Understanding Diabetes
By Dr. Akhilesh Singh, India.
Diabetes is usually a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there are high levels of sugar in the blood.A.D.A.M.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar. Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin, resistance to insulin, or both.
To understand diabetes, it is important to first understand the normal process by which food is broken down and used by the body for energy. Several things happen when food is digested:
A sugar called glucose enters the bloodstream. Glucose is a source of fuel for the body.
An organ called the pancreas makes insulin. The role of insulin is to move glucose from the bloodstream into muscle, fat, and liver cells, where it can be used as fuel.
People with diabetes have high blood sugar because their body cannot move sugar into fat, liver, and muscle cells to be stored for energy. This is because either:
Their pancreas does not make enough insulin
Their cells do not respond to insulin normally
Both of the above
There are two major types of diabetes. The causes and risk factors are different for each type:
Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, but it is most often diagnosed in children, teens, or young adults. In this disease, the body makes little or no insulin. Daily injections of insulin are needed. The exact cause is unknown.
Type 2 diabetes makes up most diabetes cases. It most often occurs in adulthood. However, because of high obesity rates, teens and young adults are now being diagnosed with it. Many people with type 2 diabetes do not know they have it.
Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that develops at any time during pregnancy in a woman who does not have diabetes.
Symptoms
High blood sugar levels can cause several symptoms, including:
Blurry vision
Excess thirst
Fatigue
Hunger
Urinating often
Weight loss
Because type 2 diabetes develops slowly, some people with high blood sugar have no symptoms.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop over a short period of time. People may be very sick by the time they are diagnosed.
After many years, diabetes can lead to other serious problems:
You could have eye problems, including trouble seeing (especially at night) and light sensitivity. You could become blind.
Your feet and skin can get painful sores and infections. Sometimes, your foot or leg may need to be removed.
Nerves in the body can become damaged, causing pain, tingling, and a loss of feeling.
Because of nerve damage, you could have problems digesting the food you eat. This can cause trouble going to the bathroom. Nerve damage can also make it harder for men to have an erection.
Treatment
Early on in type 2 diabetes, you may be able to reverse the disease with lifestyle changes. Also, some cases of type 2 diabetes can be cured with weight-loss surgery.
There is no cure for type 1 diabetes.
Treating both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes involves medicines, diet, and exercise to control blood sugar levels and prevent symptoms and problems.
Getting better control over your blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels helps reduce the risk of kidney disease, eye disease, nervous system disease, heart attack, and stroke.
To prevent diabetes complications, visit your health care provider at least two to four times a year. Talk about any problems you are having.
Prevention
Keeping an ideal body weight and an active lifestyle may prevent type 2 diabetes.
There is no way yet to prevent type 1 diabetes.
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