Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body cannot change the food we eat into energy. The high glucose scale caused by the situation will lead to various health dilemmas and complications. There are 3 major types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational. Effective management of the condition is dangerous to help lessen the risks of complications in the future.
Problems caused by diabetes are the following: blindness, stroke, heart and vessel disease, kidney failure, nerve damage and amputations.
Uncontrolled diabetes can cause complications in pregnancy and defects in birth are very common in infants born to women who have the disease.
In order for us to understand diabetes, it is necessary to first know the normal digestion and the action of insulin.
Most of the foods we eat are broken down into the blood sugar called glucose. It is the principal source of energy for the body.
After absorption, glucose passes in the bloodstream; it is utilized by the cells for energy and growth. There must be presence of insulin so that glucose can get in the cells. The pancreas, a big gland at the side of the stomach produces the hormone called insulin.
The pancreas automatically makes the right quantity of insulin so that glucose can move from the blood into the cells. Diabetic patients do not produce insulin, don’t utilize insulin properly or both. People with this condition always feel tired, thirsty and hungry.
Kinds of Diabetes
The three major types are the following:
- Type 1 – formerly known as juvenile diabetes is first seen in children, teenagers and young adults. In this form of diabetes, the bets cell of the pancreas cannot make insulin because the immune system of the body had attacked and ruined them.
- Type 2 – formerly called adult-onset diabetes, the most familiar type. People may develop type two at any age – even at childhood. This is the condition wherein there is insulin resistance, where muscles, liver and fat cells don’t use insulin correctly. At first, pancreas is keeping up with the additional demand by manufacturing more insulin. However, the ability to produce sufficient insulin is lost in responding to meals.
- Gestational diabetes – can be found in women in the later stages of pregnancy. Although this condition usually gets away after the birth of the baby, a woman who had it is susceptible to develop type ll diabetes later in life. Pregnancy hormones or shortage of insulin cause gestational diabetes.
Diagnosis of Diabetes
Medical examinations will find out if diabetes is giving you problems. A physician can make analysis by reviewing the symptoms and checking the blood glucose scale. One test (fasting glucose exam) measures the blood glucose scale by not eating or drinking or taking anything by mouth usually overnight before extraction of blood specimen for analysis. Oral glucose tolerance tests, is another form of test to check glucose. The test is done after drinking sugary beverage. The sugar scales are checked one hour, two and three hours later. The diagnosis is confirmed after repeat exam on a different day.
Medication/ Treatment for diabetics
In the conservative medical approach in treatment of diabetes, people try to keep blood sugar level in a normal range. They observe this by following a good health plan, weight control, being active physically and testing regularly their blood glucose. Some people need to take medication like insulin injection or diabetic pills. When the lifestyle of patient changes and medication are combined maintain rigorously and control glucose in normal level, this approach to manage diabetes can reduce the serious effects of the disease. This allows patient to lead complete productive life.
Complications Given by Diabetes
Diabetes is linked with long-term problems that affect every portion of the body. The high glucose scale cause the condition that can lead to complications in the blood vessels, nerves, kidneys, heart, eyes, feet and skin. These problems may cause complications like heart and blood vessel ailment, stroke, blindness, nerve damage, kidney failure and amputation. Such problems can be avoided or delayed when you keep your blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides in a normal range.
Some Information Regarding Pre-Diabetes
Insulin resistance or pre-diabetes is developed by people before they get type 2 diabetes.
The body cannot respond correctly to insulin it has released to lessen the glucose level in the blood in the presence of insulin resistance. As the outcome, the pancreas gives more insulin and tries to keep up the surplus or excess glucose. When the pancreas can’t produce sufficient insulin, over time, diabetes 2 will occur. Aging, obesity and lack of exercise will help to develop insulin resistance and increasing the danger for the condition
