Wellness for Life

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease that occurs either because of inadequate insulin production, or because of the body's cells improper response to insulin, or both.

Insulin is hormone secreted by the pancreas. The Carbohydrate foods that we eat are broken down into glucose in the blood. Insulin helps the cells to absorb the glucose to produce energy. Not being able to produce insulin or use it effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood which is known as hyperglycaemia.

High glucose level for long period are associated with body damage and various organs and tissues failure.

There are mainly three types of diabetes :      

    

1. Type 1 diabetes is usually caused by an auto-immune reaction where the body’s defence system attacks the cells that produce insulin. People with type 1 diabetes produce very little or no insulin. The disease may affect people of any age, but usually develops in children or young adults. People with this form of diabetes need injections of insulin every day in order to control the levels of glucose in their blood. 
2. Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 90% of all cases of diabetes. It is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency, either or both of which may be present at the time diabetes is diagnosed. The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can occur at any age. Type 2 diabetes may remain undetected for many years and the diagnosis is often made when a complication appears or a routine blood or urine glucose test is done. It is often, but not always, associated with overweight or obesity, which itself can cause insulin resistance and lead to high blood glucose levels. People with type 2 diabetes can often initially manage their condition through exercise and diet. However, over time most people will require oral drugs and or insulin. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are serious. 
3. Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of diabetes consisting of high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. It develops in one in 25 pregnancies worldwide and is associated with complications to both mother and baby. GDM usually disappears after pregnancy but women with GDM and their children are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Approximately half of women with a history of GDM go on to develop type 2 diabetes within five to ten years after delivery.

Typical Symptoms of diabetes :

• Frequent urination (polyuria),
• Feeling increasingly thirsty (polydipsia)
• Feeling very hungry (polyphagia) even when You are eating
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Weight loss - even though you are eating more (type 1)
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

Asans and Pranayams that will help in curbing diabetes :

Various asans- Tadasan, Shashankasan, Bhujangasan, Pashchimottanasan, JanuShirasan,Supt Vajrasan, Sarvangasan, Halasan, Gomukhasan, ArdhMatsyendrasan, Matsyasan, Yog Mudrasan, Surya Namaskar and pranayams- Anulom Vilom, Ujjayi, Bhramari, Bhastrika, Shyam Uchcharan, help in curbing diabetes