Diabetes 101 what you need to know about
One of the leading causes of death in the US is diabetes. It
affects the way the body uses food after digestion, for growth
and energy, known as metabolic disorder. If proper treatment and
medication is not administered, at times aggressively, it can
lead to fatal complications and can also be seriously disabling.
However, proper treatment and preventive measures allow people
with diabetes to lead a relatively healthy and normal life, in
most cases. Knowing Diabetes
Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose (a form of
sugar in blood). Majority of the fuel in the body is supplied by
glucose. Cells of our body use this glucose in the blood for
growth and energy. However for glucose to get into cells, blood
must have insulin contents. Pancreas (a large gland situated
behind the stomach) produces this chemical known as insulin and
which is the major factor in proper digestion and health. Under
normal conditions, right after eating, the body produces the
exact amount of insulin, to allow the body to process glucose
properly. But in people with Diabetes, little or no amount of
insulin is produced, or the cells don't respond properly to the
insulin produced by the pancreas.
This situation leads to a built up of glucose in the blood
stream. Glucose starts accumulating and overflowing into urine
as it is produced. This leads to the loss of majority of the
fuel resources of the body. Even with high glucose contents in
the blood, it leads to no good as it cannot be used by the cells
to produce energy.
Signs and symptoms of Diabetes vary, however doctor must be
immediately contacted on coming across any of these symptoms.
Diabetes is of varied types and all have different onset times,
with varying symptoms thus it is important to keep a track of
these symptoms and must be reported to the doctor. Like many
other disease, better results can be sought with early detection
of the disease. Generally it is classified into two types Type
One and Type Two.
While type one is an auto immune disorder where the immune
system turns against another part of the body. In this case the
attack is on beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin.
This type of Diabetes is more common in children and young
people though symptoms may occur at any age.
More common form of diabetes which accounts for almost 90% of
the cases reported is the Type 2 diabetes; patients are
generally older in age.Majorly in such cases the body fails to
make an effective use of the insulin produced by the body. About
80% patients of the type two diabetes are overweight. Symptoms
for both types are similar and include nausea, fatigue, weight
loss, frequent urination, thirst, and blurred vision.
Patients diagnosed with diabetes can be ensured a better
quality of life, with proper treatment and proper planning. The
most basic part of the treatment for diabetes includes a healthy
diet and exercise. Administration of oral drugs and insulin are
other forms of treatment.