Diabetes Causes
by Ashi Jas
www.diabetesmellitus-information.com
Posted Mar 10th 2007,
Read 228 times since then.
Diabetes Cure At this time there is no specific cure for diabetes, but research continues to try to find a way to end this disease, rather than just treating and managing it as is now done. The problem with just treating and controlling diabetes is that it requires constant care, attention, and medications that continue to change over an individual’s life. Many…
Diabetes Camps Diabetes Camps Many Diabetic Kids feel isolated & lonely. Especially if they have very little interaction with other diabetics. Diabetes camp is an opportunity for them to meet other children just like themselves. Camp also teaches them valuable information about managing their disease. Many camps teach nutrition, how & when to test their blood…
Diabetes Facts Diabetes is a medical condition in which patients will suffer from high levels of blood sugar. Because of this, they will not secrete the correct amount of the hormone insulin. There are three forms of diabetes, and these are gestational diabetes, type 1, and type 2. About 10% of all cases are Type 1, while 90% of cases are type 2. In type 1…
Diabetes Exercises How does exercise help diabetes? Exercise is a great way to help control weight and it also lowers the blood sugar level. It also lowers a person’s risk of heart disease — a condition that is very common in people who have diabetes. Exercise can also help you feel better about yourself and increase your overall health. What kind of exercises…
Diabetes Diet There is no such thing as a "diabetic diet." A balanced diet is recommended. All foods cause a varying insulin response in our bodies. Eat plenty of foods such as green vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fibre that influence the release of sugar into the bloodstream. Foods that should be avoided are refined sugar, processed food, junk food,…
Since there are different types of diabetes, each type has a unique possible cause.
The main two causes of diabetes is the body’s failure to produce enough of the insulin hormone, and secondly the body develops a resistance to insulin.
· Type 1 diabetes is due to decreased insulin production.
· Type 2 is due to insulin resistance in peripheral tissues.
· In juvenile diabetes, the cause might probably be a lack of vitamin D.
There is also gestational diabetes that only occurs in pregnant women.
Causes of diabetes -
Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreas does not create sufficient or any of the hormone insulin, or when the insulin produced does not work efficiently. Thus, this causes the level of glucose in the blood to be higher than normal levels
1. In Type 1 diabetes, the cells in the pancreas that make insulin are attacked and destroyed by the body’s own immune system, causing a severe lack of insulin.
It is not clear why this happens, but possible triggers of this reaction could be -
· infection with a specific virus or bacteria;
· exposure to food-borne chemical toxins or
· exposure to cow's milk when as an infant, where as a yet unidentified component of the milk triggers an autoimmune reaction in the body.
However, these are only assumption, and are yet to be proven.
Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children, teenagers or young adults. Scientists believe this is a genetically caused condition and is not related to lifestyle habits.
Risk factors for developing type — 1diabetes include:
1. Family history — a child that has a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes has a 2-6% chance of developing the disease.
2. Autoimmune disorders — such as thyroid disease and celiac disease, raises the risk of type 1 diabetes.
3. Early stoppage of breastfeeding and/or exposure to cow’s milk — breastfeeding an infant for at least three months decreases the risk of type 1 diabetes. Some studies also show that exposure to cow’s milk or cow’s milk-based formula before one year of age may increase diabetes risk.
4. Ethnicity — Americans, Caucasians have a greater risk of type 1 diabetes as compared to African-Americans, Asian Americans, Latin Americans.
5. History of childhood virus diseases
2. Type 2 diabetes is believed to develop when:
· the receptors on the human cells in the body that respond to the action of insulin fall short of being stimulated by it — known as insulin resistance. In reaction to this, more insulin may be produced, and this over-production exhausts the insulin-manufacturing cells in the pancreas;
· there is just insufficient insulin available in the body and
· the insulin that is available may be abnormal and therefore doesn't function properly.
The following risk factors increase the chances of one developing Type 2 diabetes:
· increasing age
· if it runs in the family, ie. hereditary
· obesity
· high blood pressure
· diet which is high in fat and low in dietary fibre
· sedentary lifestyle with no or very less physical activity.
· certain medicines such as diuretics, which increase the amount of water flowing into the urine.
Corticosteroids can also lead to diabetes because they work against the action of insulin.
· gestational diabetes
· any illness or disease that damages the pancreas and affects its ability to produce insulin e.g. pancreatitis. (inflammation of the pancreas) and thyrotoxicosis (a poisonous condition that results from an overactive thyroid gland).
· hormone treatments, such as growth hormone, thyroid hormone and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH).
What does not cause diabetes?
It is also important to be aware of the different myths that have arisen about the causes of diabetes over time. Eating sweets, excess sugar or the wrong kind of food (fried and fatty food) does not cause diabetes. However, this type of a diet may cause obesity, and overweight people are generally prone to developing Type 2 diabetes. So, its not the food, but the effect of food that may cause diabetes. So, if you love eating and are a foodoholic, make sure to burn out the extra calories that go on to make the flab.
