, poor circulation)
• Diabetic neuropathy and nerve damage

Diabetes prevention

Recent studies have shown that people can reduce their likelihood of ever developing type 2 diabetes by changing their diet and exercising more. Even people who already have type 2 diabetes may be able to return their blood glucose levels to normal. It has been shown that losing 6-10% of your body fat combined with 20-30 minutes moderate exercise a day can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by over 50%!

To learn more about how you can take control of your diabetes please click the link.

Important: Always check with your health professional before starting any new eating plan or exercise regime.

All the best,

Carol