Diabetes: What is it?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long lasting) which affects the processing of food nutrients and sugars. Food is broken down into sugar (glucose) and releases this sugar to your bloodstream. With high blood sugar, the pancreaas is signaled to release insulin- which lets the blood sugar in the cells be used for energy. Those with diabetes don’t make enough insulin to lower blood sugar levels. If there is not enough inslun, blood sugar glucose would stay in the bloodstream which can overtime cause health probems such as heart diseases, vision loss, and kindey disease.
Symptoms of diabetes can occur suddenly. These symtoms can include feeling very thirsty, needing to urinate more often, blurred vision, feeling tires, or losing weight unintentionally. Over the duration with diabetes, dmaaged blood vessels in the eart, eyes, kidneys and nerves can occur. It can also cause permanent vision loss by damaging blood vessels in the eyes.
A person can have three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usally diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults. It is thought to be caused thorugh an autoimmune reaction which stops your body from making insulin. With type 1 diabetes, insulin is needed to be taken every day to survive as there is no known prevention for people with this type of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, the msot common type, is when your body does not use insulin well and is uanble to keep blood sugar levels normal. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented throug healhy lifestyle changes such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active while not intaking excessive amounts of sugar. Gestational diabetes is develoepd with pregenet women who have neber had diabetes and usually goes away after birth. Yet, this increases the risk for type 2 diabetes as well as for the child born.
While there is no cure for diabetes, certain measures and healthy habits can be taken to help with diabetes and keep normal blood sugar levels. Specifically losing weight, eating healthy, and beign active help as well as taking prescribed medicine. Yet, there is still medication and treatments that can be done. Early detection of diabetes can be accomploshed through testing blood glucose- where an individual can make changes to their diets and go toward more healthy habits. Some people with type 2 diabetes will need to take medicines to help manage their blood sugar levels such as metformin and sulfonylureas. One of the most important ways to treat diabetes is to keep a healthy lifestyle.
Written by Jasmine Segal
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