Obesity - The Untold Truth

Many a times doctors say that take care of your weight, reduce weight, reduce fat, etc.. but they never tell why we have gained so much of weight, why fat has got accumulated in the body.

They always tell the patients to get rid of the excess fat, but do nothing for the reason why this fat is getting accumulated in the body.

Lets investigate what has gone wrong with our body which is resulting in the fat getting accumulated in our body.

The human body needs energy to power muscles and to fuel the millions of chemical and biological reactions which take place throughout our system every day. This energy comes from the food we consume in our diet. Food consists mainly of water and three types of nutrient - protein, dietary fats and carbohydrate - which are found in varying proportions in most foods. These nutrients are broken down, digested and absorbed by the body in the gastrointestinal tract, running from the mouth to the anus. Each of these macronutrients is processed and absorbed by the digestive system in different ways.

How Are Surplus Carbs Used And Stored?

Carbohydrate is the major source of energy for the body. This is because, of all nutrients, it converts most readily to glucose which is the body's preferred fuel. When we eat carbohydrate, it is converted to glucose in the digestive tract and distributed via the liver to cells throughout the body for use as energy. Once our immediate energy needs are satisfied, the remaining carb glucose is handled in one of two ways. Either it is converted to liquid glycogen (a temporary source of readily available energy) and stored in the liver or muscles. Or, it is converted into fatty acids by the liver and stored in adipose cells (fat-cells) around the body.

How Is Surplus Protein Used And Stored?

Protein is broken down into amino acids in the stomach and small intestine, then distributed via the liver to cells throughout the body for a variety of uses included cell formation and repair. Some surplus protein amino acids are kept circulating in the bloodstream, the remainder is either converted into a type of simple sugar and used as energy, or (like carbohydrate) is converted to fatty acid and stored in adipose cells.

How Is Surplus Dietary Fat Used And Stored?

Dietary fat is broken down into fatty acids and glycerol by the stomach and small intestine. It is then distributed (in the form of triglycerides) via the lymphatic system and bloodstream to the cells for a variety of specialized uses or, in the absence of sufficient carbs, for energy. However, since dietary fat cannot be converted into protein and only about 5 percent (the glycerol part) is convertible into glucose, and because dietary fat is not the body's preferred choice of fuel, a significant amount ends up being stored as body fat in the adipose tissue.

Conversion Of Body Fat To Energy

If energy is required suddenly, the body first uses up its glycogen reserves. After this, it converts the body fat in the adipose cells into energy by a catabolic process called lipolysis. During lipolysis, triglycerides within the adipose cells are acted upon by a complex enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase (HSL). This converts the triglyceride into fatty acids and glycerol. The fatty acids are then transported via the bloodstream to tissues for use as energy, or (along with the glycerol) taken to the liver for further processing.

Adipose cells which make up adipose tissue are specialized cells which contain and can synthesize globules of fat. This fat either comes from the dietary fat we eat or is made by the body from surplus carbohydrate or protein in our diet. Adipose tissue is mainly located just under the skin, although adipose deposits are also found between the muscles, in the abdomen, and around the heart and other organs. The location of fat deposits is largely determined by genetic inheritance. Thus it is not possible to affect where we store fat. Nor is it possible to influence from which area the body burns fat for energy purposes.

Why Do We Get Fat?

Most of us develop body fat because we eat more calories than we burn in exercise. Given a culture which emphasises "value for money food portions" and "super-sizing", along with an steady increase in serving size, an upsurge of new tasty high-calorie foods and energy drinks, such over-consumption is perhaps only to be expected. Lack of exercise is also a major contributory factor. However, overeating and lack of fitness is not the whole story.

So..... whats untold???

The untold truth is that what we are eating not reaching our cells. our cells are not able to take it. The mitochondria is not able to use the body glucose and hence the cell is still starving and sending signals to your brain to consume more food. so we go on consuming more and more food and the food gets stored as fat but still we are energy-less. Hypothyroid may also be the reason so that also needs to be investigated.

