Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to process glucose in the blood. Without continuous and careful treatment, it can lead to a buildup of sugars in the blood, which can increase the risk of dangerous complications, such as stroke and heart disease.
Different types of diabetes can occur, and managing the condition depends precisely on the type of diabetes. Not all forms of diabetes come from someone who is overweight or leads an inactive lifestyle. In fact, some are present since childhood.
Types of diabetes
Three main types of diabetes can develop: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
Type I diabetes: Also known as juvenile diabetes, it occurs when the body does not produce insulin. People with type I diabetes are insulin dependent , which means that they must take artificial insulin daily to stay alive.
Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes affects the way the body uses insulin. While the body still produces insulin, unlike type I, the cells in the body do not respond to it as effectively as they once did. This is the most common type of diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and it has strong links to obesity.
Gestational diabetes : This type occurs in women during pregnancy when the body may become less sensitive to insulin. Gestational diabetes does not occur in all women and usually resolves after delivery.
Less common types of diabetes include monogenic diabetes and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.
Prediabetes
Doctors refer to some people who have prediabetes when their blood sugar is usually in the range of 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL).
Normal blood sugar levels are between 70 and 99 mg / dL, while a person with diabetes will have a fasting blood sugar greater than 126 mg / dL.
The level of prediabetes means that your blood glucose is higher than normal but not high enough to represent diabetes.
However, people with prediabetes are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, although they do not usually experience the symptoms of diabetes in full.
Risk factor’s
Risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are similar and include: being overweight, a family history of diabetes, having a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level less than 40 mg / dL or 50 mg / dL , a history of high blood pressure, having gestational diabetes or giving birth to a child with a birth weight of more than 4 kilos, a history of polycystic ovarian syndrome, being of African American, Native American, Latin American, or Pacific Islander descent Asian, over 45 years of age, or have a sedentary lifestyle.
Losing weight and eating a healthier diet can help prevent disease.
How Insulin Problems Develop
Doctors do not know the exact causes of type I diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, also known as insulin resistance, has clearer causes.
Insulin allows glucose from a person’s food to access the cells of their body to supply energy. Insulin resistance leads to the body becoming less effective at introducing glucose into the cells and blood sugar levels continue to rise.
In type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance occurs gradually. This is why doctors often recommend making lifestyle changes in an attempt to slow or reverse this cycle.
Exercise and diet tips
– Eat a diet rich in fresh and nutritious foods, including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, and healthy sources of fat, such as nuts.
– Avoid high-sugar foods that provide empty calories or calories that have no other nutritional benefits, such as sugary drinks, fried foods, and high-sugar desserts.
– Refrain from drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or keep your intake to less than one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men.
– Get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least 5 days a week, such as walking, aerobics, cycling, or swimming.
– Recognize signs of low blood sugar levels during exercise, including dizziness, confusion, weakness, and profuse sweating.
While diabetes itself is manageable, its complications can have a huge impact on daily life, and some can be fatal if not treated right away.
Complications of diabetes include:
– dental and gum disease
– eye problems and loss of vision
– foot problems, such as numbness, causing ulcers and untreated injuries and cuts
– heart disease
– nerve damage, such as diabetic neuropathy.
kidney disease
Panorama
Diabetes is a serious and chronic condition. According to the Spanish Diabetes Foundation , it is estimated that it affects between 5 and 10% of the world’s population. In Spain alone, more than 2 million people do not even know they have diabetes. According to experts, between now and 2040 one in 10 people on the planet will suffer from this disease.
