Diabetes can affect people from all walks of life and it is present in more than 380 million people worldwide.  People with Diabetes cannot produce enough insulin, or they cannot use the insulin, which is used to break down glucose in the blood, sufficiently.  Juvenile Diabetes, or Type 1 Diabetes, which only comprises 10% of all Diabetes cases, occurs when the person cannot produce insulin.  It is called Juvenile Diabetes because it primarily begins during childhood.  Juvenile Diabetics also have to maintain blood-glucose levels and require insulin. 

Juvenile Diabetics can have symptoms that develop quickly over the course of a couple days or a couple weeks.  The symptoms are caused by high blood sugar and may be overlooked or mistaken for other conditions like the flu.  Common symptoms may include:

• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unexplained weight loss
• Bedwetting in kids (who didn't used to wet the bed)
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Vaginal yeast infection (in females)

The exact cause of Juvenile Diabetes is unclear, but what is known is that the body produces little or no insulin.  The reason for this is because the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.  When there is little or no insulin, sugar is stored in the blood stream and doesn't get transported into cells.  Causes for Juvenile Diabetes may include:

• Genetic History of Type 1 Diabetes
• Environmental Factors
• Specific Virus (Juvenile Diabetes may develop after being infected with a specific virus)

• A diet change can help someone who has Diabetes.  Eliminating fried food, processed food, alcohol, meat, dairy, salt, and genetically modified foods and switching to a raw-food, vegan, or vegetarian diet can assist in weight loss, which can benefit Type 2 Diabetics.  It's important to refrain from eating fruits that have a high sugar content.  Avoid grapes, lychee, figs, mangos, and cherries.  Vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains like barley are recommended.  It's a good idea to avoid wheat products because it has a high glycemic index. 
• Exercising daily can help you to better control your Diabetes.  This is because exercising can help control your blood-glucose levels.  Your muscles can use glucose without insulin.  Depending on the on the type of Diabetes you have, you have to monitor yourself when exercising as different people can have varied experiences. 
• Consuming foods with high magnesium can help benefit those with Diabetes.  Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure and a high-magnesium diet has been shown to decrease insulin resistance.  These foods can include bananas, avocados, leafy green vegetables, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, or almonds.  
• While stevia is a great natural alternative to artifical sweeteners and sugar, it is beneficial to use for Juvenile Diabetics because the plant contains compounds that may rejuvenate damaged pancreatic beta cells.  It has the same effects as anti-diabetic medications, but without giving you the unwanted side effects.  Other herbs that have also been known to help in the same way include goldenseal, fig leaves, or arginine, which is actually an amino acid. 
• It can be beneficial to cut down the amount of stress in those with Juvenile Diabetes because stress causes blood sugar levels to spike.  Encourage relaxation by doing stress relieving practices such as yoga, meditation, or Tai Chi.  You can also try acupuncture or massage therapy to help expel stress from the body.  

• Walnuts
• Cinnamon
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Flax Seeds and Pumpkin Seeds
• Turmeric
• Dark Leafy Greens (Arugula, Spinach, & Kale)
• Onions
• Broccoli
• Apples
• Carrots
• Asparagus