Everything You Should Know About Diabetes
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a very common disease found in humans and it occurs when there is a high level of blood glucose. The main source of energy is blood glucose and it comes from the food we consume.
How is glucose helping our bodies? There is a hormone in our body called Insulin which is made by pancreas, this hormone helps the glucose from the food to get into the cells to produce energy but sometimes, the body does not perform well enough and produce any energy using the insulin as result, the glucose then stays in the blood and does not reach the cells in our body which causes an increase in level of blood sugar or glucose and cause diabetes.
What are the Types of Diabetes?
The most common types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes means when an individual’s body does not make enough insulin, the immune system that generally fights back infections in the body, tends to attack and destroy the cells that make insulin in the pancreas. This results in the pancreas’ cells to stop functioning and making insulin and without any insulin, it is not possible for the glucose or the sugar in the blood to reach the cells in the body.
This kind of diabetes is usually found in children and young adults. In spite of the fact, it may occur at any age. If either of the parents has this type of diabetes, then the offspring is more likely to have type 1 diabetes.
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive and keep their sugar level normal.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs often in middle-aged and older people, although, it can occur in children as well and those who have a family history in diabetes or even if obesity runs in the family.
The kinds of problems that lead to having type 2 diabetes are being regularly physically inactive or problems like high blood pressure. People are also more likely to get type 2 diabetes when they have had prediabetes or gestational diabetes.
Many people who suffer from type 2 diabetes presumably suffer from another disease called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is curable with regular treatment and exercises.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes generally has no symptoms and this kind of diabetes occurs only during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can cause health issues for both the mother and the baby but with the right treatment, it can be cured since it is very mild.
Gestational diabetes is caused due to hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy which does not allow many formations of insulin, genes and overweight or obesity.
This type of diabetes can be diagnosed and is generally done within the 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. These tests include an oral glucose tolerance test and a glucose challenge test.
In addition to this, gestational diabetes can be treated with regular exercise and healthy eating habits. This is important because the food intake needs to be within the target range which if failed to follow, may result in needing insulin dosage. Losing extra weight before getting pregnant and being physically active before or during pregnancy helps in preventing gestational diabetes and this is also helpful for the baby after it is born.
Other Types of Diabetes
Other types of diabetes include Monogenic diabetes and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.
Monogenic is a kind of diabetes that is a result of variations in a single gene. This gene transformation is inherited from one or both parents.
Sometimes, this gene variation can also develop on its own accord and is not inherited from any parent.
At the same time, monogenic diabetes is often confused for type 2 diabetes and is a mistake in the diagnosis. Some types of diabetes can be treated orally and some require insulin injections. If diagnosed properly, it may be helpful to detect the kind of diabetes and treat it.
Cystic fibrosis diabetes includes both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Sometimes, this gene variation can also develop on its own accord and is not inherited from any parent.
At the same time, monogenic diabetes is often confused for type 2 diabetes and is a mistake in the diagnosis. Some types of diabetes can be treated orally and some require insulin injections. If diagnosed properly, it may be helpful to detect the kind of diabetes and treat it.
Cystic fibrosis diabetes includes both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of Diabetes
The symptoms that indicate signs of diabetes are excessive thirst and urination, fatigue, increased hunger, numbness or a tingling sensation in the hands and feet, incurable sores, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision.
How can diabetes be treated?
Diabetes can be treated with various tests like an oral glucose tolerance test, fasting glucose test, the A1c test and any other tests suggested by the doctor.
Natural Remedies for Diabetes
The various natural remedies are consuming aloe vera pulp, cinnamon, fenugreek, bitter melon, ginger, bilberry extract. Furthermore, regular exercises, an increase in physical movement, improvement in eating habits and diet plans also help a lot in the prevention of diabetes and reducing diabetes.
