Diabetes is a group of diseases that negatively affect how your body uses glucose or blood sugar. This is an issue because glucose is important to our health, it is an important source of energy for our body. It is also a main fuel source for our brain. Individuals affected by diabetes can either have Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.

In Type 1 diabetes, the body just doesnt make insulin. Typically, the body is supposed to break down carbs that are eaten into glucose that it then uses for energy, and insulin is the hormone that is necessary to get blood sugar from the bloodstream into the cells. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), estimates that around 1.6 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes, with about 187,000 of that number being children and adolescents. Type 1 diabetes can occur in anyone at any age and it affects every race, and people of every size. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. What is known is that your immune system which normally fights harmful bacteria or viruses attacks and destroys your insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leaves you with little or no insulin. Instead of being transported into your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream. Type 1 is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, though exactly what those factors are is still unclear. Weight is not believed to be a factor in type 1 diabetes. There are resources available to anyone affected by it. This is a condition that can be managed, by practicing healthy lifestyle habits (exercise and proper diets). Individuals with this condition can live a full and normal life.

Type 2 diabetes is when the body doesnt use insulin properly, and this is the most common type of diabetes. Different people require different treatment plans, some people can control their glucose levels by eating healthy and exercising but some may need to use medication or insulin to help them. Either way, there are resources and support available to help everyone affected.

A large and important part of managing type 2 diabetes is maintaining a healthy diet and exercising. It is essential to find a diet that can be maintained, by finding a healthy diet that you actually enjoy. Fitness is also important, and thankfully there are many options available to those who want to get moving. Find activities that you enjoy doing and do them in your free time. Working with your physician to determine what physical activity level you can actually handle and that you should engage in, is a good first step to take to get active.

Another health condition related to diabetes is prediabetes. This is where your glucose levels are higher than normal but not quite high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. According to the CDC, 88 million American adults have prediabetes, with more than 80% of them knowing that they have it. Prediabetes puts you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. However, if you have prediabetes lifestyle changes can be made to delay or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and the other serious health problems that prediabetes puts you at risk for.

Regardless of the type of diabetes certain signs and symptoms occur. They include increased thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, unexplained weight loss, presence of ketones in the urine (ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when theres not enough available insulin), fatigue, irritability, blurred vision, slow-healing sores, frequent infections, such as gums or skin infections and vaginal infections. Ask your healthcare provider for help and testing if you notice any of these symptoms.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

Originally posted here:
LIVE WELL: The importance of knowing the aspects of diabetes - Stillwater News Press

Comments are closed.