Diabetes Prevention and Management

Glucose is needed to supply energy to all body tissues. The metabolism of carbohydrates, and to an extent fats, directly or indirectly lead to the production of glucose, also called blood sugar. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, and plays a key role in carbohydrates metabolism, by controlling glucose transport into the cells. Blood glucose needs to be kept within normal levels, because if it is too low or too high can have adverse effects on health. If blood glucose levels are too high (hyperglycaemia), they become toxic to the brain and other organs, this condition is known as diabetes. The body’s inability to control blood glucose levels result from either insufficient insulin production, or resistance to insulin, and as a result, glucose cannot enter the cells to be metabolised. 

There are 3 types of diabetes, type 1 diabetes usually develops during childhood or adolescence, which is also known as insulin-dependent, as the production of insulin by the pancreas is severely deficient or absent. Type 1 diabetes is caused by destruction of the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes develops during adulthood, and most often in obese and elderly people. The third type is called gestational diabetes, which occurs during a woman’s pregnancy. Types 2 diabetes is by far the most common, and the incidence is increasing also among younger people, mainly due to poor dietary habits, obesity, lack of exercise, and unhealthy lifestyle. People with type 2 diabetes can produce sufficient amounts of insulin, but it is used ineffectively, which results in the body becoming resistant to insulin – also known as insulin resistance. In advanced stages, type 2 diabetes can cause damage to insulin producing cells in the pancreas, leading to insufficient insulin production. 

The symptoms of diabetes include:

Frequent urination
Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
Increased thirst
Excessive appetite
Irritability
Unexplained weight loss
Headaches
Blurred vision   

If diabetes is not kept in check can cause eye and foot problems, nerve and kidney damage, and contributes to cardiovascular diseases development. There is sufficient evidence suggesting that by implementing appropriate interventions, type 2 diabetes can be prevented and in some cases reversed (called remission). We carry out various tests, please visit the “Health and Wellbeing Testing” section on this website for further information about the tests and their importance. We then design a specific programme that includes diabetes prevention and management interventions: 

Losing weight and maintaining healthy weight
Healthy nutrition
Improving blood lipids profile
Supplements
Natural remedies (plants bioactive compounds)
Lifestyle improvements
Exercise prescription
Stress reduction
Blood pressure management  

Our Diabetes interventions can be implemented independently as a prevention programme. For diabetic patients, they can be implemented in conjunction with the therapy and treatments prescribed by the clinicians.  

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