It seems like diabetes is a word on many people’s lips these days. It is one of the fastest growing diseases in the world such that the World Health Organization recently listed it as an epidemic. But what exactly is diabetes ? This article will explain what the disease is and the different types of diabetes.
People with diabetes are characterized by having a high level of sugar in their blood with no way to reduce this level. Sugar gets into the bloodstream from the food we eat. It is used to provide energy to the body’s cells. Without this energy the cells starve.
One belief that has no scientific proof is that eating too much sugar will give you diabetes. This is not really true, however eating lots of sugary foods without sufficient exercise could lead to weight gain.
If the scenario continued without change then the person would run the risk of becoming obese. And there seems to be a definite link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. An obese person has a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes than someone that is a normal weight.
Another common belief is that most people that have diabetes don’t even know they have it. This is often the case because it is very hard to diagnose the disease without a fasting test. There are no symptoms that are unique to the disease and in some cases there are no symptoms at all.
A few of the more common symptoms are :
Constantly thirsty (polydipsia).
Frequent urination (polyuria).
Excessive eating without any noticeable gain in weight (usually weight loss).
Extreme fatigue.
Nausea and a general feeling of being ill.
Yeast infections in both sexes.
Blurred or double vision.
Male impotence.
Should you notice any of these symptoms in your own life then you want to notify your health care professional.
It could be that your body has stopped making insulin, which is the hormone responsible for reducing blood sugar levels. This is called type 1 diabetes.
Or, your body continues to produce insulin but the cells become resistant to this insulin. This is called type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can also occur during pregnancy and then will stop after the birth. This is called gestational diabetes.
As yet there is no cure for all the types of diabetes. There is only ongoing treatment. Treatment is quite straightforward once the person has gotten used to the changes that are required in their lifestyle.
Treatment involves getting a diabetic diet plan. A diet plan for diabetes is essentially a well balanced meal plan with certain foods taken infrequently as a treat. Treatment also includes getting regular exercise. For people with type 1 diabetes it will also include regular injections of insulin, usually before each meal or when the blood sugar reading is high. Type 2 diabetics may have to take medication to make the body more responsive to insulin. Once a person gets into this routine, it is quite easy to lead a normal life without diabetes impacting your life greatly.
About the Author:
Learn more about diabetes diet plans at www.diabeticdietsplan.com. The site deals with diets and eating nutritious diabetic foods and some common symptoms of diabetes.
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