What?
Diabetes mellitus (DM), or diabetes, as most of us know, is a disorder in which the islets in the pancreas fail to secrete adequate insulin.
Did you know?
Six years ago the international diabetes federation estimated that nearly 15-20 crore people around the world suffered from diabetes. By 2025, this figure is expected to rise to over 35-40 crore.
How & Why
In healthy individuals, food is digested to release glucose into the blood. This causes the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin helps in the transportation of glucose from the blood to the liver and muscle cells for metabolism.
Types :-
There are two types of diabetes – insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, or Type 1 diabetes, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), also known as maturity-onset diabetes, or Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
In Type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system damages the beta cells in the pancreas resulting in low insulin levels.
Studies have found that people with Type 1 diabetes have better control over their blood sugar levels by following a low glycemic index diet (e.g.; oats, fruits).
Type 2 Diabetes
Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or Type 2 diabetes, typically occurs in obese individuals over 35 years of age, Type 2 diabetes due to lack of exercise and poor diet. The clinical symptoms of NIDDM are often mild.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss and excessive hunger are prominent symptoms.
Type 1:
Frequent urination, excessive thirst, especially for sweet drinks, extreme hunger for sudden weight loss, weakness, fatigue, blurred vision and irritability.
Type 2:
Frequent urination, unusual thirst, fatigue, blurred vision and weight loss are symptoms. What is important is that these symptoms appear more slowly than in Type 1.
Diagnosis :-
Most physicians recommend that people over age 35 should undergo routine tests for diabetes at regular intervals – at least, twice a year.
• Your physician may order a fasting plasma glucose test. In this test, blood is drawn after the individual fasts for eight hours. Normal levels are up to 110 mg/dl. The diagnosis of diabetes is made when this level is 126 mg/dl or higher on two different days.
• Glucose tolerance test (GTT) is another procedure which is used for fasting glucose testing. In this test, a fasting glucose level is drawn, when the individual drinks a glucose solution. Two hours later, the glucose level is evaluated.
• Glycosylated haemoglobin test (GHT) is used to examine blood for levels of haemoglobin A1c, or glycosylated haemoglobin. It shows the average amount of sugar (glucose) that has been in a person’s blood over the last three months. A normal non-diabetic HbA1c is 3.5-5.5 percent. In diabetics, about 6.5 percent is good.
Expert’s View:
In conditions like diabetes, one should always speak in terms of management rather than cure. Homeopathic treatment, along with the intake of hypoglycemic drugs and insulin can prevent the progression and complications of diabetes. Homeopathic medicines administered on time help maintain insulin levels and taking conventional anti-diabetic drugs at the minimum dosage possible could allow one to gradually taper the dose and also discontinue them later.
Homeopathic treatment and homeopathy :-
Diabetic a systemic disorder and it needs continuous monitoring and expertize hence self medication is not advisable. Few remedies which are useful are Syzygium, Gymnema sylvestra, Cephalandra indica, Acid phos.
Case :- Vinutha (43) a known diabetic came with the complaints of fatigue, increased urination and hunger and a ulcer on the foot. She also complained of tingling in the legs. She was mild, feeble in nature, yielding in nature. Doesn’t take her own decision but depends on other. Weeps on trifles. Even though diabetic her thirst was reduces. Depending on the totality medicine was prescribed. Her ulcer started healing and generals and other symptoms were improved. Over a period of time her blood sugar levels were much under control.
