What Do I Need to Know About Diabetes?

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Diabetes is a disease that doesn’t allow the body to properly convert food into energy. This condition appears when the pancreas no longer produces insulin, or when it is produced by the pancreas, but the body resists it. Unfortunately, this disease affects more and more people. In 2013, 382 million people all over the world suffered from diabetes and 90% of them were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. Other studies have shown that this disease results in almost 5 million deaths annually, being the 8th globally cause of premature death.

Types of Diabetes

According to International Diabetes Federation, diabetes is divided into three categories: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type-1 diabetes is caused by the inability of the body to produce insulin. Most individuals with this kind of diabetes are aged 20 or under and symptoms can appear when a person is a young adult or even as a child.

The exact causes for Type 1 Diabetes are still unknown, but scientists think that it’s triggered by genetic causes. Thus, they believe that the pancreas cells are attacked and, as a result, they stop functioning normally. Other researchers say that there is a virus that causes this disease. They think that this virus damages the immune system and stimulates it in attacking its own body, more precisely the pancreas. Once you are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, you will have it for life and will always need an insulin pump or insulin shots.

Type 2 Diabetes affects the persons that are older and are usually overweight. However, in the past few years, more and more young adults have developed this condition because of lack of activity. In Type 2 diabetes, either the insulin produced by the pancreas is not enough or the organism uses it improperly. Type 2 diabetes is also called the “lifestyle disease” because it is caused by a sedentary life. Other factors are the heredity and the age.

Finally, there is the gestational diabetes that occurs, as the name says, in pregnant women, usually in their second trimester. Gestational diabetes is usually developed by 4% of pregnant females. The main difference between this type of diabetes and Type1 and 2 diabetes are that you can get rid of gestational diabetes. Normally, it disappears once the child is born. However, if a woman has developed gestational diabetes, she is more prone to have Type 2 diabetes when she gets older.

Diabetes Symptoms

Diabetics have high levels of blood sugar because there is no insulin to break down that sugar and transform it into energy. When the diabetes is undiagnosed or untreated, it can lead to severe symptoms and additional diseases such as blurry vision, frequent urination, irritability, excessive thirst, increased fatigue, unusual weight loss and extreme hunger. In case you notice any of these symptoms, you must see a doctor immediately.

The persons with diabetes must have a balanced diet that eliminates sugar and includes low-fat dairy products, fruits, lean meats, fish, whole grains and vegetables. At the same time, they must be more active and exercise for at least 1 hour daily. These are the basics of the condition, but keeping up to date with the latest sciences and technology is equally important.