The consequences

For how long will the body tolerate this? When the cells don't get enough energy, they will starve to death, and the organs will become weaker. So on one hand our body is accumulating fat but at the other end our body is getting weaker. After some time the liver starts malfunctioning and as a result of this, the excess food doesn't gets removed from the blood stream and the different indicators start giving higher reading on different parameters. If the Glucose is not removed properly from the blood stream... we get higher blood glucose reading... leading to diabetes. If the fatty acid doesn't gets removed properly, it leads to higher cholesterol reading, leading to heart disease... and so on. These higher levels on a regular basis may result in malfunctioning of other organs........So friends..... When you observe excess fat in your body, do ask your GP for proper guidance.

Diabetes Q & A from my old blog

Name: "Gals"
This looks like generic information about diabetes... Additional info like how electro homeo can create magical effects in such ubiquitous disease?

Name: drherb

Thanks for your interest in electro homeo medicines. Depending on the type of diabetes that the patient have, electro homeo herbs will repair the pancreas so that it will again start the optimum level of insuline production and it will also repair the cells so that the receptors will re open and through these receptors the cells can take glucose from the body. in this way, the body will take the blood glucose from the blood and convert it into energy. and as a side effect of these medicines u may feel younger.

Name: "abc"

side effects???

Name: drherb
Home Page: http://drherb.tripod.com

the electro homeo medicines are totaly derived from the vegitable kingdom. it is totaly herbal based. it does its assigned task (heal the organ) and comes out of the extractory system. it doesn't leave any residue in the body to harm other organs.

I have used the term side effect in one of my comments in a positive way. Actually electro homeo works on the principal of purification of blood and lymph. So while healing that particular organ your blood and lymph will additionaly be purified, which will result in a better digestive and extractory system. it will also result in a better blood flow. Your cells will be able to absorb more blood glucose, means your cells can produce more energy, which will result in a more energetic you, which simply translate into a younger you.

Name: "rajan"

does diabetes affect one's sexual life?

Name: drherb
Home Page: http://drherb.tripod.com

well.. if your cells are not able to use the blood glucose then how it will convert it into energy? if you dont get enough energy then you can easily guess whats going to happen to your sex life...

Name: "rks"

do i have to quite allopathic medicines to start these herbal medicines? is there any diet control like not eating onion or garlic?

Name: drherb
Home Page: http://drherb.tripod.com

i don't prefer asking you to quite the allopathic drug the very moment you come to us. we ask you to continue with the medicines and food controls which you are already taking and take these herbal solutions along with them. within a month you will be able to notice visible changes in yourself. and after that you can reduce the allopathic medicines for diabetes.

Name: "rks"

for how long do i have to take these herbal medicenes?

Name: drherb
Home Page: http://drherb.tripod.com

It all depends on your diabetic history. Let me be very frank, the diesease that people have for last 10 15 years cand be cured by a single dose of medicine. It will take time to repair your pancreas and your cell receptors. you will be able to see visible changes in your body within a month, but depending on your diabetic history, you may have to continue it for a year.

Name: "rks"

I have seen diabetes starting as type 2 and then getting converted into type 1. what is the cause for this?

Name: drherb
Home Page: http://drherb.tripod.com

well the reason is obvious. Diabetes in general starts with type 2 because of the blockages of the receptors. Once high blood sugar is detected, lots of food restriction is imposed on that person but little attention is paid to remove those blockages of the cells.

now if the cell doesn't receive enough glucose, from where it will get the energy. and without energy, how long will the cells survive? The cells will keep on decaying and ultimatly most of the organs will deteroriate. The Pancreas too will deteroriate. Which will amount to less insuline production and hence Type 1 diabetes.

Name: "vipin"

i have a family history of diabetes. doctors say that i am at high risk of being diabetic. what precaution should i take?

Name: drherb
Home Page: http://drherb.tripod.com

excercise regularly to remove toxins from your body. you can also use some electro homeo medicines as precautionary measures.

Name: "bks"

is it very costly treatment?

Name: drherb
Home Page: http://drherb.tripod.com

well we firmly believe that any treatment is successful only if both you and your servent can afford it.

In simple words. its affordable by almost everyone.

DIET CHART FOR DIABETES

Diet:

Step 1:
Have bitter gourd juice and a glass of lukewarm water with half a freshly squeezed lime the first thing in the morning to cleanse the system of all impurities.

Step 2:
Have a light breakfast comprising any fresh fruit (except bananas), a small quantity of whole meal bread with butter and fresh milk.

