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14th November 2022 (7 Topics)

Reversal of type-2 diabetes in young people without medication

Context

A sedentary lifestyle and wrong eating behavior have made people more vulnerable to diseases like type-2 diabetes. But slight modification in lifestyle can reverse it.

About

Diabetes:

  • Diabetes is a Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin (a hormone that regulates blood sugar, or glucose), or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin, it produces.
  • Type 2 diabetes is age-related; it often develops at the age of 45 and beyond.
  • Type 1 diabetes is largely genetic in nature, while Type 2 depends on the lifestyle of the individual.

Its Types:

  • Type I diabetes: Also known as juvenile diabetes, this type occurs when the body fails to produce insulin. People with type I diabetes are insulin-dependent, which means they must take artificial insulin daily to stay alive.
  • Type 2 diabetes: It affects the way the body uses While the body still makes insulin, unlike in type I, the cells in the body do not respond to it as effectively as they once did.
    • This is the most common type of diabetes and it has strong links with obesity.

About Insulin:

  • Insulin is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets;
  • It is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body.
  • It regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and protein by promoting the absorption of glucose from the blood into the liver, fat, and skeletal muscle cells.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes are similar to those of type 1 diabetes and include:

    • Excessive thirst and dry mouth
    • Frequent urination
    • Lack of energy, tiredness
    • Slow healing wounds
    • Recurrent infections in the skin
    • Blurred vision
    • Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
  • Gestational diabetes: This type occurs in women during pregnancy when the body can become less sensitive to insulin. Gestational diabetes does not occur in all women and usually resolves after giving birth.
  • Prediabetes: It occurs when your blood sugar is higher than normal, but it’s not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
  • Impacts of Diabetes: It affects the five major organs namely, the Kidney, Heart, Blood vessels, Nervous System, and Eyes (retina).
  • Factors Responsible: Factors that lead to an increase in diabetes are an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, harmful use of alcohol, overweight/obesity, tobacco use, etc.

Type 2 diabetes can be reversed without medication

  • Use of less oil in cooking
  • Eliminate trans-fats like vanaspati and avoid reheating oils
  • Blending at least two edible oils with rice bran oil.
  • encourage locally-grown healthy fruits and vegetables
  • promote local millets, herbs, and nuts
  • Egg white, fish, and chicken are excellent sources of non-veg protein
  • Red meats should be avoided
  • Mindful eating
  • Breaking sitting posture every 30 minutes.
  • Classical Surya namaskar and meditation
  • Staying away from tobacco and alcohol
Clinical view:Reversal of diabetes is a term that has been rejected by the American and European Association of Diabetologists but if a person can reduce medication with good exercise and the right diet, for six months, it helps to treat the disease more effectively, as 95% of all diabetes cases are related to poor lifestyle.

Use of Technology:

  • Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things can be used to create digital body digital twins of patients with the help of teams of professional coaches and doctors.
  • The input sensors provide information on glucose, weight, body composition, food, activity, sleep habits as well as heart health and blood pressure creating a health signature of a person.
  • These AI-generated signatures allow professionals to provide precise advice that enables the patient to handle the disease better and enables the elimination of medication in most cases.

Diabetes Burden in India:

  • An ICMR-funded study has estimated that there are about 77 million diabetic patients across India today.
  • According to Tata 1mg labs, about one-third of people tested for HbA1c were found to have diabetes.
  • Diabetes is a growing challenge in India with an estimated 7% diabetic population in the age group of 20 and 70 years.

Government initiatives:

  • India’s National non-communicable disease (NCD) Target is to prevent the rise in obesity and diabetes prevalence.
  • National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancers, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) in 2010, to provide support for diagnosis and cost-effective treatment at various levels of health care.

World Diabetes Day:

  • It is observed on 14th November every year.
  • The 2022 campaign will focus on access to diabetes education.
  • Access to diabetes education is the theme of this year's World Diabetes Day.
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