21 Things You Must Know About Diabetes

21 Things You Must Know About Diabetes

Diabetes is spreading across the globe like wildfire. This disease involves the hormone, insulin and unfortunately so far, it has no cure. But the person suffering from diabetes can reduce its impact on their life by adopting a healthy lifestyle which includes a healthy diet, exercise and also the intake of medicine as prescribed by the healthcare provider.

Here we present 21 things that you must know about diabetes:

1. Blood glucose: A person suffers from diabetes when the blood glucose, also called blood sugar, level increases in their body. Blood glucose is also the source of energy that our body gets from the foods consumed.

2. Insulin: This is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and it is responsible for helping the blood glucose from food to get into the cells and be used for energy. It also helps in preventing the blood glucose level in your blood from increasing. But, when the pancreases produce no or less insulin, it leads to the diabetes.

3. Types of Diabetes: The most common types of diabetes are Type 1, Type 2, gestational diabetes, monogenic diabetes and prediabetes.

4. Type 1 Diabetes: If a person has a chronic condition, wherein their pancreases produce little or no insulin, it leads to the development of Type 1 diabetes. Irrespective of one's age, a person can get this type of diabetes.

5. Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is another chronic condition wherein the way in which the blood glucose is processed in one's body is affected. Mostly adults around or above 45 years have a higher risk of getting Type 2 diabetes.

6. Gestational Diabetes: This type of diabetes affects pregnant women.

7. Prediabetes: When a person has prediabetes, the blood glucose level in his blood is not that high that it can be classified as Type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes is called borderline diabetes and it is a lesser chronic case. However, care should be taken as at this stage, with the right lifestyle changes, diabetes can be stopped.

8. Inherited diabetes: Diabetes can be inherited. Though it is a lesser known type, but monogenic diabetes, as it is called, can also be a reason of why a person developed this health condition.

9. More likely to develop: Anyone can have Type 1 diabetes, irrespective of their age. However, Type 2 diabetes is more common in people who are fall in the age bracket above 45 years and who are obese and with a family history.

10. Risks: Blood glucose in the blood needs to be controlled at the earliest. This is because the high glucose level in the blood damages the tiny blood vessels and also impacts the nerves. And, over time, it might also cause widespread damage to the body.

11. Impact of diabetes on eyes: The tiny blood vessels in the retina are affected due to high blood glucose levels. This can impact vision and can also lead to blindness. Moreover, studies have shown that the prime cause of diabetes in adults, in the age group of 20 to 74 years, is diabetes.

12. Impact of diabetes on brain and heart: Diabetes increases the chances of a heart disease and stroke. Reports have shown that the death rate is 2 to 4 times higher for adults suffering from this chronic condition as compared to adults who do not have diabetes. Moreover, statistics suggest that the leading cause of death for people suffering from diabetes is stroke.

13. Impact of diabetes on nerves: Diabetes also has an adverse effect on the nervous system of a person suffering from this condition. It impacts the sensation on one's hands and feet, can lead to ulcers, which if left untreated can amount to amputation. Also, it slows down the digestive process and leads to other nervous problems.

14. Impact of diabetes on kidneys: The kidney's ability to filter blood is impacted due to diabetes as the tiny blood vessels in the kidney are affected due to the high blood glucose levels. Moreover, the high blood pressure, which commonly accompanies diabetes further damages the kidneys. In extreme cases, it leads to the need for dialysis, which is not only time consuming and exhausting, but also expensive.

15. Carbohydrate intake: Diabetics need to be cautious about their consumption of carbohydrates as carbohydrates breaks down in the body to become glucose. If consumption is carbs is not monitored, it can cause a spike in blood glucose level.

16. Healthy diet: A healthy diet is advised for everyone. However, people suffering from diabetes need to be extra cautious as it is through lifestyle changes and also changes in consumption patterns that they can deal with this chronic disease that does not have a cure to treat it altogether.

17. Weight loss: Studies suggest that people who are overweight have a higher tendency of developing Type 2 diabetes. So, it is important to manage one's weight to prevent the occurrence of diabetes.

18. Exercise: Along with a healthy diet, exercising should be a part of one's daily life too for an overall well-being. And for diabetics, exercising is essential, so they must find time for a walk, moderate exercise and also indulge in light sports.

19. Diabetes and depression: Studies have shown that diabetics are twice likely to have depression, which can have an impact on the management of this disease. Conversely, it has also been seen that people who are depressed have a 60 percent higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.

20. Type 2 diabetes is reversible: A healthy diet comprising of vegetables, fruits, lean meats and whole grains and regular exercise is coupled with a no smoking habit as well as a healthy weight, can reverse Type 2 diabetes and also reduces the risk of diabetes.

21. Not aware of diabetes: It might also be the case that a person has diabetes but does not know himself as he feels that he is doing just fine. So, it is important to check the risk one is at of having diabetes and take proper diagnostic steps to ascertain whether he has the disease or not.

Whether you are suffering from diabetes, looking to help someone with the disease or just researching about the disease, these 21 things are something things that you must know about this disease.