Type 1 diabetes mellitus - diabetes, for short. This chemical disorder disrupts the body's ability to utilize certain nutrients, primarily a blood sugar called glucose.
Treatment for diabetes is made more difficult because a person can have the disease a long time before it is diagnosed. "Because the early symptoms are relatively mild," notes Asia week magazine, "diabetes often goes unrecognized." Hence, diabetes has been dubbed the silent killer.
Why Serious
Diabetes has been called "a disorder of the very engine of life," and for good reason. When the body cannot metabolize glucose, a number of vital mechanisms can break down, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. "People don't die directly from diabetes," says Dr. Harvey Katzeff, "they die from complications. We do a good job of preventing complications, but a poor job of treating [them] once they occur."
Diet and Exercise
Although Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented; scientists are studying the genetic risk factors and are trying to find ways to suppress an immune attack. "With type 2, the picture is much brighter," says the book Diabetes - Caring for Your Emotions as Well as Your Health. Underscoring the value of exercise, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a large study involving women. The study found that "a single bout of physical activity increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake [by the body's cells] for more than 24 hours." Hence, the report concludes that "both walking and vigorous activity are associated with substantial reductions in risk of type 2 diabetes in women." One reason is that diabetes can damage the vascular system and nerves, thus affecting blood circulation and feeling.
Insulin Therapy
many with diabetes must supplement their diet and exercise program with daily testing of glucose levels along with multiple insulin injections. As a result of improved health through diet and a good routine of exercise, some with Type 2 diabetes have been able, at least for a time, to discontinue insulin therapy. Karen, who has Type 1 diabetes, found that exercise increases the efficiency of the insulin she injects. If insulin is needed, however, there is no reason for the sufferer to feel discouraged. "Going on insulin does not imply failure on your part," says Mary Ann, a registered nurse who cares for a number of diabetes patients. "Whatever form of diabetes you have, if you carefully control your blood sugar, you will minimize other health problems later." In fact, a recent study revealed that people with Type 1 who kept strict control of their blood-sugar levels "had drastic reductions in the occurrence of diabetic eye, kidney, and nerve diseases." The risk of eye disease (retinopathy), for instance, was cut by 76 percent! Those with Type 2 who keep tight control of their blood-sugar levels enjoy similar benefits.
To make insulin therapy easier and less traumatic, syringes and insulin pens - the most common tools used - have micro fine needles that give minimal discomfort. Other methods of injection include automatic injectors that shoot a needle into the skin painlessly, jet injectors that literally fire insulin through the skin by means of a fine jet blast, and infusers that employ a catheter that stays in place for two or three days. About the size of a pocket pager, the insulin pump has gained popularity in recent years. This programmable device dispenses insulin through a catheter at a steady rate according to the body's daily needs, making insulin administration more precise and convenient.
Keep Learning
All told, there is no blanket therapy for diabetes. "Even though you may be under the care of a medical team," says Mary Ann, "you are in the driver's seat." In fact, the journal Diabetes Care states: "Medical treatment of diabetes without systematic self-management education can be regarded as substandard and unethical care."
The more those with diabetes learn about their disease, the better equipped they will be to manage their health and increase their prospects of living a longer, healthier life.
The Role of Glucose
Glucose fuels the body's trillions of cells. To enter the cells, however, it needs a "key" - insulin, a chemical released by the pancreas. With Type 1 diabetes, insulin is simply not available. With Type 2, the body makes insulin but usually not enough. Moreover, the cells are reluctant to let insulin in - a condition called insulin resistance. With both forms of diabetes, the result is the same: hungry cells and dangerous levels of sugar in the blood.
In Type 1 diabetes, a person's immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Hence, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and is sometimes called immune-mediated diabetes. Factors that can trigger an immune reaction include viruses, toxic chemicals, and certain drugs. Genetic makeup may also be implicated, for Type 1 diabetes often runs in families, and it is most common among Caucasians.
With Type 2 diabetes, the genetic factor is even stronger but with a greater occurrence among non-Caucasians. Australian Aborigines and Native Americans are among the most affected, the latter having the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes in the world. Researchers are studying the relationship between genetics and obesity, as well as the way excess fat seems to promote insulin resistance in genetically susceptible people. Unlike Type 1, Type 2 diabetes occurs mainly in those who are over 40 years of age.
About 90 percent of those with diabetes have Type 2. Previously, this was referred to as "non-insulin dependent" or "adult onset" diabetes. However, these terms are imprecise, for up to 40 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes requires insulin. Furthermore, an alarming number of young people - some not even in their teens - are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
According to the book The Unofficial Guide to Living with Diabetes, "the healthy pancreas performs a continuous and exquisite balancing act, managing to sustain smooth, stable blood-sugar levels by releasing just the right amount of insulin as glucose levels wax and wane throughout the day." Beta cells within the pancreas are the source of the hormone insulin.
