|
Diabetes: Facts & Findings
by Elana Sample
This article is a basic book report of the book Diabetes & the Hypoglycemic Syndrome by Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. FACP and Calvin L. Thrash, M.D., MPH.
Many things combine to make us susceptible to getting diabetes. Our genetic makeup, family history, and diet & lifestyle habits. This book explains many things about diabetes. Did you know the body has six different mechanisms for controlling blood sugar.
- The gastrointestinal tract. This controls how fast the stomach gets emtied after a meal. It controls it so as to prevent an overload of sugar in the blood.
- The basal metaboloc rate. This controls how much sugar is used at the tissue level. Exercise & climate affect how insulin is picked up by the cells as well.
- The pancreas. The pancreas makes and secretes hormones that influence how blood sugar is used.
- The permeability of the intestinal tract. The careful control of how nutrients are absorbed into the blood is done by the intestinal tract. Nutrients pass through the intestinal tract wall directly into the bloodstream to be picked up by cells as needed. But this permeability is carefully controlled.
- The liver. The liver is our largest & most important gland. It compresses glucose (sugar) into storage blocks called glycogen. These blocks are stored for later use. Glycogen is similar in its use to plant based starch. Both glycogen and starch are made for carbohydrate storage.
- Temporary storage of sugar. Some foods are processed into sugar by the intestines. This sugar is absorbed by several different body organs. Later this sugar is released from storage as the liver calls for it and compresses it into glycogen. Right after a meal this process is working at peak capacity. This process prevents the blood from becoming too syrupy from the high sugar content.
It's amazing how our bodies work so hard, with such elaborate & complicated systems designed to keep us in optimal health.
The book goes on to define diabetes. It gives symptoms to be on the lookout for. It tells how diabetes and hypoglycemia can start in early infancy. It shows the health progression of people with this tendency. It gives a list of complications that can happen to a person with uncontrolled diabetes. Did you know severe neuropathy can develop even with relatively mild diabetes. It can also be controlled by controling the diabetes.
There has been much research done on diabetes. But still most people want a magic pill that will magically dispel the symptoms without them having to change their lifestyle. But that is a dream, a fantasy. Diabetes is a dangerous, life threatening disease. But it can be controlled, & even reversed. But the lifestyle and habits that you form to reverse diabetes is something that you will have to adopt and implement for your whole life. This book has stories of people who have reversed their diabetes and hypoglycemia using diet, exercise, & healty habits. There is hope for you.
Originally Posted: Apr 2, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Last Updated: Apr 2, 2008 at 10:23 AM
-- Current Rating: 0 of 5
Click here for a printable version.
| 
