Diabetes Mellitus

December 27, 2020Articles3

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder that prevents your body from properly using the energy from the food you eat.

Diabetes occurs in two situations –

• The Pancreas produces little or no insulin at all. Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone, produced by beta cells of the pancreas ,which helps the body to use for the energy.

• The Pancreas makes insulin ,but the insulin produced doesn’t work as it should. This condition is known as insulin resistance.

When u eat a carbohydrate containing food ,your body turns it into a sugar called called glucose and sends that to your bloodstream. Your pancreas releases insulin ,a hormone that helps to move glucose from your blood into your cells ,which use it for energy. When insulin hormone donot function properly,too much glucose stays in your blood and condition of high blood sugar arises.

Types –

There are mainly two types of diabetes mellitus –

• Type 1 (Insulin dependent diabetes) –

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the insulin producing beta cells of pancreas get damage. Due to which pancreas makes little or no insulin, so sugar can’t get into the body cells for use as energy. Type 1 diabetes affected people have to use insulin injection to control their blood glucose,that’s why it is known as insulin dependent diabetes. It is common in people who are under the age of 30 yrs.

• Type 2 (Non-insulin dependent diabetes) –

In this type of diabetes ,the pancreas makes insulin, but it either doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin doesn’t work properly. 90% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Most often it occurs in age of over 40 yrs. It can be controlled with combination of diet , weight management, exercise and some oral glucose lowering medications if required, therefore it is known as non-insulin dependent diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes –

It is high blood sugar during pregnancy. Insulin blocking hormones produced by the placenta causes this type of diabetes. It usually gets to normal after delivery .

Causes –

• Family history of diabetes

• Injury to the pancreas (such as infection, tumor, surgery or accident)

• Autoimmune diseases

• Age (Risk increases with age)

• Physical stress (such as surgery or illness)

Symptoms –

• Increased thirst

• Dry mouth

• Frequent urination

• Increased hunger

• Unexplained weightloss

• Blurred vision

• Slow healing sores or cuts

• Feeling tired

• Dry or itchy skin

• Frequent urinary tract infections

• Numbness or tingling in hands or feet

Risk Factors –

• High blood pressure

• Abnormal blood cholesterol or triglycerides

• Smoking

• Being overweight

• Use of certain medications including steroids

Sugar itself doesn’t cause diabetes. Eating a lot of sugar can lead to tooth decay ,but it doesn’t cause diabetes.

Complications –

• Cardiovascular disease

• Neuropathy

• Nephropathy

• Retinopathy

• Hearing loss

• Depression

• Dementia

• Skin Infection

• Foot damage due to Infection and sores that donot heal.

Prevention –

• Eat healthy foods

• Get more physical activity

• Loose excess weight

Diagnosis –

• Glycated haemoglobin (A1C)test

• Random blood sugar test higher than 200 mg/dl

• Fasting blood sugar test higher than 126mg/dl

• Oral glucose tolerance test

Treatment –

• Monitoring your blood sugar –

Depending on your treatment plan, you may check and record your blood sugar as many as four times a day or more often if you’re taking insulin. People with type 2 diabetes generally check their blood sugar much less frequently.

• Insulin –

People with type 1 diabetes need insulin therapy to survive. Many people with type 2 diabetes also need insulin therapy.

• Oral Medication –

Some medications stimulate your pancreas to produce and release more insulin. Others inhibit the production and release of glucose from your liver.

Metformin is the first choice of medication for type 2 diabetes. Another medications are SGLT2 inhibitors – they work by preventing the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar into the blood.

• Pancreas Transplant

Ayurvedic Perspective –

Diabetes Mellitus is predominantly a kapha disorder where by the Agni function is diminished. This leads to low metabolic rate in the body and build up of sugar levels in the blood. In Ayurveda diabetes mellitus is termed as madhumeha. Although diabetes is dominantly a kapha disorder it is also influenced by the activity of vata in the body.

According to Ayurveda classics, diabetes can occur through two modes of pathogenesis –

• Avarana – Blockage of paths or channels in the body.

• Dhatukshaya – Depletion of dhatus or tissues in the body.

Line of treatment –

Stimulating the digestive fire means to activate the pancreas is very important for diabetes treatment.

Effective Herbs –

• Amalaki –

• Haridra –

• Jamun –

• Gudmar –

• Methi –

• Vijaysar –

• Karela –

Beneficial Medications –

• Chandraprabha Vati

• Shilajit sat

• Phaltrikadi kwath

• Triphala churna

Yoga & Pranayam –

• Bhastrika –

• Kapalbhati –

• Anulom vilom –

• Mandukasan –

• Vajrasan –

• Shasakasan

• Paschimotanasan –

• Pavanmuktasan –

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