Step 3:
Lunch may include a bowl of freshly prepared steamed vegetables, one or two whole-wheat bread with butter and a glass of buttermilk.

Step 4:
Have a juice during the mid-afternoon preferably a glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice.

Step 5:
Dinner may comprise of a large bowl of raw vegetable salad, with limejuice dressing, sprouted beans and cottage cheese.

Step 6:
Avoid spices, condiments, pickles, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea and coffee, meat, over boiled milk, as well as white flour and products made from them, refined, processed, stale and tinned foods.

Always Remember:

*Fresh fruits contain sugar fructose, which does not need insulin for its metabolism and is well tolerated by diabetics.
*Raw foods should be taken liberally as they stimulate and increase insulin production.
*Fats and oils should be taken sparingly.
*Do good foods for diabetics include: cucumbers, string beans, onion and garlic.

Preventive Measures for Diabetes:

*Brisk walks.
*Back lifting exercise.
*Yogic asanas.
*Body massage once a week.
*Hot fomentation to lower back.

Diet for Diabetes:

As with the cure of any disease, any successful method of diabetes treatment should aim at removing the root cause of the disease and strengthening the entire health-level.

Diet therapy is the basis of such a treatment. The primary dietary consideration for a diabetic person is that he should be a strict lacto-vegetarian and take a low-caloric, low-fat, alkaline diet of high quality, natural foods. Fruits, nuts and vegetables, whole meal bread and dairy products form a good diet for the diabetics.


It is advisable to avoid cooked starchy foods as in the process of cooking the cellulose enveloping the starch granules burst and consequently the starch is far too easily absorbed in the system. The excess starch absorbed has to be eliminated from the system by the kidneys and appears as sugar in the urine.

With raw starchy foods, however, the saliva and digestive juices in the small intestine regulate the quantities required to be converted into sugar for the body's needs. The unused and undigested portion of raw starchy foods does not become injurious to the system, as it does not readily ferment.


The diabetic person should not keep away from eating fresh fruits and vegetables, which contain sugar and starch. Fresh fruits contain sugar (fructose), which does not need insulin for its metabolism and is well tolerated by diabetics. Fats and oils should be taken sparingly, for they are apt to lower the tolerance for proteins and starches.

Emphasis must largely be on raw foods as they stimulate and increase insulin production. For protein, homemade cottage cheese, various forms of soured milk and nuts are best.

Here is a simple and easy guide to having an effective diet plan:

* Primarily avoid overeating and take four or five small meals a day rather than three large ones.
* Have a glass of lukewarm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice at the start of the day.
* Breakfast may include any fresh fruit with the exception of bananas, soaked prunes, a small quantity of whole meal bread with butter and fresh milk.
* Lunch must comprise of steamed or lightly cooked green vegetables such as cauliflower cabbage, tomatoes, spinach, turnip, asparagus and mushrooms.You may also wish to include two or three whole wheat breads according to appetite and a glass of butter-milk or curd.
* One can indulge during the mid-afternoon with a glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice.
* Follow it up with dinner comprising of a large bowl of salad made up of all the raw vegetables in season. The salad may be followed by a hot course if desired and fresh homemade cottage cheese.
* If u want to have a bedtime snack go ahead and have a glass of fresh milk.

Here are some important foods that can keep the blood sugar at a healthy level and some foods that may cause harm:

* Meat finds no place in this regime for they increase the toxemic condition underlying the diabetic state and reduce the sugar tolerance. On the other hand a non-stimulating vegetarian diet especially one made up of raw foods promotes and increases sugar tolerance.
* Celery, cucumbers, beans, onion and garlic are do-good foods for diabetics. Cucumbers contain a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin. Garlic has proved benefits in reducing blood sugar in diabetes. Recent scientific investigations have established that bitter gourd is highly beneficial in the treatment of diabetes. It contains an insulin -like element known as plant-insulin, which has been found effective in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. The diabetic patient should take the juice of three or four bitter gourds daily in between meals for positive results.
* It is advisable to avoid tea coffee and cocoa because of their adverse influence on the digestive tract. Other foods, which must be avoided, include white read, white flour products, sugar, tinned fruits, sweets, chocolates, pastries, pies,puddings, refined cereals and alcoholic drinks.
* The most important nutrient in the treatment of diabetes is manganese, which is vital in the production of natural insulin. It is found in citrus fruits in the outer covering of nuts grains and in the green leaves of edible plants. Other nutrients of special value are zinc S-complex vitamins and poly-unsaturated fatty acids.

