Are you suffering from diabetes? Even if you are not, ask yourself just one question: Do you have problems sleeping well at night most of the time? If your answer is yes, I have bad news for you! This is because studies have shown that just three nights of bad sleep is more then enough to wreck havoc in your body by reducing your body's ability to regulate blood glucose levels and directly raising the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

According to researchers at the University of Chicago medical school, There are more than 18 million Americans suffering from diabetes and the most common form is type 2 -- in which the body either becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce enough insulin to process sugar in their bloodstream.

Having bad sleep quality for three nights in a row greatly lower this glucose tolerance of young or even healthy adults as much as if they had gained eight to 13 kilos (20 to 30 pounds). Wow !!

While it is possible that the body's ability to regulate glucose would adjust to counter chronic sleep deprivation, it is likely that poor sleep patterns in the elderly as well as the obese play a major role in the development of diabetes.

In the study, nine lean, fit and healthy participants between the age of 20 to 31 spent a total of five nights in the laboratory so that their sleep patterns could be monitored. Whenever the volunteers went into slow-wave sleep, the researchers will start to make some noises to disrupt their sleep but not to fully awaken them.

The sounds reduced deep sleep by about 90% by shifting them out of the onset of deep sleep back into a lighter sleep. In this way, the typical sleeping patterns of those over the age of 60 were mimicked because people in this age group tends to get only about 20 minutes of deep sleep a night compared to about 80 to 100 minutes for most young adults.

After just three days, the ability of the volunteers to regulate blood sugar was reduced by 25% which is an indication that they needed more insulin to dispose the same amount of glucose in their bodies.

Earlier studies have indicated that lack of sleep can reduce the ability to regulate sugar, and this report adds evidence that poor sleep quality is also a diabetes risk.

This report is a warning to anyone (not only for diabetes sufferers) not to take their sleep lightly and if you are constantly having bad sleep or feeling tired when you wake up in the morning, do make an effort to understand the root cause and to improve your sleep either by yourself or through the help of a doctor or specialist. Once you have diabetes, you will not be able to "shake it off" easily so prevention is the key to a diabetic free life-style.

Used as a sweetener and medicine for a thousand years by native Guarani Indians, Stevia Rebaudiana is perhaps the only known plant to worry the sweetener industry today. Stevia leaves contain steviosides, which are chemicals that cause Stevia to taste sweet. Stevia is 200-300 times sweeter than white sugar.

In China, Korea and Japan Stevia extract Stevioside is used as a table top sweetener because it has no calories, no carbohydrates and no fat and is many times sweeter than sugar. In the United States, Stevia is sold only as a dietary supplement.

In addition to being a sweetener, Stevia is considered to be hypoglycemic, hypotensive, diuretic, cardiotonic, and tonic. The leaf is used for diabetes, obesity, cavities, hypertension, fatigue, depression, sweet cravings, and infections.

Stevia is an exceptional aid in weight loss and weight management because it contains no calories and reduces one's craving for sweets and fatty foods.

Around 1970 Japan began to prohibit the use of artificial laboratory made chemical sweeteners, due to health concerns. Convinced of the safety of Stevia and Stevioside it approved Stevia and Stevioside as sweeteners and flavor enhancers for food use in Japan. This move intensified the already ongoing Japanese studies of Stevioside for commercial production and use. By 1977 companies started extracting Stevioside on a commercial basis in Japan.

Lots of countries in the world already use Stevia. The only difference is in the way they declaring it; some call it dental health product, others food supplement or just regular sweetener.

The release of Stevia to be not only imported into this all the countries of the world, but also commercially grown, opens the door for the future common availability of this herb in every supermarket and as an additive to processed food in the world. While the battle to market Stevia as an alternative sweetener to sugar is far from over, the time will come sooner than later.

According to a recent British study, pollution may play a role in increasing a persons risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

The study, which was conducted at the University of Cambridge, suggests that organic pollutants known as POPs may increase insulin resistance in some individuals.

POPs, or persistent organic pollutants are chemicals that linger in the environment for long periods of time and can gradually seep and accumulate into the food chain. POPs can remain for extended periods of time in body fat and tissues.

Examples of POPs include Dichloro-Dipehnyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) which is a pesticide that was very popular in the early to mid 20th century and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) which have been used as lubricants and coolants but are now banned in the United States.

The studies authors found that individuals that had higher levels of POPs in their blood were much more likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those with lower levels. Furthermore the correlation between POPs and diabetes was stronger than the link between obesity and diabetes so that those who were thin and had high levels of POPs were more likely to develop diabetes than those who were overweight and had low levels of POPs.

Many POPs have been linked to various health effects in the past such as cancer and birth defects however this is the first study that has linked organic pollutants to an increased risk of diabetes.

Dr. Oliver Jones, one of the authors of the study, has been quick to point out that a correlation between POP levels in the blood and diabetes does not automatically imply that POPs cause diabetes but she believes further investigation is needed. According to Jones "Of course correlation does not automatically imply causation, but if there is indeed a link, the health implications could be tremendous."

Diabetes could also be called connect the dots of medical ailments that start after you develop diabetes. Yes, it's kind of a game of life. Not just any life but yours, the type 1 & type 2 diabetics. Each dot represents an ailment, after you have been diagnosed with diabetics you are ready to play this lifelong game.

Ask yourself the most important question, "what position do I want to play in this game". Hopefully you chose the winning edge. When you stay ahead of your weight, blood sugars, blood pressure, stomach pains, nerve problems, etc. the list just keeps growing larger.

The whole idea about keeping the winning edge on your diabetes. Don't wait until your symptoms such as; high blood pressure, puts you in the hospital to decide to take some kind of physical action. You have many options available on your side to help your situation.

Exercising and dieting is a major start to a fresh beginning. If you experience stomach problems like indigestion, you might consider slowing down and even stopping your intake of coffee & tea. Both of which are very acidic on your stomach.

Watch your carbohydrate & sugar intake. If you are not familiar with carbohydrates, what they are, what they do, how much in each food. There are good carbohydrate counting books to purchase that will help you pick the winning choice for your system. Before you enjoy that creamy, dreamy, delicious candy bar think about the after effects. Like how much insulin is it going to take to bring my blood sugar down, or just remember how you feel After you come down from that sugar rush.

Remember you determine the outcome of each & every situation by prioritizing the income of each event. Will you be connecting the next dot on your diabetes list or will the hospital be doing that for you. No not free of charge either.

Fonda is a type 1 diabetic of 36 years. Currently she is on an Animas insulin pump. Taking no other prescriptions besides insulin, she stays ahead of her medical disorder both mentally as well as physically. Natural solutions for better health is a secret she will share with you If you dare wish to learn to grow healthy.