When beta cells fail to produce enough insulin, glucose builds up in the blood, causing hyperglycemia. The opposite - low blood sugar - is called hypoglycemia. In concert with the pancreas, the liver helps manage blood-sugar levels by storing excess glucose in a form called glycogen. When commanded by the pancreas, the liver converts glycogen back into glucose for use by the body.
The Role of Sugar
it is a common misconception that eating a lot of sugar causes diabetes. Medical evidence shows that getting fat - regardless of sugar intake - increases the risk among genetically susceptible individuals. Still, eating too much sugar is unhealthy, since it provides poor nutrition and contributes to obesity.
Another misconception is that people with diabetes have an abnormal craving for sugar. When it is not controlled, diabetes can lead to hunger - but not necessarily for sugar. People with diabetes can eat sweets, but they must factor their sugar intake into their overall diet plan.
How to Manage the Symptoms of Diabetes
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is vital that you follow your doctor's instructions precisely. Poorly controlled diabetes can cause major complications including blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, amputations, neuropathy and numerous other serious problems.
Typically, the first goal of any newly-diagnosed diabetic is to learn how to control their blood sugar level. Frequent testing of blood glucose with a glucometer is essential for knowing whether your glucose levels are within normal ranges or not.
Regular testing will enable you to recognize patterns of highs and lows and how they correlate with certain types of activities or foods you have eaten. This will help both you and your doctor understand how to manage the medications you may be prescribed.
Eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight is essential to controlling diabetes. Therefore managing what you eat and how much exercise you get is of crucial importance. While there is no known cure for diabetes, the disease can be effectively controlled, making it possible for diabetics to live a normal, functional life. Failure to control it however, can lead to disability and death.
So, what steps can you take to make it easier to manage your diabetes? Keep a journal of any symptom that you may encounter. For instance, when you measure your blood glucose levels, make a note in a journal. Then on a regular basis keep track of any changes in these symptoms.
Once a diet, exercise regimen, and course of treatment have been prescribed for you, keep another journal in which you describe the results. Have the symptoms improved? Is it helping the symptoms? Are there any side effects? Keep track of when side effects occur and how severe they are. Having this information handy will help your doctor prescribe the treatment that best addresses your overall health.
You can use a paper worksheet, a computer word processing program, or even a spreadsheet program like Excel.
You owe it to yourself to take an active role in managing your own health. Diabetes has the potential to be terribly debilitating or even fatal. However with proper management, it can be controlled.
Treatment for diabetes is made more difficult because a person can have the disease a long time before it is diagnosed. "Because the early symptoms are relatively mild," notes Asia week magazine, "diabetes often goes unrecognized." Hence, diabetes has been dubbed the silent killer.
Why Serious
Diabetes has been called "a disorder of the very engine of life," and for good reason. When the body cannot metabolize glucose, a number of vital mechanisms can break down, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. "People don't die directly from diabetes," says Dr. Harvey Katzeff, "they die from complications. We do a good job of preventing complications, but a poor job of treating [them] once they occur."
Diet and Exercise
Although Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented; scientists are studying the genetic risk factors and are trying to find ways to suppress an immune attack. "With type 2, the picture is much brighter," says the book Diabetes - Caring for Your Emotions as Well as Your Health. Underscoring the value of exercise, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a large study involving women. The study found that "a single bout of physical activity increases insulin-mediated glucose uptake [by the body's cells] for more than 24 hours." Hence, the report concludes that "both walking and vigorous activity are associated with substantial reductions in risk of type 2 diabetes in women." One reason is that diabetes can damage the vascular system and nerves, thus affecting blood circulation and feeling.
Insulin Therapy
many with diabetes must supplement their diet and exercise program with daily testing of glucose levels along with multiple insulin injections. As a result of improved health through diet and a good routine of exercise, some with Type 2 diabetes have been able, at least for a time, to discontinue insulin therapy. Karen, who has Type 1 diabetes, found that exercise increases the efficiency of the insulin she injects. If insulin is needed, however, there is no reason for the sufferer to feel discouraged. "Going on insulin does not imply failure on your part," says Mary Ann, a registered nurse who cares for a number of diabetes patients. "Whatever form of diabetes you have, if you carefully control your blood sugar, you will minimize other health problems later." In fact, a recent study revealed that people with Type 1 who kept strict control of their blood-sugar levels "had drastic reductions in the occurrence of diabetic eye, kidney, and nerve diseases." The risk of eye disease (retinopathy), for instance, was cut by 76 percent! Those with Type 2 who keep tight control of their blood-sugar levels enjoy similar benefits.
