More than 23 million people in the United States alone have diabetes, a disease that happens when the body is unable to make enough insulin or is not able to properly use insulin. Instead of moving into the cells, sugars build up in the body, which can lead to a number of serious health issues, including kidney disease, and heart disease. After being diagnosed with diabetes, patients may think that life as they know it is over. Actually, diabetics can live long, healthy lives, as long as they take their medications, exercise, eat healthy and keep their weight down. There are two main types of diabetes - juvenile diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. A third type of diabetes is known as gestational diabetes.

Juvenile Diabetes (Type 1)

In most cases, juvenile or Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed when patients are children or young adults. This is a form of diabetes that, according to the American Diabetes Association, is only seen in five to ten percent of those with diabetes. When a person has juvenile diabetes, their body is unable to produce insulin, a hormone that converts starches, sugars and more into energy. Those with juvenile diabetes usually have to take insulin therapy, and they must closely monitor their blood sugars.

Type 2 Diabetes

Of the different types of diabetes, Type 2 is the most common, with millions of people in the US having it, and many more are at a high risk for the disease. Many people do not experience any symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, so they do not even realize that they have it. Again, with Type 2 diabetes, the body is unable to produce enough insulin, and without a proper diet and health care, there can be many complications. There are certain groups of people who have more instances of Type 2 diabetes, including Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders. Type 2 diabetes can be controlled through blood glucose monitoring, a healthy diet and, in some cases, medication.

Gestational Diabetes

It is not uncommon for many pregnant women to develop gestational diabetes, usually in the third trimester of their pregnancy. Often, women who have gestational diabetes did not previously have diabetes, and most do not have diabetes once their babies are born. Regular blood glucose monitoring should be done to ensure that mother and baby are both healthy, with no risk of diabetes in the future, for mother or child.

Symptoms of Diabetes

There are many symptoms of diabetes, and some are so simple that they often go unnoticed, especially by those who are not at a high risk for diabetes. Those who are experiencing any of these symptoms should have tests for diabetes done by their physician. Even if they do not have the disease, it is worth it to find out for sure because the sooner the condition is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin.

Juvenile Diabetes Symptoms - Some of the symptoms of juvenile diabetes include frequent urination, strange weight loss, extreme tiredness, irritability and unusual hunger and thirst.

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms - Patients with Type 2 diabetes may experience no symptoms, or they can have any or all of the same symptoms as those with juvenile diabetes. Other symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include blurred vision, cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal, tingling or numbness in the feet and/or hands and infections that keep coming back.

Being Active Can Help You Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

It doesn't matter whether a person has any type of diabetes. It is important for everyone to be active, which helps to keep the body healthy. Having an active lifestyle can be a terrific part of the diabetes treatment, and can even keep some people from developing Type 2 diabetes. Being active doesn't mean that people need to go out and join a sports team or take aerobics classes every day. Being active can be as simple as going for a half hour walk each day. As part of diabetes treatment, this is certainly the simplest.

Diabetes Care Should Begin with a Healthy Diet

When a person is diagnosed with diabetes, it means that there are going to have to be a lot of changes made in their lifestyle, particularly when it comes to diets. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet doesn't have to be boring, as many would think. In fact, there are all kinds of delicious foods that are absolutely fine for diabetic diets. Those who are diagnosed with diabetes need to learn how to eat the right foods, in the right portions. And, having diabetes does not mean that one can't enjoy a sweet treat now and again. You just need to plan your diet accordingly, and when you do, you can add a treat. Or, try making your own sweets at home, using artificial sweetener.

Fad diets do not work, and many are actually quite unhealthy. A healthy diet will consist of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Some of the foods that are recommended for diabetic diets include whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, fish, lean meats, liquid oils, fruits, and non-fat dairy products. And, with so many delicious foods to choose from, it should be no problem at all to follow a healthy diet.

When Diet Isn't Enough

There are times when diet alone just isn't enough to get all of the protein and other nutrients that are needed by the body. Sometimes, diabetics need to turn to dietary supplements, which can provide many of the nutrients they need. There are three macronutrients that we all need to survive - fats, carbohydrates, and proteins - but it is not always easy to get them in the right amounts. There are many different types of dietary supplements that will provide protein and other nutrients, and which ones are best depends on the individual's tastes and needs. Protein powders are very popular because they are so versatile and can be used to make meal replacements or added to dishes to increase the protein.

About Protica Research

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility.

