Diabetes cases were surprisingly doubled within the past ten years. Some are not aware that they are already victims of this traitor disease. There are three diabetes types namely type 1 (known as “childhood”, “juvenile” or “insulin-dependent” Diabetes), type 2 (formerly called non-insulin dependent diabetes), and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease as a result of the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Cases are common among children and early adults. Symptoms may include excessive thirst and hunger and frequent urination, which will later result into weight loss and extreme fatigue. This condition can be considered as life threatening if not diagnosed in an early time. Individuals suffering from this, need adequate insulin supply commonly delivered thru injection. Modified diet and healthy life style would also help.
Of the three diabetes types, type 2 diabetes marks the highest in the list with roughly 90 percent of the cases. Obesity is considered as the main cause of the cases. Some factors that constitute to this are old age, family history, physical environment, and previous history of gestational diabetes. In this case, the human body refuses to use the insulin that is produced by the pancreas. Insulin is a natural enzyme, which regulate blood sugar. Symptoms include unusual thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, vision impairment, infection and slow healing and swelling of wounds. In some cases there are no symptoms that can be observed in the early stage. Strict diet and proper observation should be given to the victim.
The third one is gestational diabetes, which are experienced by pregnant women. Test shows that women having this are producing an abnormal amount of glucose in the blood during pregnancy. The situation will cause growth abnormalities and chemical imbalance to the babies. Victims have high risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy. Offspring may also ten to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes. Blood test during pregnancy should be taken to have proper medication if symptoms can be discovered.
Diabetes can be dealt with if diagnosed in an early time. There are appropriate medical procedures given knowing the three diabetes types. Awareness and advances in medicine can reduce the risk that is caused by this condition. Since this disease is incurable at this time, strong self-discipline and a strict healthy lifestyle are undoubtedly the temporary remedy one should take.
By: Tessa Watson
Posts Tagged ‘Vision Impairment’
Diabetes Types – What You Should Know About the Three Diabetes Types
March 29th, 2010Diabetes – The Controllable Disease
February 8th, 2010
Introduction
Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose (say: gloo-kose), a sugar that is the body’s main source of fuel. Diabetes is a chronic condition that needs close attention, but with some practical knowledge, you can become your child’s most important ally in learning to live with the disease.
“The prevalence of diabetes is going up because obesity is going up,” says Judith Fradkin, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. “Generally, the first step in treatment is to make patients believe that diabetes is a disease that can be effectively controlled. The “amount of money it will cost in 10 years to manage diabetes is going to bust the economies” of many countries, says institute president Paul Robertson.
Diabetes
Diabetes, caused by the body’s inability to produce or use insulin effectively to prevent a buildup of sugar in the blood, now afflicts nearly 21 million in the USA and roughly 250 million worldwide. Diabetes can also cause long-term complications in some people, including heart disease, stroke, vision impairment, and kidney damage. Diabetes can also cause other problems in the blood vessels, nerves, and gums.
Blood
During the past decade, medical studies have shown that by reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol and keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible, diabetics can forestall many of the disabling complications that once seemed inevitable. This knowledge, along with simpler, more accurate blood tests and better drugs, has improved treatment, says Buse, an endocrinologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “New drug treatments, more accurate methods for monitoring blood sugar levels and assessing control of diabetes, and practical steps that patients can take are more common than ever, she says. Until 1993, it wasn’t clear that lowering blood sugar prevented or delayed complications, and it’s only within the past decade that doctors learned that managing blood pressure and cholesterol reduced complications, she says.
Type
There are two major forms of diabetes: type 1, an autoimmune disease that results in loss of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and usually occurs in children or young adults, who need daily insulin shots; and type 2, which accounts for 90% of diabetes cases and is associated with obesity and inactivity and reduces the ability to use insulin efficiently.
Type 1 diabetes (formerly called insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes) occurs when the person’s own immune system attacks and destroys the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes occurs at about the same rate in men and women, but it is more common in Whites than in minorities.
Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent diabetes) is different. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes about 9 out of 10 people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people, mainly in people who are overweight.
Conclusion
The best way to prevent diabetes is to make some lifestyle changes and maintain a healthy weight.
By: Richard Ealom
