Diabetes Explained

Author: Jenny

Diabetes affects an estimated 18.2 million Americans, and the number rises each year. Diabetes is a chronic disorder, it means your blood glucose (often called blood sugar) is too high.

Your blood always has some glucose in it because your body needs glucose for energy to keep you going. But too much glucose in the blood isn't good for your health. One way it occurs is when the pancreas does not secrete enough of the hormone insulin.

There are three major types of diabetes:

1. Type 1 diabetes (Insulin-dependent diabetes): It is an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, accounts for 10-15% of all people with the disease. It can appear at any age, although commonly under 40, and is triggered by environmental factors such as viruses, diet or chemicals in people genetically predisposed. To live, people with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with insulin several times a day and follow a careful diet and exercise plan.

2. Type 2 diabetes (Non-Insulin dependent diabetes): It is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 85-90% of all people with the disease. This type of diabetes, also known as late-onset diabetes, is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. The disease is strongly genetic in origin but lifestyle factors such as excess weight, inactivity, high blood pressure and poor diet are major risk factors for its development. Symptoms may not show for many years and, by the time they appear, significant problems may have developed. People with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to suffer cardiovascular disease. Type 2 diabetes may be treated by dietary changes, exercise and/or tablets. Insulin injections may later be required.

 3. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM): GDM, or carbohydrate intolerance, is first diagnosed during pregnancy through an oral glucose tolerance test. Between 5.5 and 8.8% of pregnant women develop GDM in Australia. Risk factors for GDM include a family history of diabetes, increasing maternal age, obesity and being a member of a community or ethnic group with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While the carbohydrate intolerance usually returns to normal after the birth, the mother has a significant risk of developing permanent diabetes while the baby is more likely to develop obesity and impaired glucose tolerance and/or diabetes later in life. Self-care and dietary changes are essential in treatment.

Why do we get high blood glucose? Glucose comes from the food eaten and is also made in the liver and muscles. Blood carries the glucose to all the cells in your body. Insulin is a chemical (a hormone) made by the pancreas. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood. Insulin helps the glucose from food get into your cells. If the body doesn't make enough insulin, or if the insulin doesn't work the way it should, glucose can't get into your cells. It stays in the blood instead and the blood glucose level then gets too high, causing pre-diabetes or diabetes.

What is pre-diabetes? Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and for heart disease and stroke. The good news is, if any have pre-diabetes, they can reduce the risk of getting diabetes. With modest weight loss and moderate physical activity, people can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes and even return to normal glucose levels.

Symptoms You probably knew something was wrong before your doctor told you that you had diabetes, you may have:

• Excessive thirst and appetite
• Increased urination (sometimes as often as every hour)
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Nausea, perhaps vomiting
• In women, frequent vaginal infections
• In men, impotence
• In men and women, yeast infection

• Shakiness
• Dizziness
• Sweating
• Hunger
• Headache
• Pale skin color
• Sudden moodiness or behavior changes, such as crying for no apparent reason
• Clumsy or jerky movements
• Difficulty paying attention, or confusion
• Tingling sensations around the mouth

• Stretch daily.
• Park farther away and walk to destination.
• Take the stairs rather than the elevator.
• Engage in regular aerobic exercise (with approval from your doctor).

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