What is Diabetes?
Diabetes has become a common condition in the last two decades, and it is increasingly being linked to lifestyle and diet. While diabetes information is more widely available today, it is critical to consult a specialist due to its long-term implications.
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition in which the body’s cells cannot use the hormone insulin to convert glucose into an absorbable form, resulting in an elevated glucose level. Glucose is the body’s primary energy source, derived from food. Insulin aids in the breakdown of glucose into a form that cells can transport to provide energy to the body. Hyperglycemia is a typical symptom of this disease.
The pancreas is an abdominal gland that performs critical endocrine and exocrine functions; some of the hormones it produces are directly released into the bloodstream while others are secreted into various ducts. The pancreas secretes enzymes (digestive juices) into the small intestine. There, it continues to break down food that has left the stomach.
The pancreas also produces and secretes insulin into the bloodstream, which regulates the body’s glucose or sugar levels. Problems with insulin control can lead to diabetes. When the pancreas fails to produce insulin, glucose levels in the body remain unutilized, with the blood carrying a high amount of glucose, causing a diabetic to experience various symptoms.
Symptoms of Diabetes
Although the symptoms differ depending on the type of diabetes, many of them are common, particularly in the early stages. One significant difference is the faster onset of symptoms in type 1 diabetes compared to type 2.
Fatigue: Because insulin is required to help absorb glucose in the blood, and diabetics’ bodies do not produce or use insulin, there is insufficient glucose to provide energy to the cells. While such patients’ blood sugar levels are high, they suffer from fatigue because their cells have little glucose uptake.
Hunger: Despite eating larger quantities, diabetics are more likely to experience hunger pangs because their bodies do not register nutrition due to a lack of sugar processing. People with diabetes are frequently hungry and tired, despite eating regularly, which indicates a lack of insulin function in the body.
frequent urination: because the body’s renal system cannot reabsorb much water during the digestive process. This causes much of the water to be pushed out as urine, increasing the desire to urinate at regular intervals. A diabetic may need to urinate twice or more frequently than the average person without diabetes. It is best not to ignore such a symptom, as it is usually a clear sign of diabetes.
Thirst: Frequent urination causes the diabetic body to lose water more quickly, leaving the patient constantly thirsty. Continuous thirst is a common symptom of either renal dysfunction or diabetes and should not be ignored. It is especially concerning if the condition persists over time and is present in a relatively healthy individual.
Dry mouth: The digestive system’s inability to absorb water causes dry mouth and bad breath, which are frequently accompanied by a sense of thirst. Despite regular water consumption, diabetics may always feel dehydrated.
Dry skin: Flaky or itchy skin that does not respond to topical ointments may indicate diabetes-related dehydration. Dehydrated skin is itchy and flaky, which is an unpleasant side effect for many diabetics.
blurred vision: Long-term effects of diabetes include blurred vision and, in many cases, glaucoma. The body’s inability to retain fluids and become dehydrated alters the shape of the lens, blurring a patient’s vision.
Slow-to-heal cuts: Diabetes hurts the nervous system, and wounds heal slower than normal in people with diabetes due to the body’s inability to aid the healing process efficiently.
Weight loss: Even with regular meals, the body may be unable to absorb nutrition and begin to burn fat in the absence of sugar. It can cause unhealthy weight loss problems and is commonly seen in juvenile diabetics.
Causes of Diabetes
The hormone insulin transports sugar from the bloodstream to the body’s cellular storage, where it is broken down by these cells to provide energy for the body’s daily activities. Diabetes occurs when the body is either insulin deficient or unable to effectively use the insulin produced in the pancreas, resulting in hyperglycemia and other diabetes symptoms. If left untreated, hyperglycemia causes severe damage to the kidneys, eyes, and other organs of the body, and it can be fatal.
Different types of diabetes have different causes, but the majority of them are caused by hormonal changes that affect insulin production or function. For example, in type 1 diabetes, autoimmune activity destroys the pancreas’ insulin-producing cells, leaving the body without insulin to metabolize sugar.
In type 2 diabetes, the body may become resistant to insulin’s effects at the cellular level, preventing the cells from absorbing sugar from the blood. Pregnancy-related hormonal changes can also cause diabetes in some people, particularly if weight gain has become an issue during pregnancy.
