Diabetes is rampant in America because of our love affair with sugar. Even children are now succumbing to Type II diabetes which is directly related to diet. In type II diabetes, the pancreas continues to produce insulin, sometimes even at higher-than-normal levels. However, the body develops resistance to the effects of insulin so there is not enough insulin to meet the body’s needs. Obesity is the chief risk factor for developing type II diabetes and 80-90% of people with this disorder are overweight or obese. Because obesity causes insulin resistance, obese people need very large amounts of insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Western medicine treats diabetes with diet, exercise, education and for most people, drugs. If people with diabetes strictly control their blood sugar levels, complications are less likely to develop. The goal of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels within the normal range as much as possible. People with diabetes benefit greatly from learning about their disorder, understanding how diet and exercise affect their blood sugar levels, and knowing how to avoid complications.

What Can Aromatherapists Offer Type II Diabetics?

Essential oils are most effective with infections and least effect with metabolic disorders. Diabetes is one of those metabolic disorders. However some individuals get off their diabetic medications and even insulin with great vigilance, diet and exercise. Just as they have learned to test their blood sugars, daily, they will need to continue daily testing when on a regime of essential oils.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is a strongly aromatic annual herb traditionally used in the form of an infusion for children’s diarrhea, digestive upsets, griping pains anorexia and gas. It was studied in Egupt for its effects in lowering glucose and insulin levels and supporting pancreatic function. This oil can promote digestion and also has produces a mild feeling of euphoria.Many us it in conjunction with dill oil to promote pancreatic health and to aid in the control of diabetes. It is generally non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is traditionally used in the East and West as a digestive aid for indigestion, wind, colic, especially in children. Research has shown dill has anti-diabetic, antispasmodic, antibacterial and expectorant properties. It is a pancreatic stimulant and an insulin-blood sugar regulator. It has many similar properties to fennel making it good for digestive problems.

These are the two primary oils; other oils that have shown some ability to help include fennel, geranium, cinnamon, and pine.

You have type 2 diabetes and after you were diagnosed, I’m sure your read or heard, chromium is an essential mineral for diabetics. There is no doubt that a deficiency of this mineral can cause problems with blood sugar control. Originally scientists thought, in combination with some B group vitamins, it formed a part of a glucose tolerance factor.

There is a delicate balance between too much and too little, so I would ask myself the following questions:

• are my blood glucose levels maintained within the range recommended by my health care provider, most of the time?
• do you think you have symptoms of a deficiency?

Before buying this product from a health food store or pharmacy:

• talk with your dietitian or diabetes educator, or health care provider
• blood, urine and hair samples have been tested but accurate results have been difficult to obtain.

The Chromium Question:

No scientific evidence shows it is especially helpful to the person with type 2 diabetes. New research has shown that instead of being part of the glucose tolerance factor, it is at the center of a small protein molecule which helps activate insulin receptors in your body’s cells. If this is so, it may mean your body manages sugar levels more effectively.

If your diet is low in this mineral, a supplement may improve blood sugar control.

It has been suggested 25mcgs/day for women and 35 mcgs/day for men is all that is needed. Good food sources are:

• egg yolk
• cheese
• apples, oranges and pineapples
• mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, and potatoes with their skin on
• liver, kidney and lean meat
• oysters
• some spices eg. pepper and chili)

Should you take a chromium supplement?

A number of studies have been carried out to see whether or not people with diabetes benefit when adding this supplement to their regime. One study in China showed people who were deficient in this mineral improved. Others diabetics had no benefit.

90% of people with type 2 diabetes benefit from losing weight and increasing their physical activity. Simply walking more each day, especially after eating, has a similar effect on the body as insulin … it reduces your blood sugar levels.

Despite all the research done, no one actually knows the specific causes of diabetes. This has created a lot of uncertainty in those who are diabetic. This article proposes to take a look at the causes of diabetes.

a.) GENERAL CAUSES:- The general knowledge is that diabetes develops as a result of the body not having the ability to produce enough insulin. This is usually due to either the failure of the pancreas to generate enough insulin or the body’s cells resistance to insulin. Even though we know what leads to the development of diabetes, we have not known why this happens in certain individuals and not others.

b.) GESTATIONAL DIABETES:- There is no known cause for this type of diabetes but it has a strong link with hormonal change that happens during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. During this period, the placenta will release hormones which inhibit the normal action of insulin to make sure that there is enough glucose for the baby. This increases pregnant women’s need for insulin. It is the inability to meet this need that triggers GDM. About 5% of pregnant women develop GDM. Even though we have a good idea of what causes it, we do not know why it affects certain women and not others.

c.) TYPE 1 DIABETES:- This is caused by damage to the pancreas as a result of an auto-immune attack when the immune system of the body begins to fight against the insulin that produces cells for the pancreas. Though the causes of type 1 diabetes is known, what triggers it is yet to be known. Some suggestions have been made. Some of these hold that it is due to viral infection and faulty nerves. But these are currently not universally agreed upon.

d.) TYPE 2 DIABETES AND PRE-DIABETES:- The early form of type 2 diabetes is pre-diabetes. Their causes are similar. Type 2 diabetes evolves when the body begins to reject insulin. When this happens, additional insulin will be produced by the pancreas and in turn the liver will react by releasing more glucose. Like the other types of diabetes, the causes of type 2 and pre-diabetes are unknown. But, type 2 is strongly linked to age, family history, inactivity and largely on obesity. There are a number of false opinions on the the causes of diabetes. These are stress, contagion, sugar intake and so on. The truth is that none of these have been proved to cause diabetes. They can only aggravate it.