Diabetes is a nutritional disorder that is distinguished by abnormally high levels of blood glucose and the subsequent secretion of excess glucose in the urine. The word diabetes came from a Greek word which meant to “siphon or pass through.” The disease is a result of the absence of or a relative lack of insulin which leads to the abnormality in the metabolism of carbohydrates and protein.
Incidents of diabetes are much higher these days than in the recent past. Today diabetes is estimated to affect over 170 million people worldwide and that figure continues to grow each and every year. If not properly treated, diabetes will lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, blindness, and some joint problems. In severe cases, circulation to diabetics’ toes and fingers is reduced to the point where the toes and finger die and gangrene develops, requiring amputation. Other symptoms are frequent infections, dry skin, and weight loss.
There are two different types of diabetes which are commonly diagnosed. In the first case, Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile-onset diabetes, the body stops producing insulin or produces less than needed to regulate the level of blood glucose. In the second case which is called Type 2 diabetes, the body is not able to use the insolent that is secreted by the pancreas. It is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes.
For many people who suffer from type 2 diabetes, they can help their bodies use insulin more efficiently by making simple changes to their lifestyle. Some of those changes include decreasing the amount of carbohydrate intake and increasing the amount of daily exercise. Exercise tends to promote cells to absorb more insulin from the bloodstream and maintain a normal level of glucose.
Before a medicine or drug is sold to the public, it undergoes testing and final approval by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Unfortunately, sometimes the safety precautions that are in place to protect the consumers break down and drugs that are unsafe or that cause preventable side effects slip through the FDA approval process. That’s why many people fall back on natural cures for diabetes as a supplement to their regular medication or to smooth the progress of withdrawing from medication entirely.
If you are overweight and have diabetes getting your diabetes under control can done with natural remedies such as losing weight, exercising, and improving your diet. Some people have found that using natural remedies will help to control their blood sugar. Ginseng is one of those remedies. Although there are several different types of ginseng most of the promising studies have been using North American ginseng. Studies have shown that ginseng may improve blood sugar control over long periods.
In other studies, researchers have also found that the effective chromium improves glycemic control in people with insulin-dependent diabetes. The research data is inconclusive and points to the need to continue the research into the use of chromium in treating diabetes.
While diabetes can be improved with changes in your lifestyle, without the use of drugs, it is important for you not to ignore the symptoms of diabetes. It is vital to seek the care and advice of your healthcare practitioner when you consider treatment protocols for your diabetes.