Causes of Diabetes

The causes of diabetes stem from the body’s inability to convert sugar into energy. Most of the food we eat contains sugar, which has to be converted into energy. The pancreas, a small organ next to the stomach, produces a hormone called insulin. Insulin works in the blood cells to convert sugar into glucose or energy. If insulin is not produced or does not work properly, this conversion will not take place and elevated blood sugar levels will develop. causes of diabetes
 

It is important to understand the causes of diabetes so that you may focus on minimizing its effect on your lifestyle.

 

Causes of Diabetes

This subject is still not completely researched but we can provide some of the known causes of Diabetes.

Hereditary or Genetic Factors

Our research into various causes of Diabetes reveals that 46% of all diabetic patients have family members who were diabetic as well. If the mother is diabetic, there is a 2% to 3% chance that the child will show signs of the causes of diabetes. The rate is more so if the father is diabetic and even more if both parents are diabetic. Therefore, it's safe to say that genes are major causes of diabetes.

Obesity and Lack of Physical Exercise

Weight is one of many causes of Diabetes. Obese people eat larger quantities of food, which means more sugar in the blood. This necessitates greater insulin putting tremendous pressure on the pancreas. In time, the quantity of insulin produced will not be sufficient or the body stops responding to it. When we exercise, our bodies burn glucose and release energy. This reduces pressure on the pancreas. If there is no exercise, more insulin is required and once again, it may not be sufficient and will contribute to the causes of diabetes to begin with.

Dietary habits are one of the main causes of diabetes.

Eating Habits

Dietary habits lead the list of the causes of diabetes. These habits have drastically changed and processed foods with refined sugars are preferred over natural foods. Breaking down these foods requires more digestive hormones and insulin. Consequently the demand on the pancreas to produce insulin increases. This contributes greatly to the causes of diabetes.

Stress

Stress and workload are known as major causes of diabetes. We have found that when people are under a great deal of stress, their body metabolism reduces causing a number of complications closely related to the causes of diabetes. In order to reduce stress and workload as causes of diabetes, re-evaluate your environment.

Other Causes of Diabetes
The causes of diabetes can also be drug-related. Sometimes diabetes develops due to viruses or infections that directly attack the pancreas. The disease can also be drug induced. There are certain drugs like Clozapine and Olanzapine that are known to directly cause the condition. Women who suffered from gestational diabetes during their pregnancy have a greater chance of developing the disease. Finally there are hormones in the blood that actually increase the quantity of glucose like glucagon or cortisone. If these starts getting produced in excess, diabetes can occur. This shows that drug habits, medical or social, can be considered some causes of Diabetes.

Prevention of Diabetes and Reduction of Causes of diabetes

As we wrote earlier, the chief causes of diabetes are genetics over which we have no control. However we can assert that through healthy living, we can significantly reduce the chances of developing the condition.

Exercise

When we exercise, our muscles consume a large portion of the glucose present in the blood. As a result there is less demand for insulin. This reduces pressure on the pancreas and consequently the risk of diabetes. There are proven clinical studies that substantiate this conclusion. For every 500 calories burnt during exercise, the chance of contracting diabetes reduces by 6%.

Weight Loss

Since weight and diet are major causes of Diabetes, in our experience weight loss can reduce the tendency to develop diabetes drastically. When a person loses weight, pressure on the pancreas to secrete insulin reduces allowing it to function normally. Further sensitivity to insulin also improves. Studies have shown that when pre-diabetics experienced weight loss, their condition did not progress to Type 2 diabetes as was earlier diagnosed5.

Diet and Nutrition

As said above with diet and exercise being causes of diabetes, nutrition is an important factor as it plays into diet. We have seen a reduction in progression to Type 2 diabetes when dietary habits were improved in pre-diabetic patients. When natural foods are consumed as opposed to processed ones, the pancreas is under less pressure to produce insulin, which protects it from malfunctioning. Further there are some specific foods that reduce the onset of diabetes. One is peanuts. Studies have revealed that five one-ounce servings of peanuts a week can significantly reduce the tendency to develop diabetes.

Drugs to Prevent Diabetes

It is an established fact that improved lifestyle in the form of diet and exercise is the most successful way to avoid the causes of diabetes. However Our research reveals that more and more pre-diabetic patients are being prescribed diabetes treatment drugs as a preventive measure. Some of the drugs that are being used are Glucophage and Precose. Both can only prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes, the condition where the body is resistant to the insulin produced. However we recommend that these approaches be avoided, as diet and exercise are more affective than any of the drugs on the market to prevent disease. Even medical drugs have been found to be causes of Diabetes if used improperly.

Treatment of Diabetes: Treatment of diabetes differs between Type 1 and Type 2
Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce the required quantities of insulin. In this case, the only treatment is to take insulin externally. This is usually administered via an injection but can also be inhaled or pumped. The frequency of injecting insulin depends on the severity of the condition. We recommend regular blood sugar checks throughout the day so that the appropriate insulin dose can be administered. Patients with type 1 diabetes should carefully watch their diet and exercise patterns. Meals should be on time and sugar should be controlled so that the insulin being introduced is sufficient. At the same time, if the patient eats too little sugar, exercises too much or injects excessive insulin, he can collapse from lack of energy.

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

When a patient is first diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, depending on the severity of the condition, Our preference is to first attempt to reduce the sugar levels without medication. Eating habits and exercise patterns have to be reviewed and improved. Weight loss can work wonders to reduce the seriousness of the condition. After a few months, the blood sugar levels are tested again and if there is no improvement then in Our experience, drugs are prescribed to help control it. The drugs most often used are sulfonylurea or biguanide. This will then be monitored so that the most appropriate dose can be administered. Sometimes this is a combination of two or more drugs. Ultimately, insulin injections may be required to supplement the drug treatment and will work to counteract the causes of diabetes.

The causes of diabetes can be present in anyone, young or old, man or woman, rich or poor. Ironically its greatest cause, prevention and treatment are all linked. One of the leading causes of diabetes is to eat unhealthy food with little or no exercise. The easiest and most effective way to prevent it is to eat well and exercise sufficiently. Finally the best way to treat it is to adopt a healthy lifestyle with proper diet and exercise.

We hope that this have been a useful resource for those concerned about Diabetes. Glucose Monitor strives to present our visitors with quality information regarding the causes of Diabetes. As such, we are also proud to offer free glucose monitors and testing supplies through our partner suppliers. Simply visit the site by clicking on the form to the right to sign up for a free glucose monitor, test strips, recipes and more information about the causes of Diabetes.

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