Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible? Your Guide In 2017

“Is type 2 diabetes reversible, doctor?”
It’s a common question I get asked by many people that I meet.
When I was back in medical school more than 10 years ago, we were all taught that type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease. Which means that it will be there with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it doesn’t go away. Essentially, it is incurable. And once you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, the best you can do is to try to manage it as best as you can.
Today, the answer is no longer clear cut. Thankfully, in a positive way. Let’s take a deeper look at what the science tells us.
What is Type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a relatively common metabolic disorder that results in high blood glucose levels in your body. Did you know that over 415 million people today are living with diabetes globally? If you have diabetes, you’re far from being alone.
The condition arises from a combination of high insulin resistance in the tissues of our body and decreased insulin secretion by the pancreas, an internal organ. Insulin is an important hormone that allows our cells to properly absorb and use glucose. Insulin serves to regulate our blood glucose levels and keep it at a constant, normal level.
Some factors that can put you at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes include a strong family history of the disease (genetics), obesity (lifestyle) and age.
If you’re worried that you may have diabetes, you can find out more about the symptoms of diabetes here.
Is Type 2 diabetes reversible?
Even though diabetes is commonly thought of as a chronic disease, our understanding of it Continue reading

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Drinking wine can fight diabetes: Regular glass can cut risk by a third say experts

Experts say those who enjoy a regular tipple in moderation can stop themselves being struck down with the Type 2 form of the condition and avoid the need for painful daily injections.
They believe wine provides the greatest protection because of the way polyphenols regulate blood sugar.
The chemical is especially abundant in red wine.
But the scientists have warned heavy drinking will not help combat the debilitating condition and increases the threat of a host of life-threatening diseases like cancer.
The Danish experts behind the latest study found consuming alcohol three to four days a week resulted in the lowest risk compared to those drinking once a week, reducing the danger by 27 per cent in men and 32 per cent in women.
Professor Janne Tolstrup, of the University of Southern Denmark, said: “Our findings suggest alcohol drinking frequency is associated with risk and that consumption over three to four days a week is associated with the lowest risk of diabetes, even after taking average weekly alcohol consumption into account.”
The findings come after researchers from Denmark’s National Institute of Public Health examined the effects of drinking frequency on risk and the association with different types.
Data from the Danish Health Examination Survey from 2007–2008 saw 70,551 people aged 18 and over provide details on lifestyle and health including frequency of consumption. A standard drink was classified as one unit (12g) of alcohol.
They were monitored for an average of five years until 2012 with information on diabetes incidence obtained from the Danish Nati Continue reading

5 Causes of Blood Sugar Fluctuations in Diabetes

Blood sugar levels fluctuate all the time and for many different reasons. If living with diabetes, these fluctuations can be problematic, debilitating, and even dangerous for some. By better understanding the factors that trigger these events, you can avoid many of the ill effects of the disease and better manage your condition over the long term.
Here are five of the most common causes of blood sugar fluctuations and things you can do to better control them:
1. Food and Drink
When you eat, your blood sugar will rise as the foods you consume are metabolized and enter the bloodstream. The types of food you eat, therefore, are key to controlling your disease. Simple carbohydrates and high-sugar foods, for example, cause bigger spikes in blood glucose than either protein, fats, and complex carbs. Understanding this can help you direct your eating habits.
To avoid fluctuations, focus on foods that are lower on the glycemic index. This is the index that rates carbohydrates by how much they affect blood sugar. Carbs like candy, cake, and cookies have a high glycemic index, while whole-grain bread, yams, and oatmeal have a low glycemic index.
Fiber is also an important part of a diabetic diet. Although fiber is a carbohydrate, it doesn't raise blood sugar like other carbs. In fact, high fiber intake is associated with decreased glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
2. Alcohol Intake
What you drink matters just much as what you eat. This is especially true when it comes to alcohol. Alcoholic beverages of any type are known to increase insulin production which, in turn, cau Continue reading

The Eyes and Diabetes

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The human eye is a small but complex organ that enables us to see the world around us. However, damage to the eyes can put our sight at risk.
The most common cause of blindness among people in the UK is a condition called retinopathy, which is caused by damage to the retina – the 'seeing' part at the back of the eye.
Most people affected by this are those who have diabetes, as retina damage can be caused by high levels of blood glucose, among other things.
About the eyes
The eye is a slightly irregular shaped sphere that consists of the following:
The iris - the pigmented part of the eye
The pupil - the black circular opening in the iris that lets light in
The lens - the part behind the iris that helps to focus light on the back of the eye
The cornea - a clear dome over the iris
The conjunctiva - an invisible, clear layer of tissue covering the front of the eye, except the cornea
The retina - delicate light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye
The sclera - the white part of your eye
How your eye works
When we look at something, a number of processes take place before we are able to actually "see". Firstly, light passes through the pupil and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina.
The retina converts the light into electrical signals, which are then carried to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain then interprets these signals to produce the images that you see.
Another important part of the human eye is the macula. It is a small, sensitive area within the retina that provides our central vision, i.e. allows us to focus for activities such as readin Continue reading

Curing Diabetes: How Type 2 Became an Accepted Lifestyle

Diabetes is big business, and many have been convinced that managing it forever is their only option. But it is possible to cure the disease.
Chuck Lynch figured that after being diagnosed with type 2 (adult onset) diabetes, he was destined for a life of daily finger sticks and medication to keep the glucose level in his blood at a normal level.
Everything he'd heard about type 2 suggested strongly that his only choice was to make the best of it. "I thought it was something you managed for the rest of your life," said the 62-year-old Lyme, Connecticut, resident. "I didn't know you could cure it."
Experts hesitate to talk about "curing" diabetes, given the medical complications it can cause that will require lifelong monitoring. But the American Diabetes Association says that maintaining normal blood sugar without medication for at least a year could be considered a "complete remission."
It's not a message you hear very often if your information about type 2 diabetes comes mainly from TV commercials for the devices and medications used to manage the disease. Diabetes is a big business, worth tens of billions of dollars to the health care system and the pharmaceutical companies that hold the patents on those devices and medications.
Another reason you don't hear about remission is it takes a great deal of effort. Even the health care system seems content to prescribe complex lifelong treatment regimens instead of equipping people with the tools they need to effectively manage type 2 diabetes, possibly reverse the disease or, best of all, avoid it completely.
Chuck Lynch creat Continue reading