Foods That Lower Down Blood Sugar Levels

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)Bitter Melon for Diabetes
Also known as balsam pear, bitter gourd, bitter cucumber, karela, and charantin. Is a tropical vegetable widely cultivated in Asia, East Africa and South America, and has been used extensively in folk medicine as a remedy for diabetes. Studies suggested that Asian Bitter Melon may lower blood glucose concentrations. Several compounds have been isolated from bitter melon that are believed to be responsible for its blood-sugar-lowering properties. These include charantin and an insulin-like protein referred to as polypeptide-P, or plant insulin. It is believed that bitter melon acts on both the pancreas and in nonpancreatic cells, such as muscle cells. The oral administration of 50-60 ml of the juice has shown good results in clinical trials.

Caution : Excessively high doses of bitter melon juice can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Small children or anyone with hypoglycemia should not take bitter melon, since this herb could theoretically trigger or worsen low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Furthermore, diabetics taking hypoglycemic drugs (such as chlorpropamide, glyburide, or phenformin) or insulin should use bitter melon with caution, as it may potentiate the effectiveness of the drugs, leading to severe hypoglycemia.

Genera Sylvestre
Genera Sylvestre for DiabetesNative to the tropical forests of India, also known as the "sugar destroyer". To treat diabetes, dried leaves are pounded together with Coriander fruit (Coriandrum sativum L.), juice is extracted and given orally. These remedy has been used in India for treating diabetes for about 2000 years. Today in India it is being used to treat primarily type II diabetes and type I as well. Gymnema also improves the ability of insulin to lower blood sugar in both type I and type II diabetes. This herb is showing up in more and more over the counter weight loss products and blood sugar balancing formulas.

Cinnamon: This serves as the ideal seasoning for not only vegetables but also the sweet treats. Cinnamon is famous for improving the insulin level of the body and its processing ability. Cinnamon helps in delaying the time required by the stomach to get empty after having a richer meal. This also prevents the sharp rise and fall in the blood sugar levels. It is recommended to include around one quarter to a half teaspoon powdered cinnamon in the diet.

Sweet Potato: It helps to stabilize the insulin response of the body. It digests slowly and gives the person a fuller feeling. It is recommended to consume one small sweet potato daily.

Barley: Barley is used in different ways, for instance in barley bread, cooked barley and barley soup. It is soluble fiber content of barley that has made it diabetic friendly. It is recommended to include around ½ cup barley in daily meals.

Onions: It is recommended to include around 60 gm onion in daily meals. This help to lower down blood sugar levels. The chromium and sulfur content of onions are responsible for lowering the blood sugar level. It is good to include onion diet as salad. Deep-fried oil is unhealthy. One should strive to include ¼ cup onion in your meal.

Diabetes Treatment -- Allopath Vs Herbs --genetics

DM2 should be treated as follows.
1. Remove the toxins from the cells and interstitial fluid who have blocked the cell receptors. so that the cell receptors will open up and will start absorbing blood glucose.
2. In Case the patient has hyper glucomia, give him some glucose destroyer for the time period.
3. If the pancreas is producing less insuline, give him some insuline.
4. Repair the Pancreas to produce enough Insuline.
5. Regular excercise to keep the metabolism healthy and expell out the toxins from the body in a natural way.

But it saddens me to see that in many doctors work on just points 2 and 3. they completly ignore points 1 and 4. And hence they are not able to cure DM2 and make it a well managed chronic disease and the patients cough out a hefty sum every month in the name of doctors fee, medicine and tests. And when the patient comes and ask why he is not able to get rid of DM, they try to hide their greed and shortcomings of their pathy in the name of genetics. (Don't tell us that metamorfin will take care of all the 5 points mentioned above. Even bitter guard would have done wonders but the doctors wont recommend it because they don't have any commercial interest in it or may be they have limited knowledge of it.)

But in our therapy we work on all the above mentioned 5 points and cure the patient. so we never hide our face under any blanket called Gene therapy or genetics.

