Diabetes: An Overview
The first question we should ask is what is Diabetes, what are the types, how am I likely to get it, how am I to know if I have it, what are the health complications and remedies. In this article, we shall be looking at different aspects of diabetes in detail.
WHAT IS DIABETES:
According to the world health organization, Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Seems pretty bad.
THERE ARE TWO MAIN TYPES OF DIABETES, VIZ:
1. Type 1 diabetes (Insulin-dependent diabetes)
2. Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes)
In type 1, Insulin which is responsible for utilizing glucose you get from foodstuffs, making it available to perform activities as needed by the cells of your body is absent, mainly due to a defect to the pancreas ( caused primarily by autoimmunity), the organ producing it. The process of digestion includes breaking down the food you eat into various nutrient sources. When you eat carbohydrates (for example, bread, rice, pasta), your body breaks this down into sugar (glucose). When glucose is in your bloodstream, it needs help – a “key” – to get into its final destination where it’s used, which is inside your body’s cells (cells make up your body’s tissues and organs). This help or “key” is insulin. Thus without it, your body won’t be able to use the available glucose, leading to rising in body glucose and in or decreased activity of the cells of your body. It is usually diagnosed in children and young adults (but can develop at any age). It was once better known as “juvenile” diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. This is why it is also called insulin-dependent diabetes.
In type 2, which is the most common type, Insulin is present, but in a very little quantity or your body’s cells don’t respond normally to the insulin. This is the most common type of diabetes. Up to 95% of people with diabetes have Type 2. It usually occurs in middle-aged and older people. Other common names for Type 2 include adult-onset diabetes and insulin-resistant diabetes. Another common type is Gestational diabetes. This type develops in some women during their pregnancy. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after pregnancy. However, if you have gestational diabetes you’re at higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later on in life.
Diabetes insipidus is a distinct rare condition that causes your kidneys to produce a large amount of urine.
HOW COMMON IS DIABETES?
According to recent discoveries Some 42.2 million people of all ages – about 1 in 10 – have diabetes in the U.S. Some 7.3 million adults aged 18 and older (about 1 in 5) are unaware that they have diabetes (just under 3% of all U.S. adults). The number of people who are diagnosed with diabetes increases with age. More than 26% of adults age 65 and older (about 1 in 4) have diabetes.
HOW DO I GET DIABETES?
Many factors increases your risk of contracting diabetes, however, these factors vary with the different types. Such factors include having a family history (parent or sibling) diabetes, trauma to the pancreas (such as by infection, tumor, surgery, or accident).Presence of autoantibodies (antibodies that mistakenly attack your own body’s tissues or organs).Physical stress (such as surgery or illness).Exposure to illnesses caused by viruses. Other causes are being a smoker, having a history of heart disease.
HOW AM I TO KNOW IF I HAVE IT?
You will have some of these symptoms:
Feeling tired, frequent urination, dry mouth, unexplained infections, poor wound healing, numbness of the hands and feet, weakness, blurred vision, etc. There may be erectile distinction or decreased sex drive in men.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES?
If your blood glucose level remains high over a long period, your body’s tissues and organs can be seriously damaged. Some complications can be life-threatening over time because of the continuous injury to your tissues. Some include coronary artery disease, chest pain, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries). Neuropathy causes numbing and tingling. Kidney damage (nephropathy) can lead to kidney failure or the need for dialysis. Retinopathy( eye damage) can lead to blindness. Others include depression, loss of sex drive, etc.
HOW CAN I MANAGE/PREVENT DIABETES?
Planning what you eat and following a healthy meal plan. Follow a Mediterranean diet(vegetables, whole grains, beans, fruits, healthy fats, low sugar) crash diet. These diets are high in nutrition and fiber and low in fats and calories. Exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
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