When we eat, our bodies break down the proteins, carbohydrates and fats we consume to be used as the building blocks of our bodies. Carbohydrates, such as those found in bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals are first digested and converted into simple sugars in the intestines and then move from the intestines into the bloodstream. These simple sugars are our body's first choice for energy production.

Glucose, a form of simple sugar is the basic fuel the body uses for energy. In order for our bodies to utilize this sugar however, it must be transported across the cell membrane where it can be used to feed and fuel our cells. Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, and more specifically by the islets of Langerhans, which are scattered throughout the pancreas, stimulates our body's cells to absorb sugar, thus removing it from the blood stream.

When our bodies cannot properly utilize glucose, thus causing it to stay in the blood, we are diagnosed as having diabetes. Diabetes is a disorder which disrupts the mechanism by which the body controls blood sugar. The build-up of sugar in the blood, characterized by diabetes, can cause the cells of our bodies to be starved for glucose and can, if left unchecked, lead to damage of the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart.

Diabetes has been recognized by western medicine since the early 1800's as being one of the most prevalent and controllable conditions affecting a large portion of the population. However, Asian cultures have recognized this fact much earlier and and have developed and been using herbal treatments for diabetes for centuries. These treatments are widely regarded as effective, even today.

It must firstly be recognized that most of the herbal treatment for diabetes are not recommended for those requiring insulin treatment. This is because the majority of the herbs being used have proven effective in helping to restore the body's ability to control the blood sugar level by boosting the effectiveness of the body's own insulin. If the body is not producing insulin there is nothing to boost and, research suggests, the use of these herbal treatments will not have the needed effect.

This has obviously produced the skeptics who claim that the proponents of herbal medication are in the business simply for the money and find argument against the use of herbs in medicine. Conversely, the herbalists claim is that since the drug companies cannot patent herbs and other herbal treatments for diabetes, they cannot make money from their use therefore they condemn them as ineffective.

If you have type 2 diabetes, no doubt you know it is a serious disease that needs treatment. In addition to medications your doctor may want you to take, one of the most important things you can do as a type 2 diabetic is to follow a proper diet.

For most people, type 2 diabetes occurs because of a combination of lack of exercise and the wrong diet. The wrong diet can include too much food in general and too many calories consumed, but in particular, foods consumed that are high on the glycemic scale are of great concern. With type 2 diabetes, the body becomes unresponsive to its own insulin, which means the insulin does not work as efficiently as it once did and large amounts are needed to keep blood sugar levels down.

In addition to exercise and medications, diet must be adjusted to help keep blood sugar levels even. The most important foods to consider with type 2 diabetes are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates come in two basic forms. The first, refined carbohydrates, is a type of carbohydrate that causes blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. The second, complex carbohydrates burn much more slowly and keep blood sugar levels much more even.

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a result of inability of pancreas to produce insulin or to use it in a proper way thus resulting in excessive quantity of sugar in blood and urine. It is distinguished by symptoms like excessive thirst; frequent urination accompanied by weight loss and is infamously known as "silent killer". Globally it affects 240 million people and US alone has 7% of this share of people suffering from diabetes.

Diabetes can be broadly classified into type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes requires regular administration of insulin and is generally found in people suffering from obesity or with family diabetic history. Type 2 diabetes generally occurs in people above 40 yrs though there is production of insulin but the body cells become insensitive towards this. If untreated diabetes can lead to various complications like hypoglycemia, renal failure, nervous damage and can even lead to impotence.

For people suffering with diabetes, one of the major concerns of both patients and doctors is foot problems. Leg and foot problems are quite common in diabetics, as the extremities have poor circulation and diabetes complicates this fact greatly. There is good news, however, as there are some simple tips and tricks that can greatly improve the circulation in the legs and feet, and a number of good ways to help heal the feet after an injury or an ulcer.

As with all things in life, the best medicine is prevention. Simple things such as examining your feet regularly and applying moisturizer daily can go a long way in ensuring that your feet stay healthy. Keeping obstacles cleared up and moving things that you might bump your feet on can prevent a large number of problems. Keeping your toenails trimmed using safety nail clippers can also prevent injuries and infections from occurring. Smoking is known to cause loss of circulation in all people, so it is especially important for diabetics who smoke to seriously consider quitting. Because the blood vessels in the legs and feet are so small and so distant from the heart, they are the first to be affected by diminishing circulation. When it is possible, diabetics should try to exercise, as this improves both circulation and blood sugar levels. Wearing cotton or wool socks, or if you can, purchasing diabetic socks will help prevent a lot of foot ailments common in people with diabetes. These socks, with special emphasis on the diabetic socks, have extra padding, which prevents injuries and blisters from occurring. They also help keep the feet dry, which greatly reduces the risk of infection.

Life is too short to spend diagnosing the diseases. But there are certain diseases like diabetes that cannot be ignored at any cost. Minor physical problems that do not affect your lifestyle can be easily sidelined, but when these problems totally change your whole life, then what will you do. And to combat with such physical disorders, what you need is total and right awareness about them.

Here, we are going to discuss- what is diabetes after all. Diabetes is a disease in which your body stops producing insulin which is highly necessary for your health. Insulin is a hormone that converts the sugar, starch and other food into energy that you need to live in your daily routine. Though the real cause behind diabetes is still a mystery, yet both genetics and environmental factors are held responsible for its occurrence. And these factors are obesity and lack of exercise.

In United States alone, 7% of the total population is said to have diabetes, which is really alarming. Its highly unfortunate that still millions of Americans do not even know that they have diabetes. And this is very threatening thing for the future of the country.

Green tea extract may help prevent type-2 diabetes through improved glucose tolerance

A new study by DSM Nutritional Products shows that epigallocatechin gallate, commonly known as EGCG, improves glucose tolerance in diabetic rodents and could be a positive addition to dietary prevention of type 2 diabetes, if the results can be applied to humans.

"To our knowledge, we provide the first evidence that EGCG consumed in the diet exerts potent antidiabetic activity in vivo in a dose-dependent manner," wrote lead author Swen Wolfram of DSM in the Journal of Nutrition.