Diabetes Mellitus (DM

Diabetes is a disease in which the patient has increased levels of glucose (blood sugar) over a long period of time. There are two types: type 1, or juvenile, diabetes, in which the pancreatic cells do not produce insulin, and type 2 diabetes, in which the tissues lose their affinity for insulin. The symptoms of diabetes are increased thirst (polydipsia), increased hunger (polyphagia), and increased urination. In addition, patients suffering from this condition have progressive damage to the kidneys, eyes, and sensitive nerves of the hands and feet. The patient with diabetes loses sensitivity in their hands and feet (“glove-and-stocking anesthesia”), so it is common to have wounds in these places that later become ulcers that are very difficult to heal because diabetes affects the scarring process. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the cells that produce insulin by destroying them. Its symptoms occur acutely, usually in adolescence or youth. It is also called “insulin-dependent diabetes” because there is no other way to treat it but with insulin. Type 2 diabetes develops over time. It starts with a condition called insulin resistance, which is reversible with lifestyle changes. At first it can be treated with oral medication, but if the process continues to progress, insulin will eventually need to be prescribed.

a) Diagnosis

The diagnosis is made by measuring blood glucose. The normal value is 80 to 110 mg/dL. A person with a value greater than 126 mg/dL after an eight-hour fast, or greater than 200 mg/dL at any time, is considered diabetic. The measurement can be made with a small device called a glucometer. To use it, a blood sample is taken from the fingertip and placed on a special glucose measuring tape. This tape is inserted into the glucometer to give the result.

Omstaal, Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

I always encourage my diabetic patients to have a glucometer at home as it is an excellent tool for monitoring their blood sugar values when they are not feeling well. Symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, and lethargy are often manifestations of hyperglycemia. If the increase in glucose is not treated, you run the risk of suffering the complications of the disease that can trigger coma and death. Symptoms such as increased hunger, irritability, tremors, sweating, cold, loss of consciousness, or seizures are associated with hypoglycemia. A glucose reading below 80 mg/dL is considered hypoglycemia. This emergency can almost always be managed at home with the ingestion of a teaspoon of sugar, water with sugar, or a piece of candy. More severe cases should be hospitalized for intravenous glucose solution. Once the affected person consumes sugar, the symptoms quickly reverse, and they return to normal within minutes.

b) Treatment

There is no medicine that cures diabetes. In the case of early type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, drugs are given that increase tissue sensitivity to this hormone. In the case of type 1 or advanced type 2 diabetes (conditions in which the cells do not produce insulin), insulin is indicated. For patients with type 2 diabetes, there are several natural options for glycemic management. One of my aunts is diabetic, and currently, in the area where she lives far from the capital, she cannot find her treatment, so she has had to use natural medicine, which so far have proved to be quite good in combination with some dietary and physical suggestions.

BERBERINE

Berberine is an extract from the roots of several plants that has long been used as a natural medicine to treat various metabolic conditions with considerable success. Although it is not well known how it works, in the case of diabetes, its results have been studied, and there is scientific evidence that it is able to lower blood glucose levels. It is not advisable to take it together with a hypoglycemic such as Metformin, because the effect can be very strong. That is why I recommend taking it independently, recording glycemia levels every 4 hours. Berberine capsules 500 mg, Dosage: 1 capsule before every main meal

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar is one of my favorite supplements, and I take it daily for all its properties. In the case of diabetes, it improves the sensitivity of the tissues to insulin; taking it together with the usual therapy helps to manage adequate glucose levels even on an empty stomach. I take two spoonsful mixed in on glass of water, on an empty stomach. If the taste doesn’t sit well you, you can use it as a salad dressing or as a marinade for meat. Do not take it undiluted, as it can damage the tooth enamel. It is used to control stomach acid secretion, improve breath, and acidify skin pH. It seems to have effects on varicose veins and circulation, but they have not been completely studied.