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Diabetes affects the manner in which the body handles digested carbohydrates. If neglected, diabetes can cause serious health complications, ranging from blindness to kidney failure.

Approximately 8% of the population in the United States has diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that diabetes accounts for 178,000 deaths, 54,000 amputees, and 12,000-24,000 cases of blindness annually. Blindness is 25 times more common among diabetic patients compared to nondiabetics. It is proposed that by the year 2010, diabetes will exceed both heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death through its many complications.

Diabetics have a high level of blood glucose. The blood sugar level is regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, which releases it in response to food consumption. Insulin causes the cells of the body to take in glucose from the blood. Diagnostic standards for diabetes have been fasting plasma glucose levels greater than 140 mg/dL on two occasions and plasma glucose greater than 200 mg/dL following a 75-gram glucose load. More recently, the American Diabetes Association lowered the criteria for a diabetes diagnosis to fasting plasma glucose levels equal to or greater than 126 mg/dL. Fasting plasma levels outside the normal limit require additional tests, usually by repeating the fasting plasma glucose test and (if indicated) giving the patient an oral glucose tolerance test.

The symptoms of diabetes include excessive urination, excessive thirst and hunger, sudden weight loss, blurred vision, delay in healing of wounds, dry and itchy skin, repeated infections, fatigue and headache. There are two different types of diabetes.

Type I Diabetes (juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes): The cause of type I diabetes is caused by pancreatic inability to produce insulin. It is responsible for 5-10% of cases of diabetes. The pancreatic Islet of Langerhans cells, which secrete the hormone, are destroyed by the body's own immune system, probably because it mistakes them for a virus. Viral infections are thought to be the trigger that sets off this auto-immune disease. If untreated, death occurs within a few months of the onset of juvenile diabetes, as the cells of the body starve because they no longer receive the hormonal prompt to take in glucose. While most Type I diabetics are young (hence the term Juvenile Diabetes), the condition can develop at any age. Autoimmune diabetes can be definitely diagnosed by a blood test which shows the presence of anti-insulin/anti-islet-cell antibodies.

Type II Diabetes (non insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes): This diabetes is a result of body tissues becoming resistant to insulin. It accounts for 90-95% of cases. Eventually the pancreas may exhaust its over-active secretion of the hormone, and insulin levels fall to below normal.

A tendency towards Type II diabetes is hereditary, but it is unlikely to develop in normal-weight individuals eating a low- or moderate-carbohydrate diet. Obese, sedentary individuals who eat poor-quality diets based on refined starch, which constantly activates pancreatic insulin secretion, are prone to develop insulin resistance. Native peoples such as North American Indians whose traditional diets did not include refined starch until its recent introduction by Europeans have extremely high rates of diabetes, up to 5 times the rate of caucasians. Blacks and hispanics are also at higher risk. Though Type II diabetes is not fatal within a matter of months, it can lead to health complications over several years and cause severe disability and premature death. If neglected, diabetes can lead to life-threatening complications such as kidney damage (nephropathy), heart disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), retinal damage and blindness(retinopathy), and hypoglycemia (drastic reduction in glucose levels). Diabetes damages blood vessels, especially smaller end-arteries, leading to severe and premature atherosclerosis. Diabetics are prone to foot problems because neuropathy, which affects approximately 10% of patients, causes their feet to lose sensation. Foot injuries, common in day-to-day living, go unnoticed, and these injuries do not heal because of poor circulation through the small arteries in the foot. Gangrene and subsequent amputation of toes or feet is the consequence for many elderly patients with poorly-controlled diabetes. Usually these sequelae appear earlier in Type I than Type II diabetes, because Type II patients have some of their own insulin production left to buffer changes in blood sugar levels.

Type I diabetes is a serious disease and there is no permanent cure for it. However, the symptoms can be controlled by strict dietary monitering and insulin injections. Implanted pumps which release insulin immediately in response to changes in blood glucose are in the testing stages.

In theory, since it caused by diet, Type II diabetes should be preventable and manageable by dietary changes alone, but in practice many diabetics (and many obese people without diabetes) find it personally impossible to lose weight or adhere to a healthy diet. Therefore they are frequently treated with drugs which restore the body's response to insulin, and in some cases injections of insulin.

If you suspect you have diabetes or are in a high risk group, please see your doctor.

Diabetes is one of the common metabolic diseases that occur due to defects in the carbohydrate metabolism in the body. It affects approximately 17 million people (about 8% of the population) in the United States.

