Diabetes Home Remedies

Most people never give it a second thought—the food they eat is transformed into energy and that's that. Their bodies do all the work for them: digesting the food and converting carbohydrates into a type of sugar called glucose that enters the bloodstream. Next, the pancreas kicks out insulin, a hormone that travels through the body, attaching to receptors on the outside of cells. Once attached, insulin acts like a key that "unlocks" the cell so that glucose can enter it and be used for energy. If the body doesn't need the sugar for energy, it stores it as fat. Usually, this process hums along like a well-oiled machine. People only take notice when the process breaks down.

The monkey wrench that interrupts the flow is diabetes. Nearly 21 million people in the United States have this disease, a number that's more than tripled in the past 30 years.

Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, comes in two forms. Type 1, previously called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, is believed to be an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas fails to manufacture insulin. Though onset can occur at any age, patients are usually diagnosed in childhood or as young adults and require daily insulin injections throughout their lives.

People with the other form, type 2, usually develop the disease in adulthood, although unfortunately more and more children and young adults also are developing type 2 diabetes now. In this case, the pancreas produces insulin, but the body does not use it properly, and the pancreas kicks into overdrive to make up for this "resistance." In time, the pancreas cannot make enough insulin to make up for the insensitivity, and diabetes follows. Inactivity, aging, obesity, or a high-saturated-fat diet can all contribute to insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all cases. With either form of diabetes, glucose builds up in the bloodstream. Left untreated, this can lead to serious complications including kidney failure, limb amputation, heart disease, and blindness. But the good news is that type 2 diabetes often can be controlled through simple measures. Weight loss, proper nutrition, adequate exercise, and stress reduction all can improve blood glucose levels. Some experts believe that dietary supplements may help, too. Even people with diabetes who require medication will maintain better glucose control if they adhere to a healthy lifestyle. Here's our experts' advice.