Understanding what diabetes is and why so many people in today's world suffer from it. Even our teenagers are beginning to get diabetes which begs the question - what's going on??

There are 2 forms of diabetes - type I and type II - here I talk about the second one.

Ok - firstly what is diabetes? In our body is an amazing organ called the pancreas located behind the stomach (roughly!). It's role is to deal with sugar - make no mistake about it - processed sugar is poisonous to our bodies - it suppresses the immune system, poisons the blood, causes digestive conditions such as candida, ulcers, stomach acid excess, rots the teeth - the list is endless!

The pancreas - bless its little cotton socks - recognises the dangers of sugar within the body and every time it is ingested - insulin is released to negate the dangers of the sugar before it does too much damage. We are not talking about the natural sugars of fruits and vegetables here but the 'other' type!!

When you consider the amount of sugar that is ingested on a daily basis by a vast number of the world population - particularly in our youth and becomingly increasingly so in third world countries in an effort to 'catch outwith our lifestyles - the pancreas is continually under pressure trying to deal with the pretty constant flow of sugar entering the digestive system.

One thing that people either forget or perhaps are not even aware of, is that all carbohydrates convert to sugar within the body. Let's say you eat bread on a daily basis - as most do - toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and then a healthy (?) meal of pasta for supper. In itself that is a huge amount of sugar as far as the body is concerned. Add to that any form of processed food which all contains sugar (check everything you buy - you will be amazed at the sugar levels!), cereals, drinks and fruit. Begin to get the picture?

So, what is happening to the pancreas? It is becoming overworked with never a break to rebuild its reserves and one day it just says that's it - I've run out - no more insulin!! Diabetes is here!!

Sounds like it could be avoided in the first place doesn't it? YES, IS THE ANSWER!!!

I could write about the problems of blood sugar, hypoglycaemia, arthritis, blood disorders etc etc but will save those for other posts!! However, most of these conditions could be avoided if we changed our diets and ate what our body needed not what our tongue liked the taste of and then became addicted to!!

I am a herbalist - part of what I do is to encourage dietary changes and healing with herbs - there are many that will help the pancreas to recover, balance the blood sugar levels and put the body back in balance. However, none of this works if you are not prepared to make the change in the diet. Dropping the processed food, dropping the diet high in carbohydrates, drinking more water, eating more vegetables and avoiding the really sweet fruits and sticking to apples and pears say.

It is not difficult - it is just a choice when you have the information.

Part of my work takes me to West Africa where the number one problem is Type II diabetes. If you saw what they lived on you would understand. Gone are the days of their traditional diet - welcome in the western diet - except it is a third world country and most have no money - what they do have is spent on cheap, unhealthy food - white rice is now their staple, white processed bread, potato and tomato ketchup sandwiches(!!), fizzy bottled drinks, sweets, cakes and biscuits and of course mountains of chocolate!! Diabetes on a plate!!

I am working with them to help them to understand the cause and how to change it for themselves - they can plead ignorance to a certain extent but can we say the same? The wealthier the country, the more unhealthy the diet!

If you have diabetes or your diet is as I have outlined - so chances are you will develop it - then make a choice to change what you are doing - for your health's sake - for your body's sake!

I leave this with a thought for you - 90% of alcoholics have diabetes! I wonder why??