Diabetes In A Nutshell

You’ve probably heard a fair bit about diabetes, but not know much about it, right? Well, I know it runs in my family because it has contributed to a few deaths. That being said, I’m still no expert on the topic and there is plenty more for me to learn. As such, today’s article, taken in part from another source with the writer’s consent, explores this topic in more detail. Hope this is helpful.

While talking about diabetes, you may be frightened from the idea that you may have it. This certainly applied to me in the past. After all, I’ve already mentioned that it runs in my family. I also appear to show some pre-diabetic symptoms, although thankfully these have disappeared once I decided to lose weight and become healthy. However, you want to know if you are at risk to develop diabetes and anxiously looking to find if you have any diabetes symptom. I was there once.

Let’s start off with some basics. What is diabetes? Diabetes affects the manner in which the body handles carbohydrates, fats and proteins. If neglected, diabetes can have serious complications. The diabetic people tend to have high blood sugar levels. The blood sugar level is regulated by insulin – a hormone produced by the pancreas, which depends, in part, on your eating habits.

Diabetes is a serious disease – let’s be clear about this. But the startling truth, fortunately, is that diabetes is controllable. Diabetes is the number one cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This disease is a condition where the body is unable to automatically regulate blood glucose levels, resulting in too much glucose (a sugar) in the blood. Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects as many as 16 million Americans. I’m sure this rate is just as high in other western countries.

Now, this is the moment of truth – there is no clear symptom for diabetes! There are only some that may indicate possible diabetes. Here are the most common ones:

• Insatiable Thirst
• Frequent Urination
• Increased Hunger
• Excessive Fatigue

Sounds like you? Be concerned and get it checked, but don’t jump the gun and panic just yet. Let’s proceed. There are also some other symptoms of diabetes that are prescribed as diabetes complications. These include:

• Vision Changes
• Recurrent Skin Infections
• Numbness or Tingling in Extremities
• Gum Disorders
• Hair Loss

Righty o, let’s go back to basics for a minute. There are two types of diabetes. Type I Diabetes, sometimes better known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent is due to pancreas inability to produce insulin. Type II Diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes is a result of body tissues becoming resistant to insulin. It is usually hereditary.

We know that Type II Diabetes is more common than Type I Diabetes. Type II diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. Conditions associated with type 2 diabetes include hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia. Type II diabetes may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

Up to two-thirds of people with type II diabetes have no symptoms. Obesity is the single most important risk factor for type II diabetes. An estimated 20% of all cases of new onset type II diabetes are in individuals between the ages of 9-19. The more you know about type II diabetes, the more you’ll be able to take the right steps to take control of your condition.

If neglected, diabetes can lead to various complications such as damage to the kidneys, heart disease, nerve damage, hypoglycaemia (drastic reduction in glucose levels). Diabetes is a serious disease and there is no treatment of it. However, it can be brought under control by proper diabetic diet.

Ok, does this scare you? We’re sorry if it does. But if it does, and you suspect that you might be diabetic, please do get it checked out. If you are not there yet, but are concerned that you might be due to family history, clean up your diet and start with preventative measures. A good start would be the Strategic Nutrition Guide, and another would be to subscribe to this blog, and apply the wisdom from it! All the best.

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