Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, which in this century is commonly heard among many people. Researches done on diabetic patients show a strong inheritance of this disease over many generations.

Diabetes is no longer a dreaded disease; a well managed diabetic has a good life expectancy. Neglect, on other hand produces irreparable damage to arteries over the years. It is said that there is no disease which provokes greater thought on diet than diabetes.

Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way your body uses food for energy. Normally, the sugar you take in is digested and broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose. The glucose then circulates in your blood where it waits to enter cells to be used as fuel. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, if you have diabetes, this process breaks down, and blood sugar levels become too high.

There are two main types of full-blown diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don't respond to it. In either case, the glucose can't move into the cells and blood glucose levels can become high. Over time, these high glucose levels can cause serious complications.

Insulin Resistance. Insulin is necessary for the transport of blood glucose (sugar) into the cells of muscle and fat (which is then used for energy). By transporting glucose into cells, insulin keeps the blood glucose levels in the normal range. Insulin resistance (IR) is the condition whereby the effectiveness of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) into cells is diminished. Fat cells are more insulin resistant than muscle cells; therefore, one important cause of IR is obesity. The pancreas initially responds to IR by producing more insulin. As long as the pancreas can produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance, blood glucose levels remain normal. This IR state (characterized by normal blood glucose levels and high insulin levels) can last years. Once the pancreas can no longer keep up with producing high levels of insulin, blood glucose levels begin to rise, resulting in type 2 diabetes, thus IR is a pre-diabetes condition. In fact scientists now believe that the atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) associated with diabetes likely develops during this IR period.

Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with the degree and duration of obesity. Type 2 diabetes is associated with central obesity; a person with central obesity has excess fat around his/her waist, so that the body is shaped like an apple.

Some women develop gestational diabetes late in pregnancy. Although this form of diabetes usually disappears after the birth of the baby, women who have had gestational diabetes have a 20 to 50 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 5 to 10 years. Maintaining a reasonable body weight and being physically active may help prevent development of type 2 diabetes. As with type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes occurs more often in some ethnic groups and among women with a family history of diabetes. Gestational diabetes is caused by the hormones of pregnancy or a shortage of insulin. Women with gestational diabetes may not experience any symptoms.

Treating gestational diabetes - The aim of treating GDM is to try to maintain your blood sugar levels closer to normal pregnant state levels. This means visiting a dietician to chart out a meal plan according to your weight, caloric requirements and food preferences .it is advisable to develop an exercise schedule to help control the blood sugar level. Walking, cycling or swimming is some exercise recommended during this condition.

Juvenile diabetes is an autoimmune disorder which can be due to environmental trigger or virus, which hampers the function of beta cell. Once the beta cells are destroyed the body is unable to produce insulin. It is also believed that Type 1 diabetes results from an infectious or toxic insult to a child, whose immune system is predisposed to develop an aggressive autoimmune response either against molecules of the B cell or against altered pancreatic B antigens, resembling a viral protein. A child with diabetic siblings is more prone to develop juvenile diabetes than the child from a totally unaffected family. It is considered to be a more hereditary problem than excess eating or being obese.

Pancreas produces the exact amount of insulin, to breakdown the sugar produced in the body. The juvenile diabetic lack the production of insulin so, sugar builds up high in the blood, overflows into the urine and passes from the body unused.

Some easy dietary tips for Diabetes management

Apple - Eating whole apple a day helps reducing diabetes. Apple peel contains pectin and quercetin that has anti oxidants. So when snacking on the fruit remember to eat whole apple.

Asparagus – its is an excellent source of an antioxidant that is known to keep blood sugar stable. The edible parts of the stalks are the shoots that appear underground, so choose those that are tender and green.

Beans- most members of the legume family contain phytonutrients that are not only good for heart but will also help in diabetes. The most helpful beans are rajma, lobhia, chhole and green moong whole. These beans help in maintaining the blood sugar level of the body.

Broccoli – it is an excellent source of quercetin and calcium. Include broccoli in food in form of soup or salad.

Carrots - these vegetables contain carotenoids which are not only good for eyes but also help in balancing insulin levels.

Fish – the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish not only help in fighting depression but also protect your heart muscles and balance the blood sugar levels.

Nuts – a fistful of nuts is power –packed with minerals and healthy fats that protect your heart and balance blood sugar level.

Oranges – this fruit is packed with phytonutrients like flavonoids, carotenoids, pectin, and glutathione. It rates low on the glycemic index, which means it does not affect blood glucose levels highly.

Soya beans – It is member of legume family, and a complete source of proteins, phytoestrogens, isoflavones and saponins. All these substance help in maintaining the blood sugar level.

Tea – a part from being high on anti-oxidants that act as a cleanser, it is rich in catechins and tannins that help in balance the blood sugar.