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Diabetes InformationSee Also: Side Effects of Modern Medical Treatments for Diabetes. DefinitionDiabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a chronic condition
resulting from low levels of insulin and high levels of glucose in the
blood.
Type 1 or Insulin Dependent Diabetes MellitusType 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes as it is most prevalent in childhood and puberty, however it can develop at any time in life. The onset is usually sudden and results from no insulin being produced by the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. This means that the immune system, which is designed to attack foreign bodies in the system, mistakenly attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. Type 2 or Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes MellitusType 2 diabetes is far more prevalent than type 1, usually develops slowly, and can go undiagnosed for a long period of time. It is estimated that 7 million people have type 2 diabetes and are not aware of their condition. It is most common in people who are over forty, overweight and who have a genetic tendency for this disorder. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce a sufficient amount of insulin, or it cannot properly use the insulin that is produced. The Role of InsulinDuring the digestive process the body converts food into glucose (sugar) which is absorbed by the cells. But the cells cannot absorb glucose without the aid of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows the cells to absorb glucose, and also controls the level of glucose in the blood. Since people with diabetes either do not have sufficient amounts of insulin to help the cells absorb sugar or their bodies cannot use the insulin that is produced, their cells do not get the glucose needed to function and the body becomes weak and fatigued. At the same time, the glucose level in the blood becomes very high since it is not being absorbed properly. In order to lower the sugar in the blood the body flushes it out through excessive urination, leading to dehydration. The body may then attempt to get the sugar it needs by breaking down fat, releasing toxins in the body and causing loss of weight. Since type 1 diabetes patients do not produce any insulin at all,
they must take insulin injections to stay alive. Insulin cannot be
taken orally because it is a protein and is destroyed by the
digestive system. The main problem with insulin injections is that
they can lead to hypoglycemia (see "Complications Associated with
Diabetes" below). Symptoms of DiabetesDiabetes can cause a wide range of symptoms that include:
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 | Heart attack, from hardening of the arteries. 1/4 of all cardiac surgery is the result of diabetes complications. High blood pressure and stroke, from hardening of the arteries. People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to suffer from hypertension or stroke. |
| Impaired vision or even complete blindness, from damage to the blood vessels in the eye. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults. |
| Kidney disease, from damage to the blood cells in the kidney. 1/4 of all people with diabetes get some kind of kidney disease, often leading to kidney failure. |
| Nerve disease, from blood vessel damage, causing symptoms such as numbness, burning sensations, and aching feet. Almost 70% of people with diabetes suffer from nerve damage, which in severe cases may require amputation. |
| heredity (types 1 and 2) |
| obesity (type 2 ) |
| age (type 2) |
| stress, which may reduce the effect of insulin (type 2) |
| physical trauma or injury that destroys the pancreas (type 1) |
| viruses which destroy the pancreas ( type 1) |
| pregnancy, which produces hormones that may reduce the effect of insulin (type 2) |
| medications such as corticosteroids (type 1 and 2) |
| It is thought that 16 million people in the United States have diabetes. Half of these cases are undiagnosed. |
| 10% of people with diabetes have type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes. 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 or non-insulin dependent diabetes. |
| 40% of people with diabetes develop some kind of complications associated with the disease, such as impaired vision or a heart condition. |
| More that 300,000 people are hospitalized each year due to diabetes. |
| Almost 1 million work days are lost each year due to diabetes. |
| Direct medical cost for diabetes is 45 billion a year in the United States. |
| Harmful effects, which can be serious and even lethal, are associated with every facet of modern medicine. Click here for information about general hazards of modern medical treatments. |
Side effects of insulin include:
| hypoglycemia or low blood sugar which can cause |
| weakness, |
| dizziness, |
| headache, |
| rapid pulse, |
| coma (in extreme cases) |
Type 2 diabetes, if not adequately managed by diet and exercise, is treated with oral drugs. The most common of these are sulfonylureas such as chlopropamide, glipizide, tolazamide and tolbutamide. These drugs are prescribed to increase the amount of insulin produced by the body, and increase the cells ability to use the insulin.
Side effects of sulfonylureas include:
| hypoglycemia |
| increased risk of heart attack |
| nausea |
| skin rash |
| headache |
| sensitivity to sunlight. |
Disclaimer: The content in this information page for diabetes
is provided by the
Maharishi Ayurveda Foundation. It is for information
purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice or to replace the advice given by a
primary health care provider. Because of the rapid change of information in the field of medicine
Maharishi Ayurveda Foundation does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the
information provided.
For more information call 800-431-9680 · Maharishi Vedic Vibration Technology, 100 Old North Branch Road, Antrim, New Hampshire 03440 · Fax 603-588-2115 · E-mail information@vedicvibration.com Entire contents copyright © 2000 Maharishi Ayurveda Foundation. All rights reserved. Please refer to legal details concerning copyright and trademark protection. |
