Everyone loves desserts, and some may even have a sweet tooth. But, too much sugar can harm the quality of life. All the food you eat is broken down into glucose (simple sugars), which is released into the bloodstream and utilized by various organs as energy. Diabetes is condition where the body is unable to process excess sugar.
What is diabetes?
Insulin helps break your food into simple sugars. Diabetes is the body’s inability to produce insulin. It also occurs when the insulin produced is not of the right quality. Without insulin, the body cannot digest sugar, causing high blood sugar levels and leading to various complications.
Types and causes of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes commonly affects individuals from a young age. This type of diabetes is hereditary. The B-cells produce insulin in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a defect in the B-cells of the pancreas, which lead to:
• Lack of insulin production
• Defective quality of insulin
Type 1 diabetes is a severe form of diabetes, and life-long treatment is often necessary.
Type 2 Diabetes is often seen later in life. It is caused due to a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and more. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity is a condition where long-lasting high sugar levels decrease the cells’ ability to utilize insulin to digest sugar. Chronic high sugar levels also alter the quality of insulin produced.
Symptoms of diabetes
• Polyphagia: Feeling hungry too often.
• Polydipsia: Feeling of excess thirst too often
• Polyurea: Urinating more than usual.
Other symptoms of diabetes are classified according to the type of diabetes.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes:
• Sudden loss of weight
• Extreme tiredness and weakness without performing any activity
• Sudden mood swings and an irritable mood
• Blurry vision
• Tingling sensation in the hands and feet
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes:
• Obesity
• Loss of weight
• Slow wound healing
• Easily affected by infections
• Darkly pigmented skin on the neck and underarms
• Blurry vision
Complications of diabetes
Diabetes affects all the systems in the body.
• Nerve damage leads to loss of sensation or a feeling of numbness.
• People with a history of diabetes can get heart and kidney diseases.
• Periodontitis is an infection of the gums and bone of the teeth leading to destruction.
• Trouble with vision and hearing
Diagnosis of diabetes
Diabetes is diagnosed with the help of a blood test. The three types of tests available are:
• Random blood sugar (RBS) to check blood sugar levels at any time.
• Fasting blood sugar (FBS) to check blood sugar level after overnight fasting.
• Post-prandial sugar to check blood sugar level after eating.
A new test called Hba1c shows past and present blood sugar levels.
Treatment of diabetes
Diabetes can be treated in the following ways:
• Insulin: Various types of insulin are given to digest and eliminate excess sugar from the body. Insulin treatment is necessary for type 1 diabetes. Your physician will advise you on the duration and dosage of insulin.
• Oral hypoglycemic drugs: Metformin, an oral hypoglycemic, is the best diabetes medicine. It is usually given in combination with insulin for type 1 diabetes. It is the only choice of medicine for type 2 diabetes treatment.
Since type 1 diabetes is hereditary, medicine and insulin are necessary to maintain a good quality of life.
Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is caused by improper lifestyle and unhealthy diet. Mild cases do not require medication and can be controlled with diet modification and an active lifestyle. For severe type 2 diabetes, a combination of oral hypoglycemic and lifestyle modification is required.
Myths related to diabetes
• People with diabetes cannot eat fruits.
• Diabetes is caused by excess consumption of sugary items.
• Type 1 diabetes can be treated without medication.
• Diabetes cannot be cured.
Diabetes is treatable
Diabetes can be controlled easily with medication and lifestyle modifications. The person affected with diabetes can lead a happy and healthy life.
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