What Is Diabetes

Most people are aware that diabetes affects the way some of us are able to eat and that it’s important to watch our sugar intake, but what is diabetes exactly? What causes this condition for more than 25 million people in the United States alone? How does a person know if they’re at risk for diabetes or if they’re developing this condition? By understanding more about the condition and what causes it, we can determine whether you are at risk and what to do about it.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is classified as a metabolic disorder, meaning that it has to do with the way food is digested and used for energy. When people eat, the foods they take in are broken down and converted into glucose. Glucose then becomes the fuel the body needs to perform daily tasks, both voluntary and involuntary. In order for glucose to enter the cells and fuel the body, it needs insulin, which acts as a vehicle for the glucose. The pancreas is what creates the hormone insulin, which controls the blood sugar levels. When a person can no longer make insulin, or their bodies are immune to the effects of insulin, the blood sugar can become much too high. This is known as the condition diabetes.

What Causes Diabetes?

There are three different types of diabetes, which include type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 is also commonly called “juvenile onset diabetes” and typically occurs in individuals under 30 years of age. This kind of diabetes occurs because the body attacks its own cells and damages the pancreas so that it can no longer create insulin. While it’s unclear what specifically causes type 2, it is closely linked to being overweight or obese, living a sedentary lifestyle, and genetics. Gestational diabetes typically only occurs during the pregnancy and most of the time levels back out after the baby is born.

Research also suggests that individuals who are at risk for diabetes or those who have already been diagnosed with diabetes are more likely to suffer from other serious health conditions. This might include, but is not limited to, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. For this reason, it’s important to do everything possible to control blood sugar and maintain good health, especially with diabetes.

Symptoms of Diabetes

There are numerous symptoms of diabetes, and individuals will feel the symptoms differently depending upon the type of diabetes they have. With juvenile onset diabetes, many people will experience a sudden rush of symptoms and feel generally bad, while type 2 symptoms are more gradual. The symptoms for both cases can include excessive thirst, frequent urination, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue, impotence, weight loss, increased hunger, slow healing wounds, blurred vision, and dizziness. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should be checked for diabetes by their physician right away.

What is the Treatment for Diabetes?

Individuals who have diabetes will need an insulin supplement to help their bodies convert the sugar into glucose. In some rare cases, individuals with type 2 will not have to take insulin supplements, though all of those with type 1 will. In addition to insulin treatment, individuals must watch their diets very closely and stick to healthy, low fat, low sugar foods. To make treatment more successful, individuals should exercise regularly and work on losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight. Physicians will usually recommend a treatment plan to help individuals achieve their health goals.

While diabetes can be a frustrating condition, it is manageable. Individuals must commit to a lifestyle change in order to remain healthy after a diabetes diagnosis.

What Is Diabetes
What Is Diabetes

What Is Diabetes

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