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CHURCH AT KIRKBURN
DIABETES
the silent killer
the silent killer
June 2007
Diabetes has been known for over 3,500 years. The medical name for type 2 diabetes is diabetes mellitus which comes from the Greek word “diabetes” which means to siphon or pass through, a reference to the large amounts of urine produced by people with the condition, and “mellitus” which comes from the Latin meaning honeyed or sweet.
The physicians of ancient Greece, China and Egypt did not have laboratories to which they could send specimens for testing and had to rely on their eyes, ears, their sense of smell, and often taste, to diagnose diseases. As far back as 1776 it was confirmed that the sweet taste was due to an excess of a kind of sugar in the urine and blood of people with the condition.
The physicians of ancient Greece, China and Egypt did not have laboratories to which they could send specimens for testing and had to rely on their eyes, ears, their sense of smell, and often taste, to diagnose diseases. As far back as 1776 it was confirmed that the sweet taste was due to an excess of a kind of sugar in the urine and blood of people with the condition.
The ancient Indians tested for diabetes by observing whether ants were attracted to a person's urine, and called the ailment "sweet urine disease"
Definition
Diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. It can be caused by too little insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar), resistance to insulin, or both.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
To understand diabetes, it is important to first understand the normal process of food metabolism. Several things happen when food is digested:
· A sugar called glucose enters the bloodstream which is acts as a fuel for the body.
· An organ called the pancreas makes insulin. The role of insulin is to move glucose from the bloodstream into muscle, fat, and liver cells, where it can be used as fuel to provide energy.
People with diabetes have high blood glucose because their pancreas does not make enough insulin or their muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond to insulin normally, or both. Obesity is recognised as one of the main reasons why we develop resistance to insulin as fat cells are far less responsive to insulin. Sensitivity to insulin can be improved by exercising, losing weight and adopting a healthier lifestyle. People who have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol run a much greater risk of developing heart disease and having a heart attack or a stroke and developing osteoarthritis because of the extra weight the joints have to support. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people in the UK are now overweight and 1 in 15 are classed as obese and in the last 20 years these figures have trebled.
There are three major types of diabetes:
Dr. Diana Arundale
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