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Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetic factors and manifests itself at a young age. This condition is also known as juvenile diabetes and necessitates regular medical attention. If a family member is known to have type 1 diabetes, it is important to monitor any symptoms that may indicate its onset.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by lifestyle and diet issues, and the condition is more likely to occur if it is genetically predisposed. Excessive consumption of processed foods, a lack of nutrition, a high-sugar diet, sedentary behavior, and obesity are frequently associated with type 2 diabetes.
Risk Factors For Diabetes
Factors that increase a person’s risk of diabetes include:
- Obesity
- sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise
- Family history of type 2 diabetes.
- Previous onset of gestational diabetes.
- High Blood Pressure
- High cholesterol or triglycerides.
- Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD)
- Lack of a balanced diet.
- People over 40 years of age are more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes affects a large portion of the current population. The disease is becoming increasingly prevalent in growing economies, affecting up to a quarter of the geriatric population. People with diabetes are more likely to develop other health problems, making them more vulnerable. To prevent the disease, the risk factors listed above should be taken into account during regular checkups.
Steps to Prevent Diabetes
According to research, higher insulin levels are more likely to cause insulin resistance and initiate the development of type 2 diabetes in a patient with a genetic predisposition. Diabetes prevention is recommended through diet and lifestyle management, with a low-carbohydrate diet being the primary step suggested to avoid further complications of diabetes and reduce hyperglycemia levels in the body.
Exercise that specifically lowers blood sugar levels and prevents obesity may also help prevent type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels in the body are higher than normal but not as high as in diabetes, can be prevented.
Some significant steps to the prevention of diabetes include:
- Restricting alcohol consumption
- Restriction of high-sugar foods, including, but not limited to, sweets and soft drinks
- Restrictions on high-carbohydrate foods like potatoes, white bread, and rice
- Cutting out of processed foods
- Quit smoking.
- Exercise programs, including regular cardiovascular activity
- Regular walks in situations where sitting for long periods is more required.
A change in diet is the most effective way to prevent diabetes. No amount of activity can reverse the hormonal damage caused by the condition, but it can help control it. Diets high in refined sugar and highly processed foods cause the body to produce more insulin to help absorb the elevated blood sugar.
In prediabetes, the body is resistant to the activity of blood sugar, resulting in a constant state of hyperglycemia, which leads to diabetes and other complications. Cutting out such foods helps to prevent the onset of diabetes, especially in people who are already predisposed to the condition.
Exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in cells, allowing the body to use the hormone more effectively to absorb sugar from the bloodstream. High-intensity workouts, rather than gentle walks, have been shown to increase cell sensitivity by a significant amount and help prevent diabetes.
However, it is important not to undermine the benefits of exercise by eating processed foods. If diabetes is suspected, it is also necessary to maintain a regular exercise regimen because workouts alone are insufficient, and the body requires regular activity to maintain cellular insulin sensitivity.
Diagnosis for Diabetes
Doctors diagnose diabetes by performing blood sugar tests while fasting. Another method for determining diabetic conditions is the A1C test, also known as the glycated hemoglobin test, which does not require fasting.
A1C: This test measures the amount of sugar attached to hemoglobin, and the results show the average amount of sugar over the previous two or three months. A1C levels of 6.5% on two separate days suggest diabetes. At this point, the disease’s symptoms have already begun to manifest and require immediate medical attention. A1C levels between 5.7 and 6.4% indicate prediabetes. A1C levels below 5.7% are considered normal.
Fasting blood sugar test: This is done on an empty stomach after not eating or drinking anything for at least eight hours. Regular fasting blood sugar levels are less than 100 mg/dL. Diabetes is diagnosed when blood sugar levels exceed 126 mg/dl, while prediabetes ranges from 100 to 125 mg/dl.
Random blood sugar test: Regardless of fasting status, a blood sample indicating blood sugar levels greater than 200 mg/dL on two separate test occasions indicates diabetes.
Oral glucose tolerance test: This test measures a person’s glucose metabolisation rate. It requires an overnight fast, after which fasting blood sugar levels are measured. Then a sugary liquid is consumed, and blood sugar levels are monitored for the next two hours.
A blood sugar level of less than 140 mg/dL is considered normal, whereas levels greater than 200 mg/dL after two hours indicate diabetes. A reading of 140 to 199 mg/dL indicates prediabetes.
Treatment of Diabetes
Different diabetic conditions necessitate different treatment approaches. The methods are frequently modified based on the patient’s family history of diabetes, overall health, and financial constraints. In addition to medication, diet, and lifestyle changes are essential components of the diabetes treatment regimen.
