DIABETES MELLITUS

Diabetes mellitus is taken from the Greek word diabetes, meaning siphon - to pass through and the Latin word mellitus meaning sweet like honey.

Statistics:
- India is deemed as diabetic capital of the world.
- About 28% of the Urban population, and 5% rural is diabetic.
- The diabetic population in the country is close to hitting the alarming mark of 69.9 million by 2025 and 80 million by 2030, an increase of 266%.

The Problem:
- Every other family in India either has a diabetic or know a close relative who is. Such prevalence of the disease makes the abnormal-feel normal.
It’s so uncanny how people don’t fear it, where it should be alarming anywhere near the pre-diabetic range.

Let me explain!
- Type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent form of the disease, is often asymptomatic in its early stages and can remain undiagnosed for many years.And that’s terrifying, considering diabetes affects every organ in the body.
- Retinopathy, Nephropathy, Neuropathy, Alzheimer’s disease, and Liver Cirrhosis are few amongst the after-effects of diabetes, or shall I say copious consumption and accumulation of glucose in the body.
- If we understand that too much glucose in the blood is toxic, why can’t we comprehend that too much of it can also rot elsewhere? Where do you think the copious amount of glucose goes, when pushed out of the blood stream?—in your organs.
Lack of awareness and suboptimal approach is what drives the global diabetes epidemic.

To start with awareness, here are some common diabetes mellitus indicators:
1. Excessive Thirst, Urination, and Hunger
2. Fatigue
3. Blurred vision
4. Weight loss(type 1)
5. Numb/Tingling limb
6. Sugar in the urine

The Solution:
Diabetes (type 2) can be reversed, dependency on insulin can be reduced.
Prevention from vascular disease associated with diabetes and diabetes itself, is possible.
Here’s how:
1. Don’t eat processed foods.
2. Have more nutrient dense foods.
3. Start and end your day with protein rich meals.
4. Eat fewer larger meals and don’t snack.
5. Fast
“You can’t use drugs to cure a dietary disease.”

References:
1. Dietary protein intake and human health, journal of food and function 2016.
2. Batting the emerging epidemic of diabetic retinopathy, Indian Journal of Ophthalmology 2018.
3. IMRC 2017 Survey on Diabetes.