Reasons for Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease marked by high levels of blood sugar. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes usually affects children and young adults, while Type 2 affects adults mostly and accounts for about 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases. In addition to sugar overload, other factors associated with diabetes include insulin deficiency, genetics, age, ethnicity, diet, physical inactivity, obesity and pregnancy. Sugar Overload and Insulin Deficiency Blood sugar overload due to deficiencies in insulin activity is the primary cause of diabetes. The beta-cells of the pancreas produce the hormone insulin in response to detected increases in blood glucose. The hormone controls how the human body uses sugar for energy. The disease prevents cells in the body from getting adequate energy to function properly. Insulin deficiency is usually due to inadequate production and secretion of the hormone by pancreatic beta cells, or resistance to the actions of insulin in the liver, muscles and fat. Family History and Ethnicity Diabetes is typically associated with family history. According to the American Diabetes Association, a person with a family history of diabetes is more likely to develop the condition than someone without a family history of the disease. Diabetes runs in families partly due to the effect of inherited genes and partly due to the tendency of children learning the bad habits of physical inactivity and poor diet from their parents. Diabetes hardly affects a person who has no diabetes in his immediate family or someone who constantly eats a healthy diet. It is now well-recognized that diabetes affects more African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Asian-Americans, when compared with white Americans. Other Risk Factors Other risk factors for diabetes include age, diet, sedentary lifestyle, obesity and pregnancy. The chance of developing diabetes increases as people age. The majority of Americans diagnosed with diabetes are older than 60. The aging process, combined with poor diet and lack of physical activity, are huge contributors to the disease. Many people are overfed, undernourished and do not exercise regularly. The diabetes epidemic among Americans is linked to the rising obesity epidemic in the general population. Both epidemics are due to sedentary lifestyles coupled with unhealthy diets, especially the consumption of fast foods and restaurant menus loaded with high calories from carbohydrates, fats and sugar. As body weight increases, so does the chance for diabetes. Diabetes rarely affects people who are physically active, who eat healthy diet and who maintain normal weight, the National Institute on Aging and the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse report. Some women develop diabetes during pregnancy. This form of diabetes is called gestational diabetes. It occurs more frequently among African Americans, American Indians, Hispanic or Latino Americans who are overweight and those with a family history of diabetes. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, women diagnosed with gestational diabetes have a 40 to 60 percent chance of developing full-blown diabetes later in life.

The Fruits of Meditation

The fruits of meditation include genuine love for God and for our fellow beings, extensive knowledge and wisdom, spiritual joy and strength, contentment and prosperity. Meditation enables obedient, well-meaning and open-minded Christians to realize the mystery of God; receive inspiration, intuition, and guidance from Him; gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom; and live a happy life, blessed with good health and prosperity. Through meditation David became wiser than his teachers and wrote many chapters in the Psalms as he was inspired by God. “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statues (Psalm 119:99). Meditation also purifies the heart and mind, and removes selfishness, vain desires, destructive thought patterns, and behaviors, as well as emotional pains from our whole being. The way we think every second in life is very important because our thoughts determine our behaviors and actions throughout life. As such, God wants us to think deeply, dwell, contemplate, or meditate on His word and laws.. As written by the Psalmist, “his delight is in the law of the LORD’ and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2) Christians, who profess to be children of God are expected to meditate on God’s laws day and night, just as Jesus Christ did during His earthly existence in Palestine thousands of years ago.

Meditation and the Aging Process

Meditation is an anti-aging medicine. It is a true and tested anti-aging technique now known to reduce the biological age of those who practice it regularly. The practice of meditation also slows down the natural aging process of the whole human body. This ancient practice can prevent diseases, heal several illnesses and conditions, and prolong life. Meditation has proven to be effective as an anti-aging medicine. All human beings, males and females can turn back the aging clock; remain young and beautiful without taking drugs and hormones or indulging in cosmetic surgery. Studies on the physiology of aging have shown that the functions of the nervous, endocrine, cardiopulmonary, and musculoskeletal systems decline and undergo wear and tear as we grow older. According to scientists, the main reason many body functions deteriorate as we get older is due to decrease in the production and secretion of vital hormones by the endocrine system. For instance, the production of growth hormone, which keeps the body energetic, sustains youthful vigor and repair muscle tissues begins to decline around the age of 30. Moreover, there is also a decline in the production and secretion of the sleep hormone, melatonin, as we age due to deterioration of the pineal gland. Sleep disorders that occurs in the aging population is mostly due to decrease in blood level of melatonin.