Diabetes Treatment in Electro homeo

Before starting the treatment for diabetes one has to know the exact cause and the organs effected due to this condition and then only should try to give the remedies. Without knowing the exact cause if someone tries to give some medicines, he is bound to fail or provide just symptomatic relief.

The main reason for type 2 diabetes is the contamination of the interstitial fluid. The fluid through which the cells take glucose and it also throws out its waste into this fluid to be drained out by the lymphatic system. If this fluid is not cleaned, the toxic materials around the cells will not give path to the cells to absorb the glucose and hence a rise in glucose levels.

Along with the cleansing of the interstitial fluid, one must focus on the repair on the urinary system ans the liver because these two organs might be damaged due to the extra workload.

If a patient is type 2 diabetic for long time his/her organs will not be able to get proper nutrition due to the contamination of the interstitial fluid as discussed above and the pancreas may also become weak and wont be able to produce optimum levels of insulin and he/ she may become type 1 diabetic.

Some patients become type 1 diabetic due to the hyper immune system. This generally happens in the early ages It needs to be diagnosed and treated differently. The immune system should be rectified and the healing of the pancreas should be done.  

Now based at the patients case history try to evaluate the condition and administer the drugs accordingly. If its acute case then just the scrofoloso group, Angiatico group and limphatico group for the corresponding organs needs to be administered. If the case becomes chronic and the organs seems to be damaged then for repair of the tissues the corresponding cancereso group too needs to be administered.


Many patients came to me for treatment of their Type 1, Type 2 and Juvenile Diabetes. We have given them treatment based on the above principles and almost all of them have reported good results. Many patients Who had initially type 2 diabetes and then heading towards type 1 and their pancreas was not able to make enough insulin. The first thing we did was to repair their digestive system. Then the kidney so that it filters out the waste material and at the same time liver remedy was given. Liver remedy is necessary because without liver good functioning the excess glucose from the blood won't go away. At the same time constitutional remedies should be given to repair the damaged organs and expel out toxins from the body, clean the lymphatic system and the interstitial fluid which clears the debris around the plasma membrane so that the cells can absorb blood glucose. With the help of herbal mixture containing Scrofoloso 1, S5, S6, C6, C17, WE , GE, Limf 1 and Sy their pancreas got repaired and they were able to make enough insulin. The toxins from around the cells too got removed by cleansing the interstitial fluid and hence the cells were able to take glucose from the blood and hence every test of theirs now say blood sugar normal. The electropaths can use different combination of these herbal formulation in different dilutions based on the patients condition.

For more results on diabetes visit Natural Care
 

Diabetes Care

Diabetes is a disease that has affected millions of people world wide.

In allopath there is no cure for this disease, but some medicines help them slow down the death process due to this disease(in reality, they make people die with some other disease as a side effect of the medicines administered for diabetes L). Alternative medicines do cure them if taken properly and under strict guidance.

Let’s learn some of the basics of diabetes which will help you keep it away from you. Remember prevention is better then cure.

What is Diabetes

The body is made of million of cells that need energy to function. The food we eat is turned into glucose which is carried to the cells through the blood stream. For glucose to enter the cells, the cells must have enough “doors”, called receptors. These receptors are opened by the presence of insulin. Once the glucose enters the cell, is used by the cell to make energy. Without energy, the cell will die.

Insulin is a hormone manufactured in the pancreas and its level in the blood varies with the amount of glucose present in the body.

Diabetes is the disease which makes it difficult for the cells of the body to get the glucose they need to make energy.

There are 2 ways in which diabetes can make it difficult for cells of the body to receive adequate amounts of glucose. First, insulin may not be made by the pancreas. Because insulin is needed to unlock the receptors, glucose cannot enter the cells. Therefore, glucose levels increases in the blood. This is known as Type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin is present in enough quantity, but there is a decrease in the number of receptors on the cells to allow glucose to enter. Even though insulin is present, it cannot be used effectively, a situation called “Insuline Resistance” which results in high levels of glucose in the blood.

Type 2 is more common than type 1. The exact causes of diabetes are unknown. However, it tends to run in families. Diabetes is not a contagious disease.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

Diabetes is detected when your doctor or nurse finds a high level of sugar in your blood or urine. The most reliable test results are obtained when the sugar level in the blood is checked before any food or liquid is ingested. This is known as a fasting blood sugar. A range for a normal fasting blood sugar is between 60 and 99 mg/dL. Levels between 100 and 125 mg/dL are considered pre-diabetic levels.