Stress does not cause diabetes, although it may be a trigger for the body turning on itself as in the case of Type 1 diabetes. Stress, however does definitely make the symptoms worse for those who already have diabetes.
People with diabetes should never eat sugar and sweets. Sugar and sweets do raise the blood glucose, but people with diabetes can safely eat sugar as part of their meal plan. People with diabetes should eat a special diabetes diet. This is a false notion. One has to eat regulated, along with a balanced diet.
Diabetes is not contagious. Someone with diabetes cannot transmit it on to anyone else.
Diabetes Testing Regular blood glucose testing by people with diabetes is important to help control it, and also prevent long-term complications. Good control of blood glucose levels can prevent or reduce serious complications. Frequent testing can show how changes in diet, exercise, medications or weight are having an effect on a patient's diabetes. Close…
Diabetes The Basics You have just found out you have diabetes. No reason to be alarmed. You need to make some lifestyle changes to reduce the possibility of developing a serious situation from your new found ailment. A serious situation could be a heart attack, kidney problems, high blood pressure, vision loss, or an amputation of a limb, usually a foot. Taking the…
Diabetes and Fitness There are two main types of diabetes, type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not…
Diabetes and Caffeine The jury is still out on whether or not caffeine leads to diabetic problems. Although researchers in Japan are saying those who drink coffee or green tea can reduce their risk of diabetes, caffeine remains a concern as a higher risk for diabetes. The Japanese study focused on people who drink black, green, or oolong tea and who were between the…
Diabetes Insipidus What is Diabetes Insipidus? Unlike other types of diabetes such as Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes Insipidus is a disease that is linked to the pituitary gland in the brain. When the word diabetes is mentioned most people will assume that we are speaking of Diabetes Mellitus (Sugar Diabetes). Diabetes Insipidus though is not caused by a lack of insulin…
Can Diabetes be Cured? Types Of Diabetes There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes includes individuals dependent upon insulin to prevent ketosis (abnormal accumulation of ketones in the body as a result of a deficiency or inadequate utilization of carbohydrates). A keytone is an organic compound having the group -OH- linked…
5 Diabetes Causes And Treatments The following notes show some interesting possible causes and suggested treatments of diabetes. Causes: 1) Men with testosterone levels in the low normal range are much more likely to have diabetes than those with higher levels, independent of obesity. 2) Young couch potatoes have more to worry about than just their weight. New research shows that…
Diabetes and Heart Disease Diabetes has been shown to be one of the leading causes of cardiovascular problems. Diabetes, by itself, is a medical condition that to date has affected 194 million people worldwide, and the numbers are estimated to increase to 250 million by the next decade. The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. This is a common form of diabetes…
Diabetes and Your Eyesight What does diabetes mean to a common man? Sugar? But it’s not that simple. Diabetes is a multi-organ disease that affects almost all parts of the body simultaneously and eyes are most commonly affected. The side affects of diabetes can be prevented or delayed by being in touch with doctors. Early diagnosis and treatment goes a long way in…
Diabetes and Society One of the things most people do not know is that there are several different types of diabetes, and that diabetes is a disease that will stay with you for the rest of your life, there is no cure from diabetes and that means that once a person is informed that he has diabetes this condition will follow him for the rest of his or her life. Coming…
Diabetes Symptoms Diabetes Symptoms — The symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are much the same. It is the speed in which they manifest that differs. Type 1 diabetes symptoms come about over a short period of time. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune response within the body which attacks the precious beta cells in the pancreas. The condition…
Diabetes Symptoms Diabetes mellitus is one of the most serious diseases that is typified by having too much blood sugar in the body. These high sugar levels occur because the body produces insufficient amounts of the hormone, insulin or insufficient cells to be targeted by insulin. Diabetes is categorized in different types, namely type 1 diabetes, type 2, type 3…
Diabetes: Cause And Prevention An individual may get diabetes when the pancreas can no longer secrete the needed hormones that produce insulin. The insulin maintains the glucose in the blood to be normal. Low insulin means that the level of glucose, which is sugar in the blood, may get high and may lead to diabetes. The autoimmune reaction is a type 1 diabetes where the cells…
Diabetes Diet Guidelines Diabetes is proving to be one of the most frightening diseases I've ever had but easy to manage so far. Over the past 6 years I've done very well controlling my Type 2 Diabetes with a healthy diet and exercise, the lack of which having been the cause of my problem in the first place. I'm not a doctor and don't play one on the internet so don't do…
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 What is Diabetes Mellitus Type 2? Most people have heard of diabetes at some time in their lives. Many people in the world live with it on a daily basis. There are three major types of Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Onset. This article will be devoted to Type 2, but I will also be putting together articles on other types of…
The views of the authors are owned by them alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of