Diabetes treatment also includes ongoing blood sugar monitoring and adherence to levels recommended by a medical specialist, as well as lifestyle changes. The diet regimen helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. It helps the body maintain stable glucose levels, making the medication more effective.
If a doctor suspects type 1 diabetes, it means that the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to metabolize blood sugar, necessitating insulin administration via injections or an insulin pump. Depending on the full diagnosis, the patient may receive one or a combination of rapid-acting, regular (short-acting), intermediate-acting, long-acting, or ultra-long-acting insulin doses.
This treatment consists of exercise, lifestyle changes, and dietary modifications. This type of diabetes necessitates monitoring blood sugar levels several times per day to ensure consistent levels and calling for assistance in aggravated conditions, as well as determining the type of insulin to be used if a combination is prescribed.
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Medication for type 2 diabetes may become necessary at a later stage; however, for many diabetics, a combination of diet and active lifestyle choices is sufficient to treat the disease.
The medications work in a variety of ways, including increasing insulin production in the pancreas, decreasing sugar absorption in the intestines, increasing insulin efficiency, reducing sugar production by affecting liver function, preventing sugar reabsorption by the renal system, and synthetic insulin injections.
A combination of these drugs is frequently used to treat diabetic conditions in patients, and several drugs are available in each of the categories listed above.
Diabetic complications
Diabetes is a severe condition that, if left untreated, can lead to multiple organ failure and death. Some of the complications caused by diabetes include:
Heart disease: An increase in blood sugar levels in the body has an immediate impact on cardiovascular function, and diabetics are more likely to develop heart disease than the general population.
Kidney disease: High blood sugar levels, such as those found in diabetes, can severely damage the nephrons in the kidney, causing irreversible damage. If the diabetes has advanced, dialysis or a kidney transplant may be necessary.
Nerve damage: Numbness in the extremities or feet indicates nerve damage caused by untreated diabetes. The condition damages nerve capillaries, causing tingling, spasmodic pain, and numbness. Men may experience erectile dysfunction as a result of nerve damage.
Retinopathy or glaucoma: Diabetes exacerbates eye conditions such as retinal damage, cataracts, and glaucoma because high blood sugar levels can affect the optic nerve, retina, or the shape of the cornea.
Skin conditions: Lower hydration levels in the body can cause skin to become dry, itchy, and susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections, including eczema.
Hearing problems: Hearing impairment caused by nerve damage is a complication of advanced diabetes that primarily affects men.
Mental health issues: Alzheimer’s disease and depression are more common in diabetics than in the general population.
Gestational diabetes: or diabetes caused specifically by hormonal changes during pregnancy, can lead to several complications:
Larger babies: Excess glucose passing through the placenta and affecting the baby indicates diabetes. This type of birth typically necessitates a C-section.
Hypoglycemia in babies: Because insulin production may be impaired, some children born to diabetic mothers may have low blood sugar. It can be treated with glucose solutions and regular feeding and may not require any additional treatment.
Children whose mothers have diabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes as adults.
Road To Recovery And Aftercare
Diabetes recovery requires significant lifestyle changes. Most of these changes necessitate regular check-ups with a doctor to ensure that they have the intended effect on the patient. In addition to increasing your intake of fresh fruits, raw vegetables, and nuts, high-intensity exercise is advised. A temporary leave of absence or a career change may be required on occasion. Regular activity, as opposed to sedentary behavior, is essential. Reducing weight around the stomach is critical, especially for diabetics, and overall weight loss is also advised.
Diet for Diabetes
A balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables as well as fatty fish like salmon and anchovies is recommended. Leafy greens, nuts and seeds, anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric and certain types of cinnamon, and fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and berries are all essential components of a nutritious diet. They are especially recommended for diabetics. In addition to the consumption of specific foods, it becomes necessary to exclude some foods from a diabetes diet, including:
- Sugary beverages.
- Trans fats
- White bread, pasta, and other products containing refined flour
- Rice
- Flavored yogurt and packaged juices are usually high in sugar.
- Flavored cereals
- French fries
Exercise Regimen for Diabetes
Depending on the progression of diabetes, patients are advised to follow an exercise regimen that may include one or a combination of the following exercises:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Aerobics
- Yoga
- Resistance Band Exercises
- Weight lifting
Cardiovascular activity is a regular exercise regimen for diabetics that helps to prevent complications.