We are experiencing a world epidemic of diabetes.  Mature age diabetes or Diabetes 2 is no longer something we expect only if it "runs in the family."  Anyone can get it.
 
HOW DO WE KNOW WE HAVE IT?
First signs are probably excessive thirst and frequent copious urination.  We may also have constant hunger, over-acidity, itchy skin, fatigue, weakness, wounds that are hard to heal, thrush.
 
More than likely we don't know we have it and it is picked up by our GP with a routine urine or blood test when we have a check up.
 
We know that diabetes means cut out sugar.  But it is more than that.
 
INSULIN
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to allow body cells to create energy from glucose, the breakdown of carbohydrate foods.  As soon as we eat, the signal goes out to release insulin to open the gates of the cells to let glucose in.  Chromium helps with this action and diabetics often need more chromium (200 - 1000 mcg/day) Insulin's other job is to store excess glucose as glycogen in muscle or liver for future use.  When these stores are full, insulin changes the rest to triglycerides, to be stored as fat in adipose tissue. Glucagon, another pancreatic hormone, mobilises these reserves when we are running low.  In this way a steady blood sugar level is preserved.
 
MODERN DIET
Part of our problem is the refined carbohydrates that have become part of our modern day diet - white sugar, white flour - processed foods that have lost a lot of the vitamins and minerals needed to metabolise them.  Refined carbohydrates (plant foods) are quickly digested, raising blood sugar and needing lots of insulin to deal with it.  Complex carbohydrates break down more slowly, evening out the need for a lot of insulin at once.  Diets high in protein foods take longer to break down, so provide energy for longer, sparing insulin.  Many recent studies have shown that where indigenous populations return to eating their native diets, diabetes is cured.  Aborigines returning to bush tucker get better and are no longer diabetic.  We are better getting back to the basic raw ingredients that our grandparents used to prepare meals.  Our blood group research also supports this.  We need to eat the foods we are individually programmed for as dictated by blood group, ancestral origins and traditional exposure over thousands of  years.
 
INSULIN SEESAW
Hyper-insulinaemia (too much) increases salt and water retention.  This puts weight on and blood pressure up.  More glucose is changed to triglycerides so cholesterol rises.  High insulin affects neurotransmitters so nerve breakdown (neuropathy) and sleep
disorders occur.  Blood sugar falls too low - hypoglycaemia, and we get shaky, hungry, irritable, depressed, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, brain fog and confusion.  We eat and swing too much glucose, which causes cross linking of collagen resulting in loss of elasticity in skin, blood vessels, lungs, joints, cataracts, gangrene and kidney disease.
 
TANDEM CYCLES
We have in fact 2 energy cycles running side by side.  The insulin carbohydrate cycle and the carnitine protein cycle.  Glucose is the fuel of choice for Type 2 (quick action muscle) and fatty acids for Type 1 (endurance muscle).  If we are low on carnitine, we depend more on the insulin cycle, which if overstressed can lead to diabetes.
 
HIGH PROTEIN DIET
Dr Robert Atkins (a cardiologist in  USA) has done a lot of work on high protein low carbohydrate diets for the prevention of heart disease, diabetes, aging etc.  He says that if we utilise the protein cycle strongly, insulin production may recover.  The more carbohydrate, even complex, that we eat overloads the insulin system leading to more and more fat storage so obesity progresses causing further insulin resistance.  Body fat conversion competes with muscle for insulin.  Body fat produces oestrogen in both male and female.  Oestrogen desensitises skeletal muscle to insulin and we get fatter and fatter.  His books make interesting reading - and are available in bookshops and libraries here.
 
VITAMINS and MINERALS
Our bodies need the necessary raw ingredients to keep the body working and if we are deficient in those needed to make insulin and glucagon, we need to provide them with supplements to restore function.  Major ingredients are chromium zinc, magnesium, manganese, B3, B6, C, E, Q10, carnitine, biotin, glutamine & essential fatty acids.
 

BEATING DIABETES  1.  Cut out refined carbohydrates  2.  Eat high protein foods  3.  Increase chromium foods - meats  4.  Eat raw vegetables   5.  Eat unprocessed fibre foods  6.  Eat according to blood group diet  7.  Exercise within limitations  8.  Reduce weight  9.  Don't overbreath  - 12/min  10. Check thyroid levels  11.  Avoid stress - stress slows insulin  12.  Take necessary supplements  13.  Take carnitine if post polio

Ref:  Dr Atkins' Age Defying Diet  Bantam NY 2000
Langer MD Solved: Riddle of Illness Keats LA 2000
Bradley PT Hyperventilation Syndrome Tandem NZ 1994
Buteyko PhD Theory of Diabetes Hormonotherapy USSR
D'Adamo ND Live Right 4 Your Type Vicking NY 2001
Atkins MD Vita-Nutrient Solution Perkins NY 1998