Education

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that is caused by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body’s inability to produce or effectively use Insulin.

What is Diabetes?

One of the tell-tell signs of diabetes is constant high blood sugar levels, this happens when the body is having trouble using glucose.

There are two types - Type 1 is a result of the immune system destroying insulin production cells in the pancreas.

Type 2 diabetes starts with insulin resistance, this is when your body is not responding to insulin properly and makes it hard for effective use of glucose.

Gestational Diabetes is a condition developed during pregnancy. It indicates that the body isn't making enough insulin for you and the baby’s needs.

Did you know that Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the US, the numbers have quadrupled since 1980.

Diabetes is a growing problem, causing serious health complications and death.

How Diabetes affects your body?

Hyperglycemia

Diabetes is a result of elevated blood glucose levels, as the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin effectively. When the condition prolongs it can damage your organs and tissues over time.

Cardiac Health

Constant high levels of blood glucose can cause thicken and harden, increasing the risk of life-threatening complications like atherosclerosis, heart diseases, stroke and poor circulation to the legs and feet.

Neuropathy

Diabetes can damage nerves leading to peripheral neuropathy, which can cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the extremities. It can affect the nerves that control digestion, bladder, and sexual function.

Nephropathy and Retinopathy

Diabetes can lead to chronic kidney disease, due to damage in the tiny blood vessels in the kidney leading to Kidney failure. Retinopathy (vision problems) can lead to blindness if not treated properly.

Impaired Healing

High glucose levels can damper the body’s ability to repair itself, making you more prone to infections and non-healing ulcers, particularly on your extremities.

Mental Health

Diabetes can not only affect you physically but also affect your mental health it can alter your brain chemistry making you more susceptible to depression. It can also lead to general emotional burnout and can impact managing the condition.

Take Care of Your Diabetes

Probiotic Supplementation

The gut microbiome, a community of microbes in our intestines, plays a key role in T2DM, obesity, and insulin resistance. An imbalance, known as dysbiosis, can increase T2DM risk.

Probiotic strains like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium animalis show promise as add-on therapies, potentially reducing inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity, and boosting beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids.

Regulate your sleep

Poor sleep can increase insulin resistance, making it harder to control blood sugar. Chronic sleep deprivation also raises cortisol levels, which further disrupts blood sugar control. To improve sleep, maintain a consistent sleep schedule, establish a relaxing bedtime routine, and avoid screens an hour before bed.

Yoga & Mindfulness

Yoga's stress-reducing techniques, breathwork, and mindfulness can lower stress hormones, improve blood sugar control, and promote better sleep. Additionally, mindfulness aids in healthier eating habits, and yoga's exercise component supports weight management, all crucial for diabetes control.