Causes of Diabetes

• Excess intake of oil and sugar
• Hereditary and genetics factors also leads to diabetes
• Increased cholesterol level
• Over weight
• Stress
• No physical activities

Symptoms of Diabetes

• Frequent urination
• Excessive hunger and thirst
• Problems of back and joint pain
• Tiredness or general weakness
• Loss of weight
• Long time for healing of wounds

Complications of Diabetes

• Diabetes may lead to blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage.
• It is also an important factor in accelerating the hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), leading to strokes, coronary heart disease, and other large blood vessel diseases.
• It is also the leading cause of blindness in United States. It can cause a number of eye problems, some of which can lead to blindness if not addressed
• It also increases the risk of gum disease and tooth loss
• Diabetic patients also suffer from impotence or erectile dysfunction.

Do’s and Don’t for Diabetes

• Avoid all kinds of sugary and sweet foods.
• Eat bitter melon herbs either in powdered form (powder of bitter melon seeds) or cooked vegetables. It is very beneficial in the treatment of diabetes.
• Also avoid coffee, sugar, refined flour and alcohol.
• Include onion, sprouts, beans, garlic, and tomatoes in the diet as it helps in lowering the sugar level in the blood.
• Do not eat junk food and oily food as this will control your level of cholesterol, lowers your blood pressure level, and diabetes

Home Treatments for Diabetes

• Gooseberry helps to cure diabetes and brings the blood sugar level to normal.
• Curry leaves also helps in controlling body weight and also diabetes. Chewing (8-10) curry leaves in an empty stomach to bring sugar level in urine and blood to normal.
• Dry the leaves of mango tree and make its powder in a grinder. Mix the dry powder (1 teaspoon) of mango leaves in a glass of water and drink it everyday to cure diabetes.
• Soak few fenugreek seeds in water and keep them overnight. Have these softened seeds in the morning.
• Garlic contains allicin, which works at reducing the sugar level in the blood.
• Jamun has also specific action on the pancreas, which controls the conversion of starch to sugar. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Where to Find Useful Diabetes Information to Control the Disease
Diabetes Mellitus is a disease that is least understood by the common masses.

How is diabetes caused?
Diabetes is actually a metabolic disorder wherein the body feels an acute lack of the energy-producing hormone, insulin. Insulin, which is produced by cells in the pancreas, break down the food we eat and convert it into energy, which helps us carry on our daily activities.

Sometimes, this insulin is either deficient due to some autoimmune disorder in the body or because of the body's own capacity to absorb the amount present in it. Either way, the body fails to generate the energy automatically and slowly starts breaking under the strain of it all.

Here are some things to note about diabetes and what it is:

• Firstly, most of us tend to think that diabetes is caused by a wrong lifestyle and / or eating habits. It is important to understand that the above does not directly cause this disorder, though they could be contributing factors for the same. Hyperglycemia or the presence of excess sugar in the body is the prime indicator of diabetes, but this need not necessarily be caused by sugar intake. In fact, it could well be your excess fat intake that could be the cause of your diabetes.
• People often tend to buckle under the false impression that one has to completely cut off sugar if one suffers from diabetes. Discuss with your doctor as to how much sugar is ideal for you.
• Eating fruits is not necessarily counter-effective to your diabetes medication. While there are certain fruits such as mangoes, grapes and avocados that are totally loaded with calories and carbohydrates, there are yet others that are quite harmless and actually bestow great benefits on the body. Apples and citrus fruits are best for you if you are suffering from diabetes.
• As concerns vegetables, green leafy vegetables are the best for you, as they are a rich source of Vitamin B and Vitamin C, which naturally contain calorie-reducing properties. Potatoes and corn are best avoided, though.
• Another common concern is that one cannot have carbohydrates in one's diet. They supply tremendous energy to the body. It is not recommended to avoid them altogether from your diet. Ask your doctor to prescribe the ideal diet for you - one in which you can also include carbohydrates.
• Taking Aspirin is considered harmful for diabetics. But a recent body of research claims that this is actually good in moderation, as Aspirin prevents thickening of the arteries, hence reducing chances of heart attacks to that extent. But this medicine also has many undesirable side effects, so it is most advisable to have a word with your physician before consuming the same.

We hope the diabetes information we provided you here helped educate you better on the disorder. Take care of yourself, keep under control and you will be able to live a full life in spite of diabetes!