Diabetes ... everybody knows this word now days. 14 Nov is world Diabetes Day. Over 30 million have now been diagnosed with Diabetes in India. There are many health talk shows or news article provide information about it. Still there are misconceptions about this disease. Today, I will try to explain what diabetes is. It is one of the major hormonal diseases.
Diabetes the term refers to group of symptoms characterised by high level of blood glucose. Too much sugar in the blood causes serious health problems, sometimes life threatening. There are 2 types of chronic diabetic conditions-
- Type 1 diabetes
- Type 2 diabetes,
- Gestational Diabetes – pregnant women can acquire a transient form of disease called gestational, after delivery.
- Prediabetes is when the blood sugar level is borderline, higher than normal but lower than diabetes. It may or may not progress to diabetes.
During digestion carbohydrates break down into glucose which is then carried by the bloodstream to the various organ of the body. In healthy people beta cells of pancreas produce insulin. Insulin gets attached to target cells and induce glucose intake.
In type 1 diabetes beta cells are destroyed by the immune system by mistake. The reason why this happens is not clear. Genetic factor are believe to play major role. Insulin production is reduced, less insulin gets bind to target cells. Less glucose is taken into the cells, more glucose stays into the blood circulation.
Type 1 diabetes starts more early in life before age 20. It has sudden onset. In type 2 diabetes, pancreas produces enough insulin. But something goes wrong with receptor binding or insulin signalling inside the target cells. The cells are not responsive to insulin. Therefore cannot import glucose. Glucose stays in the blood.
Genetic factor predispose susceptibility to disease. Lifestyle plays imp role. Typically, obesity, inactive & unhealthy lifestyle is associated with type 2. The symptoms appear gradually and mostly after age 30.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES
- Increased hunger
- Increased thirst
- Weight loss
- Frequent urination
- Blurry vision
- Extreme fatigue
- Sores that don’t heal
COMPLICAIONS OF DIABETES
Long –term complications of diabetes develop gradually. Less controlled blood sugar for longer time leads to complications.
- Cardio-vascular disease
- Nerve damage
- Kidney damage
- Eye damage
- Foot damage
- Skin condition
- Hearing impairment
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Depression
Management of diabetes When we talk about diseases like diabetes, we talk in terms of management rather than cure. Homeopathic treatment along with intake of Allopathic drugs and/or insulin can prevent the progress and the complications associated with this condition. Moreover timely administered homeopathic medicines help in maintaining the levels of insulin and Allopathic drugs at minimum possible dosage and in preventing the further progress of the disease.
So where can homeopathy contribute to the management of diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes – The role of homeopathy is restricted to controlling the complications of diabetes such as diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy, etc. Homeopathy does not have medicines that could stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin in cases of Type I diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes - This can be helped by administering a “constitutional” remedy, based on the totality of the patient’s symptoms and characteristics. The effect will be to improve the general sense of well-being, to improve diabetes control, and maybe to lower the insulin or drug requirements.