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4 Ways to Prevent the Most Common Women's Health Problem
You have permission to freely publish this article electronically or in print as long as the resource box below is included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. Title: 4 Ways to Prevent the Number One Women’s Health Problem...

America's weight problem - Where is the pharmaceutical industry?
By George M. Ekema, Ph.D. Drug Discovery Scientist, Alexa Biotherapeutics, Inc. Http://www.alexabt.com The obesity problem in the United States is beyond control, and we are clearly in a crisis. Fat is not just making...

Best things to know about Cataracts
Cataract, or lens opacity, is a cloudy or opaque area in the eye's natural lens, which lies between th iris and the pupil. The lens of the eye is normally clear, but if it becomes cloudy, the condition is known as cataract. In very rare...

Medication and Older Adults
You are a partner in your health care. This is a partnership between you, your doctor, and your pharmacist. You need to be assertive and knowledgeable about the medications you take. The Food and Drug Administration is also working to make...

Your Health and Your Weight
Healthy Living Through The Ages! Like a good friend, a good attitude towards fitness and nutrition doesn't abandon us as we age. It matures right along with us, evolving as our lives change. That means we don't have to give up the activities or...

 
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Type I Diabetes - Insulin-Dependent Diabetes

Type I diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes. This form of diabetes is mainly found in children. The primary problem in all forms of diabetes, regardless if it is Type I or Type II is that the glucose (sugar) levels of the body are too high.

In a healthy person, the beta cells in the pancreas produce a hormone called insulin in response to sugar in the blood. The sugar gets there through the food and drinks we consume. Normally, the insulin helps to move the sugar from the bloodstream and into the cells of the body where it can be used for cellular processes. The insulin triggers gates located in the membranes of the cells to open, allowing the sugar to flow in.

A person with Type I diabetes can not make enough or any insulin. This produces the abnormally high levels of glucose in the bloodstream seen in these patients.

The question begs to be asked, "Why doesn't the body produce insulin?" In Type I diabetes the culprit is the immune


system. Something, whether it be genetic or environmental is still not clear, triggers the immune system to malfunction. Instead of viewing the beta cells of the pancreas as "self", the immune system sees the beta cells as foreign invaders. Doing what it's supposed to do, which is attack and destroy invading cells, the immune system in error attacks the beta cells.

Even though other beta cells can be produced by the pancreas, the speed at which the immune system attacks and destroys is too fast for the pancreas to keep up. Over time the amount of insulin produced in response to sugar in the blood is diminished.

The result is high blood sugar. Insulin shots can control the disease, however, there are currently treatments being studied which may actually stop the immune system from attacking itself which would bring about a natural halt to the problem.

About the Author

Rachel Dayer runs and operates MustAsk Network , a health related portal.