Common signs and symptoms of diabetes include:

· Excessive thirst

· Frequent urination

· Excessive Hunger

· Weight loss

· Fatigue

· Changes in vision

· Slow-healing cuts or infections

· Persistent itching of the skin

If left untreated, the level of glucose in the blood can become very high, inducing coma and possibly death. The signs and symptoms you have depend on when your diabetes is discovered and what type of diabetes you have.

Controlling Diabetes

You can control diabetes by:

• Eating right

• Exercising

• Monitoring your blood sugar level

• Taking prescribed medications

• Learning about diabetes

Your dietitian or diabetes educator will explain to you how you can plan your meals and answer any questions you may have. The three goals of eating right are:

• Controlling your weight

• Keeping the level of blood-sugar at a normal level

• Reducing fat in the body

A healthy diet may include changing what you eat, how much you eat, and how often you eat. However, you may be surprised by how many healthy and tasty food options you have.

Exercise helps diabetic patients in many ways. It lowers glucose levels, helps weight-loss, and maintains a healthy heart and healthy circulation. In addition, exercising helps relieve stress and strengthens muscles.

Your healthcare team will discuss your exercise plan with you. Always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Blood sugar testing is important in order to find out if your blood sugar level is where it should be. If your blood sugar is too low or too high, you may need a change in your diabetes medication, diet, or exercise plan. If a change is needed, your doctor or diabetic care team will give you instructions on what you should do.

Your blood sugar level is determined by testing a small drop of blood obtained from one of your fingers. This drop of blood is obtained by sticking your finger with a lancet. Blood sugar is usually checked 1 to 4 times each day. This can be done at home. Most diabetics become very competent at checking their own blood sugar.

Your diabetes educator will teach you how to test your blood sugar correctly and will help you determine the times of day to do the tests. He or she will also teach you how to make changes in diabetes medication, diet, or exercise to help control your blood sugar.

The educator will also review your blood sugar records and make any necessary changes in your therapy.

In cases of very high blood sugar levels that do not respond to diet and exercise plans, medications may be needed. You doctor will tell you if you need medications or insulin.

If insulin is needed, it can only be injected. Insulin is needed for all patients with Type 1 diabetes and for some patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Blood sugar levels are very important to determine whether diabetes is controlled at the specific time the blood test is done.

There is also another blood test known as Hemoglobin A1C. This blood test determines how well sugar has been controlled over the previous 3 to 4 months. A normal level in non-diabetic patients is usually 5% or less. Diabetics should try to maintain their Hemoglobin A1C at less than 6% as long as they don’t have symptoms of hypoglycemia. A 6% level is equivalent to an average blood sugar of 135 mg/dL. The lower the Hemoglobin A1C is, the less the chances of having complications from

diabetes.

Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia

When controlling diabetes, your blood sugar can become too high or too low. These conditions should be taken seriously. Fortunately, you can easily regain control of your blood sugar.

When too much sugar is in your blood, this condition is called hyperglycemia. Hyper is Latin and means “more.” Glycemia is also Latin and means “sugar in the blood.”

Hyperglycemia is caused by eating too much food, eating sugary foods, or by not taking your medication. It can also occur when you are sick. If not treated, hyperglycemia can cause you to go into a coma.

Signs of high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, include:

• Dry mouth

• Thirst

• Frequent urination

• Blurry vision

• Fatigue or drowsiness

• Weight loss

When you have high blood sugar, drink water or other sugar-free liquids. Check your blood sugar and stick to your diet plan. If your blood sugar remains high, call your doctor. Your doctor will tell you what is considered high for you. If your blood sugar is too high, you may need to go to the hospital.

Hypoglycemia occurs when too little sugar is present in your blood. Hypo is Latin and means “less.”

Hypoglycemia usually occurs with patients who take insulin or other medications. Taking too much insulin can cause it. That is why it is also known as insulin shock.

