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[D242]Diabetes And Memory Loss

by Wight Bay, Wig

Diabetes in various forms affects up to 5 percent of the world population with 12 million diabetics in Western Europe alone. Of the different ways in which diabetes presents, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is probably the most commonly encountered genetic disease. NIDDM or Type II diabetes is multifactorial, depending also on environmental factors including obesity, sedentary lifestyles and nutritional imbalances.

Yoga has shown some beneficial results in curing diabetes. The yoga exercises that are prescribed for curing diabetes is different from hatha yoga exercise because it involves positions tailored to treat certain conditions, as well as meditation, relaxation and stretching exercises.

One of the studies conducted to cure diabetes was the one set up by the Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded in 1982 by biochemist Dr Robin Monro, and an Indian yoga research foundation which discovered that practicing yoga for 30 minutes a day for one month helped reduce blood glucose levels in some diabetics.

The yoga patients took part in one or two 90-minute sessions a week and were asked to practice at home. The classes included the specific yoga exercises of the spinal twist, the bow and abdominal breathing.

At the end of the 12 weeks blood sugar levels fell significantly in all patients in the group and were slightly raised in a control group which had not joined in the yoga sessions. Three yoga students managed to reduce their medication, including one man who had not changed his drug regime for 20 years.

It has been known for a long time that exercise is helpful for diabetics. Yoga therapy may help reduce stress levels which could play a part in maturity onset diabetes. But one drawback is that some patients would find it hard to keep up the regular sessions needed to sustain the benefit. All the patients said they would like to see these classes set up on a permanent basis but we don't have the money.

It is not necessarily the exercise component of the yoga therapy package which is most important, because there is not enough physical exercise to account for the changes, but stress reduction has a lot to do with it. Stress hormones increase sugar levels in the blood. People also benefit from the stabilization of their moods which yoga brings, an increased feeling of well-being and a feeling of being more in control, which may help with their diet control.

When people think of diabetes, they think of extremely high blood glucose levels. People who have diabetes have to constantly regulate these levels because too high of blood sugar levels can be fateful. Some people do everything they can to control the blood glucose levels but still have complications. One of these complications is hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is actually the opposite of diabetes. That is, hypoglycemia refers to a condition that results in low blood sugar. The severity and symptoms can vary from person to person. Normally hypoglycemia is “cured” when blood sugar is restored to a safe level.

Those at risk for hypoglycemia include patients who have both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Patients who have insulin resistance also can be at risk for low blood sugar. Some people can show signs of hypoglycemia even if they do not have diabetes. Any significant drop in blood sugar can result in minor cases of hypoglycemia. Despite the advances in controlling diabetes, hypoglycemic episodes are one of the major factors in achieving favorable blood glucose levels.

Because diabetes is such a high risk disease, high blood sugar is looked at as being dire. However, many people don't understand why low blood sugar is also bad. The reason is that the body needs fuel to work. The major fuel source is sugar which it gets from complex carbohydrates or simple sugars. A small amount of sugar is stored in the liver known as glycogen. If the body is not getting the sugar it needs, it will go to this stored sugar and make it into fuel. The brain actually depends almost 100% on sugar (glucose) to work. Obviously, the brain cannot make its own glucose and depends on the rest of the body to provide it. If the level of glucose falls too low, the brain cannot function the way it should and gives the body signs that it needs it.

There are many things the brain will tell the body to do if blood glucose levels are too low. When the liver has to start using the stored glucose, the brain will start letting the body know, “I need more sugar!” Some of the signs a person will show when glucose levels are dropping include nervousness, intense hunger, trembling, weakness, and trouble speaking. Most people, if they start to show these symptoms, will eat something with sugar and the symptoms will go away. These signs are just the beginning of hyperglycemia. If someone experiencing these symptoms consume sugar, as said before, they will start to feel better. If it is not taken care of, dizziness and fainting can occur. The brain is now saying it cannot function anymore without glucose and shuts down.

Hypoglycemia can be treated by simply allowing the blood to absorb glucose. This is most obviously done by eating foods with sugar or complex carbs. Regular soda, hard candy, juice, or plain table sugar will allow the blood to absorb the glucose it needs quickly. Once the brain has enough glucose to function, the symptoms of hypoglycemia will subside. Along with a balanced diet and medication to control diabetes, taking Diablin by Hamida Pharma can aid the body to better respond to insulin and naturally decrease the risks of diabetes-related complications such as hypoglycemia.

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Both Wight Bay & Steven A Johnson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Wight Bay has sinced written about articles on various topics from Yoga Practice. Isn't It about Time YOU Get the Information You Need to Successfully Identify and Manage The Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes? Visit