Health Benefits of Meditation

spirit. Because of its unique ability to elicit physical, emotional, and mental stability, meditation provides the foundation for healing and wellness. Evidence-based practice by clinicians and psychotherapists demonstrates that meditation reduces stress, promotes health, and enhances general well-being. Medical meditation has successfully been used to eliminate and/or manage diabetes, hypertension, migraines, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), psoriasis, chronic pain, and headache. The technique is useful for the treatment and management of acute and chronic emotional states, such as depression, worry, anxiety, fear, and anger, and a variety of mental ailments. It is now known that each mental state has a specific physiology associated with it. The effects of each or combinations of mental states whether positive or negative can be felt by the physical body. As an example, the feeling of anxiety induces stress which can result in abnormal production of stress hormones. Modern scientific research clearly shows that prolonged stress contributes to serious diseases such as persistent fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart irregularities, digestive disorders, mental health issues, diminished fertility, diminished libido, diabetes, and headache, to name only a few disorders. Meditation induces “the relaxation response” which normalizes the level of stress hormones produced by the adrenal gland and thereby protects the body against the effects of stressors by inducing a feeling of peace, calm, and tranquility all over the body.

Depression and Radiant Health

The gloom and doom feelings caused by depression often prevents the manifestation of radiant health. Depression is one of the negative mental states experienced by human beings. The characteristics of depression include feelings of loneliness, boredom, hopelessness, helplessness, melancholy, anxiety, isolation, and decreased self-esteem. Depressed individuals are often overwhelmed by sadness and may lose interest or pleasure in daily activities previously enjoyable to them. They may experience mental or physical fatigue; memory loss; may have trouble concentrating. Some may even entertain suicidal thoughts because depressed feelings usually begin with the mind, thought processes, and stress. Depression can rob you of energy and power, and keep bed-ridden. Generally, depression is more common among women than men. Depression in women are often affected by female reproductive hormones combined with the stress and pressures exerted by society at large, as well as the inability of some women to cope with relationship issues. Signs and symptoms of depression in women include extreme sadness, hopelessness that never seems to end, inability to perform daily chores, and feelings of low self worth. A depressed woman may feel worthless, low in spirit, tired of life, apathy, accompanied by loss of appetite and loss of interest in activities of daily living. These feelings may give rise to overeating and excessive weight gain, obesity, unexplained aches and pains, and abnormal sleeping patterns. Severe depression in women may lead to feelings of suicide or death. Such women need immediate therapy.

Stress and Chronic Diseases

Chronic stress robs you of radiant health. It is dangerous to your life and detrimental to your general well-being. It is now scientifically established that chronic stress is a health risk and a major contributor to several life-threatening diseases and events, such as heart diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, lung diseases, and cirrhosis of the liver, suicides, and accidents. In the United States, the pressure to succeed and live the American dream is a key factor behind the chronic stress experienced by many people in this century. The causes of chronic stress include financial difficulties resulting non-payment of bills, long-term economic hardship due to unemployment, relationship conflicts such as separation from a sexual partner, or divorce and major life changes such as the loss of a loved one. Social issues, especially arguments about personal, political, and religious beliefs can also lead to chronic stress. Living in the ghettos in large crime-ridden cities and unsafe neighborhoods where violence is the norm and most residents worry over their personal safety, combined with feelings of discrimination because of your race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation may also lead to chronic stress. Scientific evidence has shown that the pressure to succeed and live the good life as well as office politics, and the daily pressure and conflict form a job is the main cause of long-term stress for many people. The daily stress of long commute to and from work, personal conflicts at work with your boss and colleagues at work, and spousal abuse may lead to chronic stress if allowed to continue for a long period of time. It is now well-established that chronic stress is a health hazard and plays a significant role in the initiation, development, and progression of chronic diseases and disorders.

