Diabetes Causes and Treatment

Some of the diabetes causes are family history, lifestyle & hormonal imbalance. The best way to treat diabetes is to avoid foods that can spike blood sugar.

Diabetes is a common health ailment across the world, yet every diabetic person needs unique care and treatment.
It is a metabolism disorder, which occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, produces no insulin, or has cells that do not respond properly to the insulin produced by the pancreas.

This results in build-up of excess glucose in the blood, which eventually passes out of the body in urine. So, despite the blood having plenty of glucose, the cells are not getting it for their essential energy and growth requirements.

Diabetes causes

Some of the diabetes causes are genetics, lifestyle and hormonal imbalance. If diabetes treatment is not done on time, it can cause serious health complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and poor blood circulation to the limbs.

These health complications are an indication that you must pay attention to your dietary intake, as some foods are known for spiking blood sugar levels. The diabetes causes depend on the type of diabetes you have.

Types of diabetes

Type 1

This is rare, and its exact cause is not known. In this type, the pancreas is unable to produce any insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes typically appears in childhood or adolescence, but its onset is also possible in adulthood. Some of this type of diabetes causes are –

• Family history – If either of your parents have diabetes, there are chances of you developing it too. Also, if you have a family history of the same, you can be diagnosed with this health condition.
• Diet and lifestyle – High sugar intake, exposure to dairy products and low vitamin D are all linked to the development of type 1.
• Environmental factors – The presence of viruses such as rubella, Epstein-Barr and retroviruses can affect your immune system

Type 2

More common in adults, type 2 diabetes develops when the body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t produce insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. The exact reason behind this is not known, but genes and environmental factors like lack of physical activity and excess weight are some contributing factors.

• Weight gain – If you’re overweight, you have high chances of developing diabetes. Losing only 5% to 10% of your body weight can go a long way in managing and controlling diabetes.
• Stress – Stress produces a number of hormones such as cortisol that increase blood sugar and blood pressure. The more stress, the more chances of developing diabetes. Try relaxation techniques such as meditation pranayam, yoga, listening to music or taking a short holiday.
• Lack of sleep – It increases insulin resistance and chronic sleep deprivation is strongly linked to diabetes.
• Genetics – Your family history of a health disorder increases the chances of you developing it too at some point in life. Even if one parent has type 2 diabetes, there is a 40% chance of the child also getting diagnosed with it.

Diabetes treatment

The best way to manage and treat diabetes is the natural way. There are some foods that can spike you blood sugar levels, so it’s best to avoid them. Here’s a list of foods to eat and avoid if you have diabetes –

What to eat

• Cinnamon
• Aloe vera
• Jamun
• Vitamin C

What to avoid

• Refined sugar
• Whole grains
• Alcohol
• Cow’s milk

Even if you don’t appear to be at risk, knowing diabetes causes and diabetes treatment may help you or a loved one make the necessary lifestyle changes that will decrease the risk further.

The best defense against complications is taking care of your blood sugar levels. If it’s in the normal range, it will make you feel better. And, it will help you stay healthy lifelong.