diabetes basics

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar levels. Normally, blood glucose levels are controlled by insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas). Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. When the blood glucose raise (for example, after eating), insulin is released from the pancreas to normalize the glucose level. In patients with diabetes, the absence or insufficient production of insulin causes hyperglycemia. Diabetes affects approximately 17 million people (about 8% of the population) in the United States. In addition, about 12 million people in the United States have diabetes without knowing it. There are two major types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas undergoes an autoimmune attack by the body itself, and is rendered incapable of making insulin. Abnormal antibodies have been found in the majority of patients with type 1 diabetes. Antibodies are proteins in the blood that are part of the body's immune system. The patient with type 1 diabetes must rely on insulin medication for survival. In type 2 diabetes, patients can still produce insulin, but do so relatively inadequately for their body's needs. In many cases this actually means the pancreas produces larger than normal quantities of insulin. A major feature of type 2 diabetes is a lack of sensitivity to insulin by the cells of the body (particularly fat and muscle cells). In addition to the problems with an increase in insulin resistance, the release of insulin by the pancreas may also be defective and suboptimal. Blood Sugar Combo with Huereque and Bitter Melon can be useful help in order to lower the blood sugar levels.