To make insulin therapy easier and less traumatic, syringes and insulin pens - the most common tools used - have micro fine needles that give minimal discomfort. Other methods of injection include automatic injectors that shoot a needle into the skin painlessly, jet injectors that literally fire insulin through the skin by means of a fine jet blast, and infusers that employ a catheter that stays in place for two or three days. About the size of a pocket pager, the insulin pump has gained popularity in recent years. This programmable device dispenses insulin through a catheter at a steady rate according to the body's daily needs, making insulin administration more precise and convenient.
Keep Learning
All told, there is no blanket therapy for diabetes. "Even though you may be under the care of a medical team," says Mary Ann, "you are in the driver's seat." In fact, the journal Diabetes Care states: "Medical treatment of diabetes without systematic self-management education can be regarded as substandard and unethical care."
The more those with diabetes learn about their disease, the better equipped they will be to manage their health and increase their prospects of living a longer, healthier life.
The Role of Glucose
Glucose fuels the body's trillions of cells. To enter the cells, however, it needs a "key" - insulin, a chemical released by the pancreas. With Type 1 diabetes, insulin is simply not available. With Type 2, the body makes insulin but usually not enough. Moreover, the cells are reluctant to let insulin in - a condition called insulin resistance. With both forms of diabetes, the result is the same: hungry cells and dangerous levels of sugar in the blood.
In Type 1 diabetes, a person's immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Hence, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and is sometimes called immune-mediated diabetes. Factors that can trigger an immune reaction include viruses, toxic chemicals, and certain drugs. Genetic makeup may also be implicated, for Type 1 diabetes often runs in families, and it is most common among Caucasians.
With Type 2 diabetes, the genetic factor is even stronger but with a greater occurrence among non-Caucasians. Australian Aborigines and Native Americans are among the most affected, the latter having the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes in the world. Researchers are studying the relationship between genetics and obesity, as well as the way excess fat seems to promote insulin resistance in genetically susceptible people. Unlike Type 1, Type 2 diabetes occurs mainly in those who are over 40 years of age.
About 90 percent of those with diabetes have Type 2. Previously, this was referred to as "non-insulin dependent" or "adult onset" diabetes. However, these terms are imprecise, for up to 40 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes requires insulin. Furthermore, an alarming number of young people - some not even in their teens - are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
According to the book The Unofficial Guide to Living with Diabetes, "the healthy pancreas performs a continuous and exquisite balancing act, managing to sustain smooth, stable blood-sugar levels by releasing just the right amount of insulin as glucose levels wax and wane throughout the day." Beta cells within the pancreas are the source of the hormone insulin.
When beta cells fail to produce enough insulin, glucose builds up in the blood, causing hyperglycemia. The opposite - low blood sugar - is called hypoglycemia. In concert with the pancreas, the liver helps manage blood-sugar levels by storing excess glucose in a form called glycogen. When commanded by the pancreas, the liver converts glycogen back into glucose for use by the body.
The Role of Sugar
it is a common misconception that eating a lot of sugar causes diabetes. Medical evidence shows that getting fat - regardless of sugar intake - increases the risk among genetically susceptible individuals. Still, eating too much sugar is unhealthy, since it provides poor nutrition and contributes to obesity.
Another misconception is that people with diabetes have an abnormal craving for sugar. When it is not controlled, diabetes can lead to hunger - but not necessarily for sugar. People with diabetes can eat sweets, but they must factor their sugar intake into their overall diet plan.
How to Manage the Symptoms of Diabetes
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is vital that you follow your doctor's instructions precisely. Poorly controlled diabetes can cause major complications including blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, amputations, neuropathy and numerous other serious problems.
Typically, the first goal of any newly-diagnosed diabetic is to learn how to control their blood sugar level. Frequent testing of blood glucose with a glucometer is essential for knowing whether your glucose levels are within normal ranges or not.
Regular testing will enable you to recognize patterns of highs and lows and how they correlate with certain types of activities or foods you have eaten. This will help both you and your doctor understand how to manage the medications you may be prescribed.
Eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight is essential to controlling diabetes. Therefore managing what you eat and how much exercise you get is of crucial importance. While there is no known cure for diabetes, the disease can be effectively controlled, making it possible for diabetics to live a normal, functional life. Failure to control it however, can lead to disability and death.
So, what steps can you take to make it easier to manage your diabetes? Keep a journal of any symptom that you may encounter. For instance, when you measure your blood glucose levels, make a note in a journal. Then on a regular basis keep track of any changes in these symptoms.
Once a diet, exercise regimen, and course of treatment have been prescribed for you, keep another journal in which you describe the results. Have the symptoms improved? Is it helping the symptoms? Are there any side effects? Keep track of when side effects occur and how severe they are. Having this information handy will help your doctor prescribe the treatment that best addresses your overall health.
You can use a paper worksheet, a computer word processing program, or even a spreadsheet program like Excel.
You owe it to yourself to take an active role in managing your own health. Diabetes has the potential to be terribly debilitating or even fatal. However with proper management, it can be controlled.
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