What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that causes high blood sugar. In a healthy person, the hormone insulin transports sugar from the blood into the body’s cells to use as energy. When the pancreas cannot produce insulin type 1 diabetes occurs. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells in the body become resistant to insulin. This article will explain the main symptoms, causes, and treatments for diabetes. Chinese Medicine treatments will also be discussed.
Diabetes Symptoms:
If you have diabetes, you may experience symptoms like extreme fatigue, hunger, and thirst, as well as more frequent urination, and blurry vision. People with type 1 diabetes may also observe sudden unintentional weight loss, while type 2 diabetes patients may experience recurring infections or sores that heal very slowly. Diabetes can also lead to serious complications including heart attack, stroke, and dementia, especially if left untreated.
What Causes Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system incorrectly destroying beta cells in the pancreas. These beta cells are the cells that produce insulin for the body. Researchers aren’t sure what exactly causes the immune system to attack these cells, but genes and viruses may be possible triggers.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of lifestyle habits and genes. Being overweight or obese can make your cells more resistant to insulin, causing type 2 diabetes to develop. Having a sedentary lifestyle can also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Treatment
If you have type 1 diabetes, the main treatment option available is insulin. This is commonly given through injections, which replace the insulin that the body can no longer produce. You can effectively treat type 2 diabetes in most cases through lifestyle and diet changes. Exercising regularly, maintaining healthy body weight, and consuming a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and seeds are good treatment options. Having small, regular meals throughout the day can also help to keep your blood sugar levels steady. Medications to help lower blood sugar levels are also available, but few of these address the root cause of the disease.
How Can Chinese Medicine Help?
If you have diabetes and need help managing the condition, Chinese Medicine may be a good option for you. While mainstream medicine treatments for diabetes mostly aim at reducing symptoms, (often by replacing the function of the body’s organs), Chinese Medicine gets to the root of the problem.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the organs in the body are connected to each other, and the whole body. Certain organs work together to control specific functions in the body. This means that when one organ becomes weak, this can affect other parts of the body and can result in disease.
A qualified Chinese Medicine practitioner may be able to heal the body from diseases such as diabetes, through techniques like acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. These methods can energize the weaker organs and may allow them to regain their natural functions. When the organs are functioning properly, the body can heal. Diet and lifestyle choices can be combined with acupuncture to create an effective recovery plan.
Conclusion:
Overall, diabetes is a condition that causes high blood sugar. Common symptoms include extreme hunger and thirst, and exhaustion. While type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin, type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin. Taking insulin injections is the main treatment option for type 1 diabetes, while exercise and a healthy diet are key options for treating type 2 diabetes. Chinese Medicine can help treat diabetes in a natural way, by promoting healthy organs in order to heal the body.
References:
Watson, S. (2020, February 26). Everything You Need to Know About Diabetes. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes
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