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:

PhysOrg.com

Mouse Study May Help Explain Fish Oil's Benefits
BusinessWeek
3 (HealthDay News) -- Feeding obese mice omega-3 fatty acids reduced inflammation that can lead to diabetes, a new study finds. Fish oil supplements that ...
Fish oil works against diabetesTimes of India
Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce Risk Of Insulin Resistance, InflammationBETTER Health Research
Omega-3 fatty acids helps in fight against diabetesDiabetes.co.uk
The Press Association -Science AAAS -Live in the Now
all 54 news articles »


Reuters India

Diabetes drug may keep lung cancer at bay
Reuters
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The common diabetes drug metformin may hold promise as a way to keep smokers from developing lung cancer, US researchers said on ...
Diabetes drug can reduce risk of cancer, researchers findLos Angeles Times
Diabetes Drug Metformin Linked to Lower Lung Cancer Rate in MiceBusinessWeek
Diabetes drug may have cancer usesUPI.com
Softpedia -AFP -Medical News Today
all 224 news articles »


ModernMedicine

A1C Usefulness in Detecting New Diabetes Limited However, for those with ...
ModernMedicine
3 (HealthDay News) -- Testing serum A1C levels is less sensitive for detecting individuals at risk for diabetes than other tests, but can be used for ...
Protein test ups diabetes diagnoses in some racesReuters
Diagnosing Diabetes: A Danish Study on HbA1c Levels and EthnicityA Sweet Life (blog)

all 7 news articles »


Cincinnati Business Courier

Grant aimed at better diabetes care in area
The Detroit News
A large percentage of Detroit and southeast Michigan residents have diabetes. "Information is the lifeblood of medicine," said Dr. David Blumenthal, ...
Cincinnati nonprofit to get $13.8M for health ITBusinessWeek
Metro Detroit gets $16.2 million grant for health information exchange on diabetesCrain's Detroit Business
Feds name last two Health IT grant recipientsComputerworld
ModernHealthcare.com -FierceEMR -Health Data Management
all 64 news articles »


Seer Press

Diabetes Drug Might Fight Cancer
U.S. News & World Report
An ancient herbal remedy that constitutes the active ingredient in a modern diabetes drug may soon play a new role in ...
Diabetes Drug May Prevent Lung CancerdBTechno
Metformin Might Prevent Colorectal, Lung CancersMedscape
Metformin result shows everything old is new againSmartPlanet.com (blog)

all 9 news articles »


Baltimore Sun (blog)

Father, son hike Kilimanjaro for juvenile diabetes
Baltimore Sun (blog)
A father and son team are spending the next 14 days hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro in Arusha, Tanzania to raise money for juvenile diabetes. ...

and more »


Science Centric

60 Diabetes Seconds May Prevent A Diabetes Life
Huffington Post (blog)
Given the statistics, no matter where you live, no matter your age or race, fat or thin, you may get diabetes. Did you know type 2 diabetes is the fifth ...
Diabetes 'could become epidemic'BBC News
The gold standard for tackling diabetesNorth Shore Times
Optimizing Treatment for Type 1 DiabetesEmpowHer (blog)
Daily News & Analysis -The Northern Echo -Diabetes.co.uk
all 40 news articles »


Obesity runs Cali a $21B tab, and $24B for diabetes
Cardiovascular Business
Rates of obesity and diabetes in California are well above the national targets and goals. In the state, costs related to obesity are reported to be $21 ...
'Diabetes wave' set to strikeStuff.co.nz
UCLA Study: Rising Obesity Rates in North StateKHSL
Photo: Health.comEat, Drink and Be (blog)

all 6 news articles »


Modesto Bee

UCLA Study Finds Rising Levels of Obesity, Diabetes in California
California Healthline
Nearly 60% of California adults are overweight or obese and almost 8% of adult residents have diabetes, according to a recent report by the UCLA Center for ...
Stanislaus County struggles with worsening obesitySacramento Bee
UCLA data shows increase in diabetes, obesity in stateDaily Breeze
MODESTO: Obesity plagues Stanislaus, other valley countiesModesto Bee
California Watch (blog) -BMC Pediatrics
all 80 news articles »


Washington Post

Agent Orange cases may cost billions more
Washington Post
More Vietnam veterans are being compensated for diabetes than for any other malady, including post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing loss or general wounds ...
Vets' Agent Orange diabetes claims soarBoston Herald
Diabetes now tops Vietnam vets' claimsThe Associated Press
If it can happen in the US, why not Canada?Daily Gleaner
NewsBusters (blog) -Paris Post Intelligencer -Veterans Today Network
all 660 news articles »

Google News






home | site map
© 2006