Hypoglycemia can also be caused when you decrease your food intake or skip a meal, or when you exercise more than usual. Signs of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, include:

• Sweating, shaking, nervousness, pounding heart

• Hunger

• Dizziness, faintness

• Personality change, confused thinking, impatience, crankiness

• Numbness of lips and tongue

• Headache

• Blurred vision, and slurred or slowed speech

If not treated, low blood sugar can lead to fainting or seizures. Diabetics experience different signs when their blood sugar is low. You should become aware of how you feel when your blood sugar is too low.

Some patients do not experience any signs when their blood sugar is low. These patients must depend on blood sugar testing to find out if they have hypoglycemia.

If you have low blood sugar, immediately eat or drink something containing fast-acting sugar. Examples include any of the following: half a cup of fruit juice, regular soda pop, ten gumdrops, or 2 teaspoons of sugar or honey.

If your symptoms do not disappear in 15 minutes or your blood sugar remains less than 80 mg/dL, take another dose of fast-acting sugar. Repeat every 10 to15 minutes until the blood sugar is greater than 80.

If it is less than 30 minutes until your next meal, eat that meal. If it is more than 30 minutes, eat a snack such as half a sandwich or 3 Graham Crackers. Eat the meal or snack after you have taken a dose of fast-acting sugar.

Do not subtract the snack from your next meal plan. Do not drive or operate equipment if you feel your blood sugar is low.

You should inform your family members and friends that you are diabetic, and that if they ever find you unconscious or not making sense, they should take you to a hospital immediately.

Complications of Diabetes

When you control the level of sugar in your blood, the signs of diabetes become less frequent. You will feel better and have more energy.

If you do not follow your diet, exercise, and perform sugar level tests, serious complications can arise. Complications of diabetes include damage to the nerves and blood vessels of the body.

It is not known why diabetes causes nerves to become damaged. The nerve damage is known as diabetic neuropathy. It usually involves the nerves going to the lower legs and feet. The feet or legs could feel numb or unusually cold.

People with diabetes who have poor sensation in their feet must be very careful to avoid damaging their feet with ill-fitting shoes, hot water, or other forms of injury. Check your feet every day for cuts, sores, redness, or swelling. Use a mirror if needed. When visiting a medical clinic, ask your doctor to check your feet.

Sexual dysfunction can occur. In men with diabetes, the most common problem is impotence due to damaged nerves going to the sexual organs. Urologists can help treat impotence with surgical and non-surgical treatments.

In women with diabetes, damage to nerves in the pelvic organs and genitals can lead to impaired sexual arousal and painful intercourse. If this occurs, your doctor can recommend a treatment.

Because the nerves that go to the heart may be affected, diabetics who have a heart attack may not experience the typically described chest pain.

Diabetics should therefore be very suspicious when they feel chest heaviness, arm numbness, or indigestion. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

High blood sugar can cause damage to large and small blood vessels. Fat in the blood is deposited on the walls of blood vessels. This causes hardening of the arteries or arteriosclerosis. Hardening of the arteries can occur in important arteries leaving or entering the heart. It can also occur in the legs.

Your diet plan is designed to lower the level of fat and cholesterol in the blood. When plaque and fat narrow small blood vessels, the blood flow to the organs becomes insufficient, causing the death of cells that are dependent on receiving the blood. It can also cause bleeding from narrowed blood vessels.

The thickening of small blood vessels is most noticeable in the kidney and in the back of the eye. When the small vessels in the back of the eye thicken, blood may leak into the inside of the eye or vitreous fluid. This causes the vitreous fluid to become cloudy.

If not treated, this condition, called diabetic retinopathy, can lead to blindness. An eye doctor, or ophthalmologist, can help recommend treatment for this condition.

Diabetes may stop the kidneys from cleaning waste out of the blood. In addition, proteins that should stay in the body may leak into the urine. Your doctor can test for small proteins in your urine to determine if there are early signs of kidney diseases.

People with diabetic kidney disease often develop high blood pressure.

It is very important that the high blood pressure be treated with blood pressure lowering medicines because this helps to prevent worsening of the kidney problems. If you have diabetic kidney disease, your doctor may also prescribe a special diet that is low in protein and restricted in salt. In rare cases, dialysis and even kidney transplants may become necessary.

Most doctors feel that controlling your diabetes will help prevent damage to blood vessels and nerves. Proper control of diabetes is a combination of a diet plan, medication, exercise, blood sugar monitoring, and good hygiene.