THE SWEET POISON

by: Art Ramos Jr.,RN

      This isn't to beam at someone , but whether you have DIABETES or not, you surely are
a sugar junkie. 
     The human body has such a massive craving for sweets. About 3 million tons of cocoa
beans are consumed around the world annually, legion of chocolates indeed. You would
hear some people say "chocolates are us", does it presuppose that diabetes is our
conscience? From the morning black coffee to sweetened tea, sugar is the lead star.
Believe it or not we need sugar to keep afloat- to survive. This is not just about the "white
stuff" we smear on cereals but about the term glucose, the simple form of sugar our body
derive from fruits, fast foods, pastries, vegetables and other foods. Glucose is the most
potent fuel used by and found in almost every cell. A healthy individual would extract the
right amount of glucose from food then stores the rest. But for people with Adult-onset
Diabetes Mellitus, much of the glucose stays in the bloodstream-and the zombie starts to
cause some grievous                                                         problems.

      Diabetes Mellitus or simply Diabetes is a group of

metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does
not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. 

        Filipinos have quite a sweet tooth. Diabetes ranks 8th

among the leading causes of mortality in the Philippines. Our addiction to fatty foods and
sweets is such a vital aspect to its development. Moreover, Filipinos can't literally live
without rice which serves as our main staple, thus, predisposes us to the said metabolic
condition because of its high carbohydrate(also referred to as sugars) content. In truth, its
cause is still an ingredient to undergo more scientific proceedings. However, genetic and
lifestyle factors are some of the proposed causes. 
YOUR PANCREAS: THE VICTIM OR THE VILLAIN?

    
The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system. It both functions as: 
             1. Endocrine gland- producing several important        hormones, including:
  Insulin- produced by the Beta Cells
  Glucagon- produced by the A Cells  and,
  Somatostatin- produced by the D Cells 
as well as an: 
             2. Exocrine Gland- secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that
pass to the small intestine. These enzymes help to further break down the carbohydrates,
proteins,      and fats in the chyme.

2 CELLS IN PANCREAS:
  Acinar Cells- produce digestive enzymes (exocrine)
  Islets of Langerhans- produce Hormones (endocrine)
                 Here is a clip about how pancreas reacts to a metabolic state like digestion: