What is Diabetes, and can people prevent or control this disease?

We are in the middle of a universal wave. Dia­betes currently affects more than 280 million adults and children around the globe and nearly 21 million in the United States alone. The wave is growing at a frightening speed. Researchers have estimated that the number of people with the disease will double by 2030.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how a person produces and responds to insulin. Insulin is the chemical key that unlocks your body’s cells, allow­ing sugars to enter and provide energy. If cells become resistant to insulin or if people don’t make enough insu­lin, our bodies simply will not work properly. People with this disease typically have no symptoms unless their sugar level is at least twice normal, and then the symptoms can be fairly subtle and common even in people without diabetes fatigue, irritability, get­ting up at night to urinate. If left unchecked, elevated sugar can cause peripheral artery disease, nerve damage in legs and feet, degenerating eyesight, kidney failure, and heart disease. Therefore, diabetes is a dis­ease that must be spotted and treated to avoid complications. Waiting for symptoms can be too late to prevent disability.

There are three most important types of diabetes. Type 1 occurs when the body attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Generally affect­ing young people, type 1 diabetes requires a person to use insulin daily in order to control his or her blood- sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes develops more gradually and typi­cally affects people later in life. It is the most frequent sort of the disease. It starts when the body becomes more resistant to insulin, reducing its ability to regu­late sugar level. Over time, this leads to an increase in blood-sugar levels that, if ignored, can lead to major health problems.

Primarily, 95% of people who have this disease are Type 2. Type 1 is much rarer, but except for a few instances, most of the treatment and lifestyle suggestions are helpful for both.

Gestational diabetes is another form that affects roughly 4% of all pregnant women. Gestational dia­betes tends to go away after the pregnancy, but it can increase your risk of getting diabetes later in life.

If you have diabetes, what should you do? Aware­ness is the best defense, and offense. Talk to your doctor, nurse, and diabetes educator. They will help you learn more about how to control your blood glu­cose, blood pressure, and blood lipids, and teach you preventive care for your eyes, kidneys, and feet by maintaining a healthier lifestyle through proper diet and increased activity.

Learn as much as you can about dia­betes. Know why you feel the way you do and what to expect. Discover how to be familiar with changes. Try new recipes. Walk more. Live life to its fullest by making healthy choices.