There is a rising incidence of Diabetes, especially of the Type-2 nature, due to the growing sendentary lifestyle of our generation and of youngsters. The introduction of various technological products like Television, Computer, Laptop and Android phones have turned many people into addicted ‘Couch Potatoes ‘.Added to it is the younger generation’s craze for Fast Food such as the Pizza, Burger, Pasta etc. In preference over home cooked food, and all the ingredients are present for inducing a gradual weakening of our digestive system and Metabolism, which ultimately breaks out as Diabetes, that is, literally translated condition of ‘Sugar in the Urine’, due to the inability of the Pancreas to produce Insulin, an enzyme required for sugar metabolism, and utilisation of the Insulin the by the tissues. The condition, once developed, rarely gets cured, but can be ‘controlled’ by means of proper, low-calories diet, exercise and anti diabetic medicines, namely Insulin itself, or drugs capable of regulating glucose metabolism, and enhancing the uptake of blood glucose by the tissues, to prevent the blood sugar from teachings levels that can precipitate a number of serious conditions like heart attack, strokes leading to paralysis.
However, as excessive control of the blood sugar levels can lead to a dangerous condition like Hypoglycemia, it is imperative to monitor the blood sugar level to determine the optimum drug and dosage. The standard method of estimating the blood sugar level is by testing the blood taken from a vein in a standard Laboratory, but as that is cumbersome,expensive and time consuming, a gadget named glucometer has been developed by medico surgical production companies, whereby blood taken by a finger prick can be tested for sugar level by use of strips or by other ways; but this gadget, though easy to use and gives quick results, is not very accurate.
Hence, I wonder whether a glucometer could be produced, which like a thermometer,would inform one of one’s blood sugar level, by using absorbent cotton buds or plugs, at the tip of a tube that can absorb saliva and thereby give an estimate of the blood sugar level by means of strips at the other end, or electronically. It is learned that such efforts are already on, with the help of bio-/nanosensors, but a simple product for personal home use has not yet been possible.
Likewise, it would be welcome if insulin could be administered to patients through sublingual tablets like Sorbitrate, which can immediately get absorbed into the blood stream from the Mouth.
These improvisations would help a lot , particularly to regulate the blood sugar level of those who avoid or procrastinate timely testing and for fear of the pricks or ‘injections’!