ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DIABETES

 

DIABETES: A PASSIVE THREAT TO LIFE

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus or simply diabetes is a chronic disease in which the blood sugar levels increase.

It is the most common lifestyle disease in the society. Every 10th person on this earth has diabetes.

Blood sugar level or glucose level in the body is controlled by a hormone called insulin. Insulin is produced by pancreas (an endocrine gland). Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. When the pancreas either stops producing insulin or produces low quantities of insulin, the level of sugar or glucose increases (a condition called hyperglycemia).

Types of Diabetes

Diabetes is basically of 2 types:

1.Type 1

2.Type 2

In type 1 diabetes the beta cells of the pancreas or the cells that are chief producer of insulin, stop working. They do not produce any amount of insulin, which causes diabetes. It generally happens when the antibodies attack the pancreatic cells and destroy them. It is also known as juvenile onset diabetes and it's extremely rare. It is mostly found in kids and young adults but can happen at any age. A person with Type 1 diabetes needs daily dosage of insulin to remain alive.

Type 2 diabetes is caused when these beta cells do not produce enough insulin.

Unlike type 1, the cells produce insulin and help in decreasing blood sugar levels, but the quantity produced is insufficient. It's also known as adult-onset diabetes. Most people are affected by type 2 diabetes. It is more common. Mostly middle aged and old aged people suffer from Type 2 diabetes.

Causes of diabetes

There are various causes of diabetes:

1. Obesity
2. High blood pressure
3. Sedentary lifestyle
4. Low levels of "good" cholesterol(HDL)
5. Family history of diabetes (genetic)
6. Elevated levels of triglycerides in the blood

Symptoms

Symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are common.

They are as follows:

1. Weight loss
2. Excessive thirst
3. Fatigue
4. Nausea or vomiting
5. Skin problems
6. Blurred vision
7. Frequent urination
8. Dehydration

When the amount of glucose increases in blood, it starts seeping into the urine. That's why diabetes is also called "disease of sweet urine". If the level of blood glucose increases beyond the tolerable level, it causes death.

Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the USA alone. It causes about 1 lakh deaths per year worldwide.

Normal levels

Normal level of glucose in blood is 140 mg/dl 2 hours after eating and 72 - 99 mg/dl, when fasting. The glucose level of 700 mg/dl causes the brain and other organs to shut down, leading to coma and ultimately death.

Other health problems causes due to diabetes

Diabetes is a threat to life not only because it increases your blood sugar level that might lead to coma, but also because it damages several other organs of your body. Other health problems that are caused by diabetes are:

1. Kidney damage
2. Heart failure
3. Eye problems
4. Nervous Breakdown
5. Joint pain
6. Dental issues
7. Stroke
8. Cataract
9. Vision Loss

10. Dementia

Prevention from Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that doesn't have any cure so far. All we can do is to pray that we don't get it or maybe do something so that we don't get it.

Type 1 Diabetes is incurable and unpreventable because it is caused due to malfunctioning of your immune system. There's nothing a person can do to prevent it. Type 2 Diabetes when caused due to genes or age is also unpreventable. You don't have much in your hands then. 

The other causes of Type 2 diabetes are controllable. All you need to do is to make changes in your diet and lifestyle. You will have to give up your sedentary lifestyle and all the junk food you eat daily. You will have to develop a fitness routine. That isn't difficult because we are here to help.

All you need to do is:

1.Get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. It's not much, trust me. You can go cycling or walking, whatever you'd like.

2.Cut the amount of trans fats and carbohydrates from your diet.

3. Eat more fruits and green vegetables. Go for whole grain products as they are rich in fibers.

4. If you are obese, try to lose weight. About 7% of your current weight will be sufficient.

Conclusion

Diabetes is a lifestyle disorder that cannot be treated permanently. People have to depend on medicines, insulin injections along with abstinence from sweet things. They should try to avoid all types of sweet things as much as possible. There are various homemade remedies that have been implemented by Indians for ages and are still used for controlling blood glucose level. We will discuss them in further articles.

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