Do You Have Diabetes?

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Do You Have Diabetes?
By Joshua Levine
Health Correspondent - Every 2nd Saturday


Diabetes mellitus, or high blood sugar, results from a deficiency of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. When the body doesn't produce insulin or doesn't use it correctly, it can't make use of its main fuel -- sugar. Untreated, diabetes can lead to blindness, vascular disease, kidney disease, neuropathy, and other problems.
Almost every one of us knows someone who has diabetes. An estimated 16 million people in the United States have diabetes mellitus. About half of these people don't know they have it and are not receiving care for the disorder. Each year, about 800,000 people are diagnosed with this silent killer.


different types of diabetes

The 3 main types of diabetes are:

Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Gestational diabetes (for your women friends)

Type 1
Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile diabetes) is considered an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body's system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. In diabetes, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin.

Someone with type 1 diabetes needs daily injections of insulin to live. At present, scientists do not know exactly what causes the body's immune system to attack the beta cells, but they believe that both genetic factors and viruses are involved. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 to 10% of diagnosed diabetes in the United States.

Type 1 diabetes develops most often in children and young adults, but the disorder can appear at any age. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period, although beta cell destruction can begin years earlier.

Symptoms include: increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme tiredness. If not diagnosed and treated with insulin, a person can lapse into a life-threatening coma.

Type 2
The most common form of diabetes is type 2 (also known as noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or NIDDM). About 90 to 95% of people with diabetes have type 2. This form of diabetes usually develops in adults over the age of 40 and is most common among adults over age 55. About 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.

With type 2, the pancreas usually produces insulin, but for some reason, the body cannot use the insulin effectively. The end result is the same as for type 1 diabetes -- an unhealthy build-up of glucose in the blood and an inability of the body to make efficient use of its main source of fuel.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually and are not as noticeable as those in type 1.

Symptoms include: feeling tired or ill, frequent urination (especially at night), unusual thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow healing of sores.


Gestational diabetes
Guys, please make sure your wives, girlfriends, sisters, or mothers read this part. Gestational diabetes develops or is discovered during pregnancy. This type usually disappears once the pregnancy is over, but women who have had gestational diabetes have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes later on in their lives.


what are your risks?

Diabetes is not contagious; people cannot "catch" it from one another. However, certain factors can increase one's risk of developing the disease. People who have family members with diabetes (especially type 2), are overweight, or are African American, Hispanic or Native American are all at greater risk of developing diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes occurs equally among men and women, but is more common in whites than in nonwhites. Data from the World Health Organization's Multinational Project for Childhood Diabetes indicates that type 1 diabetes is rare in most Asian, African, and American Indian populations. On the other hand, some northern European countries, including Finland and Sweden, have high rates of type 1 diabetes. The reasons for these differences are not known.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people, especially older women who are overweight, and occurs more often among African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, diabetes rates are about 60% higher in African Americans and 110 to 120% higher in Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans. American Indians have the highest rates of diabetes in the world. Among Pima Indians living in the US, for example, half of all adults have type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence of diabetes is likely to increase because older people, Hispanics, and other minority groups, make up the fastest growing segments of the US population.


how do you manage it?

Before the discovery of insulin in 1921, all people with type 1 diabetes died within a few years after the appearance of the disease. Although insulin is not considered a cure for diabetes, its discovery was the first major breakthrough in diabetes treatment.
Today, daily injections of insulin are the basic therapy for type 1. Insulin injections must be balanced with meals and daily activities, and glucose levels must be closely monitored through frequent blood sugar testing.

Diet, exercise, and blood testing for glucose are also the basis for management of type 2. In addition, some people with type 2 diabetes take oral drugs or insulin to lower their blood glucose levels.

People with diabetes must take responsibility for their day-to-day care. Much of the daily care involves trying to keep blood sugar levels from going too low or too high. When blood sugar levels drop too low -- a condition known as hypoglycemia -- a person can become nervous, shaky and confused. Judgment can become impaired. Eventually, the person could pass out. The treatment for low blood sugar is to eat or drink something with sugar in it.

living with diabetes

On the other hand, a person can become very ill if blood sugar levels rise too high, a condition known as hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, which can occur in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, are both potentially life-threatening emergencies.
People with diabetes should be treated by a doctor (endocrinologist) who monitors them and checks for complications. In addition, people with diabetes often see ophthalmologists for eye examinations, podiatrists for routine foot care, dieticians for help in planning meals, and diabetes educators for instruction in day-to-day care.

In recent years, advances in diabetes research have led to better ways to manage diabetes and treat its complications. Major advances include:


New forms of purified insulin, such as human insulin produced through genetic engineering.
Better ways for doctors to monitor blood glucose levels and for people with diabetes to test their own levels at home.
Development of external and implantable insulin pumps that deliver appropriate amounts of insulin, replacing daily injections.
Laser treatment for diabetic eye disease, reducing the risk of blindness.
Successful transplantation of kidneys in people whose own kidneys fail due to the disease.
New drugs that treat type 2 diabetes and better ways to manage it through weight control.
Evidence that intensive management of blood glucose reduces and may prevent development of microvascular complications.
Demonstration that antihypertensive drugs called ACE-inhibitors prevent or delay kidney failure in people with diabetes.

steps to prevention & control

Eat well
Respect the 3 basic principles: quantity, quality and regularity. First, always watch how much you eat, especially foods that are high in carbohydrates. Second, include foods that contain lots of fiber in every meal, and limit food with high concentrations of fat. And finally, to better control your blood sugar, it's best to eat 3 meals a day and evenly distribute your carbs throughout the day.

Control your weight
When overweight people lose 4 to 9kg, they are better able to control their blood sugar. The risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases is 4 to 5 times greater among people who have diabetes than non-diabetics.

Get moving
People who exercise regularly have better control over their blood sugar levels. Hey, it also helps you lose those extra inches.

Check your blood sugar levels
Go to your doctor for regular check-ups and have your blood sugar levels checked out. If you already have diabetes, make sure to use your portable blood sugar indicator every day.

In addition to following this advice, it's important to see your physician regularly. And consult a dietician if you haven't already done so. These professionals will give you personalized guidance and tips, and motivate you to change some of your bad habits. After all, it's your own health we're talking about.

References: WebMd, Merck Frosst, HealthScout, LATimes.com


Article Suggested By:Viken Hagopian, Canada