Diabetes is a most common and dangerous disease that affects the human body’s glucose. Glucose is one of the most important energy sources for the body cells that develop tissues and muscles. Glucose also fuels the brain for major body functions that continuously happen throughout the day.
There are many different ways or causes of diabetes that we are going to discuss later. In diabetes, the body fails to convert glucose into energy and starts storing it, which leads to excess sugar that disturbs normal body functions. It happens when the pancreas fails to develop enough or zero insulin. That’s why diabetic patients need to take insulin from outside to convert body glucose into energy.
Type of diabetes
There are many types of diabetes but two types are most common: Type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 can happen because of a combination of environmental and genetic reasons but the exact cause is still unknown or unfound. Prediabetes and gestational diabetes are also a type of diabetes. Prediabetes is also called the border line which any time leads to diabetes if not treated or noticed. Gestational diabetes in pregnancy in some women can go after pregnancy or can also lead to diabetes.
Symptoms:
Type 1 diabetes mellitus:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Unexplained Weight loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Mood swings
Type 2 diabetes mellitus:
- Extreme thirst
- Frequent urination
- Skin or vaginal infection
- Darkened skin areas specially surround armpit and neck
- Fatigue
- unexplained weight loss
- slow healing sores
- extreme hunger
- mood swings
Causes:
- Obesity
- No physical activity
- Insulin resistance mostly happens when your cells present in the liver, fat, and muscles do not respond to insulin.
- Hormonal imbalances usually occur during pregnancy when your placenta releases several hormones that lead to insulin resistance.
- Autoimmune diseases are one of the factors in type 1 diabetes, when the body’s immune system attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them. The cause of this autoimmune reaction is still unknown, but genetics and environmental factors play a vital role.
- Age also matters; over 40-year-old people are at high risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Genetics play a role in mostly type 1 diabetes, and it runs in family history.
Prevention:
- Healthy diet: focus on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and protein. Avoid or limit processed food and beverages.
- Regular exercise is a must for at least 1 hour for a healthy life.
- Proper 8 to 9 hours sleep.
- Avoid smoking,
- Maintaining a healthy weight loss is also necessary; excess weight loss and weight gain lead to diabetes.
- Regularly check blood sugar levels if you have prediabetes or are at high risk.
- Stop alcohol intake
- Manage your stress
- Regular meditation for a healthy lifestyle.
- Currently, there is no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes because its exact cause is still not found and it’s not related to diet or lifestyle.
Diabetes affects people of all ages and their daily life routines. Diabetes is a chronic disease but can be managed with medication and an improved lifestyle.
