Diabetes is a chronic degenerative disease. It is caused by the disturbance of the metabolism of the whole body and of its hormonic balance. Diabetes occurs in two forms-diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipidus is a rare metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of pituitary hormones and its usual treatment is the replacement of those hormones. Diabetes mellitus, the commonly known diabetes, is of two types. Insulin dependent juvenile diabetes (Type-I) often occurs in children and young adults when the cells that make insulin stop working. The exact cause of such a non function is not yet known. Non insulin dependent diabetes ( Type II) occurs where body makes some insulin but is unable to use it effectively.

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is a disease that affects the way your body uses food. Normally, your body changes sugars, starches and other foods you eat into a form of sugar called glucose. Your body uses glucose for fuel. Glucose is carried to your body’s cells by the blood stream. Insulin, a hormone made by pancreas, helps glucose to enter the body cells. There, glucose is changed into energy and used, or stored for later use. In diabetes, something goes wrong with this process. Food is changed into glucose but either your body doesn’t make enough insulin or it can’t use insulin correctly. Because glucose is unable to enter the cells, it builds up in the blood stream.

The tendency to develop to develop diabetes is believed to be genetic. TypeII non insulin dependent diabetes, which is also called adult-on-set diabetes, has an incubation period of 15 to 20 years before it becomes manifest. 75% of such diabetes patients will generally be above 40 years of age.

Normally the glucose level in the blood remains between 80 and 120 mg%. When there is insulin deficiency or when glucose cannot enter the body cells the glucose level in the blood rises. If it reaches 175 mg% or above, sugar is likely to spill over into the urine, carrying with it large quantities of water and such vitamins and minerals which are soluble in water. An electrolytic imbalance is caused, resulting in dehydration and a feeling of thirst. As the glucose fuel cannot enter into the cells, body takes recourse to emergency measures and starts converting body fats and protein into energy resulting in the wasting of the body and weight loss.

Besides heredity, obesity is one of the main causes of diabetes. Excess fat prevents insulin from working properly. Too much food taxes the pancreas and ultimately its normal activity of producing insulin gets paralysed. It is interesting to note that diabetes is almost unknown in countries where people are poor and cannot afford to overeat. In USA about 80% of Type II diabetics are reported to be overweight. Their sedantry existence and lack of exercise add to the damage.

Diet is another cause. Excess intake of refined carbohydrates is believed to cause diabetes. In wartime Britain when only whole wheat bread was made and used, incidence of diabetes dropped by 55%. Excess use of saturated fats and excess sugar consumption can also cause diabetes. Dr. A.M. Cohen of Israel’s paper in the prestigious American Journal Metabolism in 1972 implicated excess sugar as a contributory cause of diabetes along with "hereditary predisposition". It would be interesting to note that whereas in 1815 AD an average Englishman consumed 7 1/2 Ibs. (3.4kgs) of sugar a year, in 1976 the average American consumed 120Ibs (54.5 kgs) of sugar a year. the nutritionists call this a "national act of health suicide."

Liver is the place where sugar is stored in the form of glycogen as an energy reserve. Liver disfunction could either be the cause or result of diabetes. Pancreatic insufficiency, caused by stress, nervous exhaustion, consumption of refined food, coffee, alcohol, and smoking are among the more common causes of diabetes. Baking powder and soda decrease the effectiveness of the pancreatic juices and so does the food cooked in aluminium utensils.

It is very important that level of sugar in blood stays relatively even. Too little starves the cells of energy and too much disturbs the body’s chemical balance. Hormone insulin is the key to the proper regulation of this sugar level.. In case of insulin dependent Type I diabetes, where pancreas do not produce any insulin, it may be difficult to get off insulin completely. The strategy in such cases could be to reduce insulin requirements through natural therapy and life style changes.

Hypertension and high cholesterol are risk factors in diabetes. Symptoms of Type I diabetes is frequent urination, weight-loss, fatigue, nausea, thirst and hunger. Raised blood sugar level and sugar in urine are, of course, there. Type II non-insulin dependent diabetes has the above symptoms and more, like muscle wasting, dry skin, itching, tingling of hands and feet, blurred vision, slow healing of cuts and constant drowsiness.

Incidence of diabetes has increased six fold since 1935. It is estimated that there are above one million new cases world-wide every year. Disease claims 5% more people each year than the year before. Something has to be done. Drugs are failing. Invoke the help of nature.