Managing Diabetes - Managing Your Stroke Risk

Diabetes is a chronic disease that is affecting more and more people.

Our bodies create energy from the glucose (sugar) in the food that we have eaten. The hormone insulin (produced by the pancrease) is the key component of this conversion process. It converts glucose in the bloodstream into energy. A person is a diabetic if they are unable to produce sufficient insulin for this conversion process to take place. As a result, the glucose stays in the blood stream, resulting in high glucose levels.

There are two types of diabetes, and these are explained below.

Type 1

Type 1 diabetes is when the pancrease doesn't produce insulin. Type 1 diabetics are dependent on injections of insulin so that they can convert their blood glucose into energy. If they don't inject insulin, then their body burns body fat to produce energy. This causes a build up of chemical substances in the blood, called ketoacidosis, which can be life threatening.

This form of diabetes typically occurs before a person is 30 years old, but it can occur later. The cause is largely unknown, although it tends to run within families. It doesn't appear to be lifestyle induced, but a healthy lifestyle (in addition to insulin injections) can help manage it.

Traditional medicine purports that type 1 is uncurable, however many natural medicine proponents promote other diabetes management options. 

Type 2

Type 2 is more common ... about 85 - 90% of diabetics have type 2. And this is the form that is affecting more and more people. In this case, the pancreas makes insulin, but it is insufficent for the body's needs. Genetics can influence your disposition for type 2, however, lifestyle and health factors are the major risk factors. The following items increase your risk of type 2 diabetes:

• High blood pressure
• Being overweight or obese
• Poor diet
• Lack of exercise
• Have an "apple" body shape (where you tend to put on weight around the waist).

From this list, you can see that the middle three risk items are ones that you can control. Healthy eating and adequate exercise are the major ways to manage this disease. There are also medications available that can help.

For specific advice on foods and natural remedies for type 2 diabetics, click here.