With diabetes such an epidemic today, it is essential that you
know exactly what it is. Why? Well, to prevent getting diabetes
yourself that is!
In layman terms, "diabetes" is the inability of the body to
process sugars properly. When we eat or drink, our "pancreas"
produces a hormone called "insulin". Insulin is released into
the blood and helps to regulate the amount of glucose (sugar)
in the bloodstream. Diabetes is a condition where this process
does not function correctly.
The reason why diabetes occurs is because no insulin is being
produced (often called Type 1 Diabetes) and requires the
sufferer to use insulin injections, or insulin is produced but
the body becomes resistant to it. This renders the insulin
ineffective. This is normally called Type 2 Diabetes and is
rapidly becoming more common.
The danger is that while diabetes is not immediately life
threatening the long term effects of high blood sugar can be
damaging to one's health. Uncontrolled diabetes and prolonged
high blood sugar levels can, in later life, cause problems to
many organs including the kidneys, eyes, nerves and the heart.
This may sound grim, however controlling blood sugar by a
combination of medicine, diet and exercise will vastly reduce
the long term complications. Recent research shows that 2 in
every 100 people have diabetes. Alarmingly half of these people
do not even know they have it. Many people have diabetes without
being aware of it because someone with diabetes looks no
different from anyone else.
How do you find out if you have diabetes? The simplest way to
check if you have diabetes is to arrange a blood sugar check
with your doctor. A tiny sample of blood, obtained by pricking
a finger is checked using a small electronic tester.
A normal blood sugar level is generally between 72 - 126 mg/dl
or 4 - 7 mmol/l (where 1 mmol/l = 18mg/dl). If the body is
unable to keep the blood sugar level within these limits, then
diabetes is diagnosed. Diagnosis of diabetes can occur out of
the blue during a routine check-up but more often it follows
from the sufferer experiencing the "symptoms" of diabetes.
These symptoms can be many or few, mild or severe depending on
the individual.
Common Diabetes Symptoms:
Loss Of Weight - Glucose is the form of sugar which is the
body's main fuel. Diabetics cannot process this properly so it
passes into the urine and out of the body. Less fuel means the
body's reserve tissues are broken down to produce energy with a
resultant loss in weight.
Thirst - Often it seems no matter how much you drink your mouth
still feels dry. The problem is compounded before diabetes is
diagnosed by sufferers drinking huge amounts of sugary drinks!
Of course this only increases the blood sugar level and leads
to increased thirst.
Urinating More Often - Sufferers need to urinate often and pass
large volumes each time. In addition this symptom takes no
account of time so sleep is constantly disturbed by having to
visit the bathroom during the night. It is a mistake to think
this is caused by the increased thirst and drinking more. On
the other hand, high sugar levels in the blood spill over into
the urine making it syrupy. To counter-act this water is drawn
from the body causing dehydration and therefore thirst.
If you have experienced any of these symptoms it does not
necessarily follow that you are diabetic however it might be
advisable to visit your doctor to be sure. If it does turn out
that you have diabetes please do not panic! It can come as a
shock and it will mean some changes in your life. While it is
incurable it can be treated so the long term complications are
reduced or even eliminated.
By knowing exactly what diabetes is - and recognizing the
symptoms early on - you can prevent it from ever building up
within you. Start today by monitoring your health and daily
eating habits. Or as they say, preventing is better than
finding a cure later on!
About The Author: Mary Williams operates a number of
diabetes-related sites, including
http://www.gestationaldiabetesecrets.info and
http://www.type2diabetesecrets.info. Visit her sites today for
more diabetes resources and information. |