Chronic Stress and Energy Flow

It is now well-recognized that when the human mind is clear, calm, and focused energy flows freely throughout the body without any blockage. Chronic stress is the primary factor that prevents free flow of energy in your body. Every individual on this Earth experiences stress on a daily basis. Moderate acute stress is good and wonderful; it enhances your willpower, gives you motivation and provides the energy to meet deadlines. For example, acute stress gets you ready on time if you are interviewing for a new job, or work longer hours to meet a deadline without getting overly tired. In moderate doses, acute stress revitalizes your body, prevents boredom, makes your life a bit more exciting, strengthens your immune system, and improves the ability of your body to wade off infection. An acute stress episode gives you an emotional boost, stimulates you into action, helps you perform a task better, and provides you with a sense of accomplishment. Good stress provides you with pleasant feelings, like the joy and excitement you feel when your favorite soccer or hockey team scores a goal, or when you get an unexpected call from a childhood friend. Moreover, the excitement for good stress stimulates your brain to release love chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins that makes you feel really good.

Harmony of Body, Mind, and Spirit

When you harmonize your body and mind with your spirit through knowledge, understanding behavior, and lifestyle, your character grows and you become happier and healthier. Your spirit then will always be in perfect harmony with Divine Spirit. As your body and mind begin to merge with the Spirit of God, you will experience perfect harmony which consequently results in radiant health. Much of the harmony in life comes from the satisfaction you have in everyday affairs. “As you give, so you shall receive,” is an important principle of establishing personal harmony. So, learn to give and make some sacrifices to humanity and leave your foot prints in the sands of time. Jesus Christ, through His lifestyle and healing ministry, demonstrated how to attain harmony of the body, mind, and spirit, live a happy wholesome life, achieve peace of mind, and maintain a radiant health. He lived a busy lifestyle, walked distances daily, and yet never reported sick any day of His life. Moreover, He restored health and harmony to all who came to Him for healing.

The “Germ Theory” of disease does not present a complete picture of factors governing health and harmony in the human body. Disease does not necessarily begin with the entrance of a germ, the contacting of bacteria or virus, or the development of infection or inflammation. More often, disease begins with a previous lowering of the normal standard of health resulting from the weakening of the electronic nature of the body. When the electronic nature of the body is weakened, any kind of disease may develop. However, nature provides defense systems and mechanisms for a healthy, normal body to resist the entry of viruses, bacteria and germs. When our physical, mental, and spiritual beings are healthy, properly attuned with the vibration of the Spirit, disease-causing germs or bacteria any kind entering the body would have difficulty in producing any disease. Unhealthy lifestyle combined with chronic stress reduces the frequency of your natural vibration and prevents your body from fighting infections and diseases.

Healthy Lifestyle Violation of natural laws is the major cause of ill-health in all individuals. These violations include negative mental attitude, poor diet, lack of rest, and insufficient or excessive exercise. You can’t indulge in negative thinking and abuse your physical body daily and expect to be healthy. Good food is essential to life and healthy living. An undernourished or malnourished person can’t bloom and glow with radiant health. Thus, the creation of conditions conducive to health, love, harmony, balance, happiness and peace of mind should be of paramount importance to you if you want to develop a healthy lifestyle. For this reason you must learn to balance correctly what you eat and drink with how you breathe and think. You should endeavor to eat a balanced diet, drink enough of pure water daily, and develop the habit of regular deep breathing and inhaling. You can also enhance the positive qualities of your personality with constructive, imaginative thinking and meditation. Adequate rest, sleep, and moderate physical exercise are also essential for radiant health.