ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Type II Diabetes

Type II Diabetes

Concept map

Figure 1: Ashley M. Ford, Trends in Diabetes Mellitus Research, pp.101

General Process

Type II Diabetes is the most common diabetes. Millions of people around the world are diagnosed with Type II Diabetes every year, while many more remain unaware of the fact that they are at a great risk of getting the disease. Various groups of individuals tend to be more vulnerable for developing Type II Diabetes than others. Type II Diabetes is more frequent in African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, Asians and other Pacific Islanders, as well as, amongst the aged segment of the population. In case of an individual suffering from Type II Diabetes, either his body does not create adequate insulin or the cells simply start ignoring the insulin, which is an essential element for the body, in order to utilize the glucose for energy (McCarthy, 2010). When an individual takes in food, the body transforms all sugars and starches, from the food, into glucose. This glucose is the principal fuel for the body cells of an individual. The role of Insulin is to transport the sugar from the blood into the cells. However, if the glucose starts building up in the blood rather than going into the body cells, it can lead to complications relating to Type II Diabetes.

This paper aims at analyzing the factors that may result in Type II Diabetes and the various aspects involving the disease.

Pancreatic Changes (Structural & Functional)

Type II Diabetes is also called adult-onset diabetes as the onset usually used to take place after the age of 40. Unfortunately, due to life style changes over the last few decades, many more people are developing Type II Diabetes at a younger age. There always were sonic people presenting with Type II Diabetes early in adulthood, but these were the exception rather than the norm. Many years before the development of Type II diabetes, individuals generally become overweight. This leads to insulin becoming less effective (insulin resistance') meaning that people with this condition have to produce more and more insulin to control their blood sugar (Hawthorne, 2008). Eventually, the pancreas can no longer produce enough insulin and blood sugars begin to rise. This is the point at which Type II Diabetes occurs. The best way to improve blood sugar levels in the early stages is by diet and exercise. Though, there is a trend for people to be treated with tablets straight after diagnosis. After 5- 10 years, the body's ability to produce insulin will tail off so that insulin injections are required.

Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as “diabetes”, has been known to mankind since ancient times. Diabetes mean “flowing though” and mellitus means “sweet as honey”, referring of course to the high volume of urine laden with sugar found in uncontrolled diabetes. Diabetes used to be described like either “insulin department” (IDDM) or non-insulin dependent (NIDDM) (WHO, 2006).

Type II Diabetes is a condition which results from increased requirements of insulin at a time when, the beta ...