Diabetes and dyslipidemia

ok folks, so now we would be discussing some basics and pathology of type 2 diabetes

Well, to start with let us understand what happens in the disease. We all know that in type 2 diabetes, the body's ability to utilize glucose with the aid of insulin goes down dramatically!!

This is sometimes called as "insulin resistance" which is a precursor to the full blown type 2 diabetes. When this condition sets its foot our humble pancreas start to pump more insulin to let the glucose seep in to the various tissues especially muscles and adipose. Interestingly, in diabetics another disastrous event takes place. The 'great' liver has this property of producing glucose, the process is known as "gluconeogenesis". This process normally occurs when the body perceives a need for glucose and probably when it is in the starving mode! however even though there is enough glucose flowing in the system of diabetics the liver starts producing glucose and releases it in the blood thus raising its level further!!!

So as we can see there are multiple problems here and everything is leading to increase in blood sugar!!!! At the same same time research has shown that there is an increase in fatty acid level as well in the system (triglycerides etc.). This increase in sugar and fatty acids has a detrimental effect on the pancreas. We have seen and it is also known that such an insult to the pancreas leads to the death of beta cells (chief insulin producing cells)

So folks as one can see the key to avoid or delay the progression of the disease is to 'somehow' do away with insulin resistance! and as mentioned in my previous blog nothing is as effective as exercise or yoga.

 Both Yoga and exercise have been shown to increase glucose uptake and there is a view based on research that exercise activates a pathway called AMPK (5' AMP-activated protein kinase) which incidentally has been shown to be activated by a class of widely used drug for treating this disease called metformin!

 In all, it is suffice to say that to be diabetes free it is imperative to have physical activity on a daily basis!

Type 2 diabetes is a man made disorder. Lifestyle/ environmental changes are slowly generating a monster in our midst and we are not even aware of it!

Rather than popping a pill to manage the disease our emphasis should be to first look at the natural available resources like yoga, exercise and increased fruit/vegetable intake.

Another very important issue is stress management. We know that high level of cortisol or the stress hormone causes insulin resistance so it is understandable that prolonged stress conditions in work or in our social set up is a major ingredient for triggering this disease. Though we also know that some people are predisposed to this disease (in other words are genetically inclined), we can surely try and delay the onset by following a healthy lifestyle. 

Now whatever I have written so far is well known and is not new to many but this is just a prelude to my subsequent blogs that would discuss the available therapies and the pitfalls associated with them.

Till then lead a healthy life and have a great life!