Diabetes Information [Return To Home Page]

Can We Do More for Diabetics? New Research Suggests that We Can


Diabetes can briefly be defined as a state when the body's blood glucose is too high. The body does require a certain amount of sugar in the blood; however, those suffering from diabetes have levels much higher than what is needed.

Type I diabetes is also referred to as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. In this form of diabetes, the body's immune system has destroyed the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin from its beta cells. As in all cases of immune disorders, the body makes a mistake somewhere along the line and sees itself (the pancreas and its insulin producing beta cells) as foreign bodies. The immune system launches an attack to get rid of the invaders, which in this case are actually much needed beta cells.

Type II diabetes, on the other hand, has been called non-insulin-dependant diabetes or adult-onset diabetes, although lately the number of children presenting with Type II diabetes is rising at an astonishing and alarming rate. In Type II diabetes, patients' cells are found to be unresponsive to the insulin in their blood or unable to recognize and use it properly when present.

Currently, treatment for both types of diabetes is limited to either painful, usually daily, insulin shots or diabetes medication. Patients are also advised to change their diet, increase their physical activity, and maintain a controlled blood pressure and cholesterol level.

When considering the cause of the disease further, one realizes that the same basic concept is true for both forms of diabetes. For some reason the body has turned against itself, attacking and destroying - as in Type I diabetes - or has ceased to recognize its own cells as "self" - as in Type II diabetes.

The body's mechanism for cellular communication and recognition is glyconutrients, or sugar forms, found on the outside of every single cell of the human body. Glyconutrients help each cell to recognize others as "friendly" and not to be attacked (Type I diabetes). Additionally, they are the words by which cells "talk" to each other and give instructions, ie. "I'm insulin, let me in" (Type II diabetes).

If these glyconutrients are absent or damaged, the cells cease to have the ability to recognize and communicate with one another and various diseases such as diabetes may appear in an individual.

New research and studies are focusing on the use of glyconutrients to help diabetic patients. Several recent studies 1, 2 have shown that with the use of supplemental glyconutrients, blood sugar levels in patients with Type I and Type II diabetes can be decreased. What is hoped is that with continued use of supplemental glyconutrients through the diet, the body's repair mechanisms may be able to fix the damage that has been done by the disease by learning to recognize and communicate between cells once again.

1. McDaniel C;Baumgartner S;. Case report: early intervention in insulin dependent juvenile diabetes with dietary supplementation. Proc Fisher Inst Med Res. 2002 Apr 2; 2: 9-11.

2. McDaniel CF;Stevens EW;. Nutraceuticals decrease blood glucose and pain in an individual with non-insulin dependent diabetes and myofascial pain syndrome: a case report. Proc Fisher Inst Med Res. 1997; 1: 30-31.

Scott Saunders is a full time wellness consultant who can be reached at Whole Earth Health.


MORE RESOURCES:

Benzinga

Amylin, Lilly Diabetes Drug Faces Crucial FDA Decision
Wall Street Journal
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--After years of anticipation, a long-acting version of diabetes drug Byetta, sold by Amylin ...
Diabetes Drug Makers Move Before Ruling, Plus Fast Food NewsSeeking Alpha (blog)
First Ever Once-Weekly Diabetes Treatment InjectioneMaxHealth
Amylin & Friends Brace for Diabetes Review (AMLN, LLY, ALKS)FavStocks (blog)

all 11 news articles »


TheMedGuru

Daily sugary drinks increase diabetes risk!
KolkataObserver.com
Mumbai: Daily sugary drinks increase diabetes risk! Daily intake of sugary, aerated drinks can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. ...
Sugary drinks cause diabetes and heart disease cases to climbCelebrities With Diseases
Sports drinks enhance diabetes chancesTopNews
Daily Soda Consumption Leads to Diabetes and Heart DiseaseeFitnessNow
WBAY -dBTechno -Medical News Today (press release)
all 54 news articles »



Echo Pilot

Pardee to hold diabetes alert day
Asheville Citizen-Times
HENDERSONVILLE — Pardee Hospital will be offering diabetes risk tests in honor of American Diabetes Association Alert Day 10 am–noon and 1-3 pm March 23 at ...
Diabetes alert day TuesdayCarlisle Sentinel
Hospital to host diabetes sessionThe Tribune-Democrat
The American Diabetes Association Encourages Community Organizations to Join ...Earthtimes (press release)
Daily News Transcript
all 28 news articles »


Processed meats linked to heart disease, diabetes
ABC7Chicago.com
They found that for every 2 ounce serving, the risk for heart disease jumped 42 percent, and the risk for diabetes increased 19 percent. ...
Processed meats linked to heart diseaseFood Consumer

all 2 news articles »



USD med student concert to benefit juvenile diabetes research
Sioux City Journal
VERMILLION, SD -- The second annual Sanford School of Medicine Benefit Concert at the University of South Dakota will raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes ...
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fundraisers plannedJournal Times
Rockin' against diabetesThe News-Press
Alphanumeric Systems, Inc. sponsors JDRF Hope GalaCarolina Newswire (press release)
Waterloo Record -570 News -Valley Free Press
all 11 news articles »


Starting Treatment Early Doubles Chance of Success for People with Diabetes
PR Newswire (press release)
PORTLAND, Ore., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The sooner people with diabetes start taking metformin, the longer the drug remains effective, according to a Kaiser ...

and more »


World News

Lunchtime Coffee Linked With Reduction in Diabetes Risk
TopNews United States
Consumption of coffee reduces the risk of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes which bears a intimate association with obesity. However, the mechanism to ...
Coffee cuts diabetes riskHealthcare Today
Lunchtime coffee fights diabetes riskNDTV.com
Lunchtime Coffee Reduces Diabetes RiskMedIndia
infocera -TheMedGuru -Little About (blog)
all 21 news articles »


Martellus Bennett teams up with National Kidney Foundation
Dallas Morning News (blog)
Bennett lost a loved one in 2009 to diabetes and a grandmother was recently diagnosed with the disease. Bennett, along with his brother, Michael, ...
Letter: Be aware of risk factors for kidney diseaseThe Salem News
Find Out If You Are One Of Every Nine St. Louisans Who Has Or Will Have Kidney ...St. Louis Post-Dispatch
National Kidney Day at the Hawai'i State CapitolAloha Update (blog)
Pegasus News
all 9 news articles »

Google News






home | site map
© 2006