By Nicole K. Smith
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body produces no insulin or does not use it properly. Consequently, blood sugar is not transported into the cells to be used as fuel, but instead it remains in the bloodstream. This leads to high blood sugar, which can damage vital organs like the kidneys, the eyes and the blood vessels.
Type 1 diabetes begins in childhood or adolescence and requires daily insulin injections. Type 2, also known as adult onset diabetes, usually occurs in people over 40 years of age and is the most common form of the disease. Although, it can be controlled through proper diet and exercise, in some cases medication by mouth or insulin injections may be required.
Symptoms: The most common symptoms include dehydration, excessive thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite and unexplained weight loss. However, often there are no symptoms.
Risk Factors: By far the biggest risk factor is advanced age. Other factors include heredity, excessive weight and lack of physical activity. Diabetes affects slightly more women than men and slightly more black people than white people. The prevalence of diabetes in people over 40 years of age ranges between 2% to 16%.
Long-term effects of the disease: Apart from diabetic coma, which can threaten the lives of patients, this condition can also cause a number of long-term complications, such as arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis causes disturbances in heart function and blood circulation, which can sometimes lead to amputations. It also damages the kidneys, eyes and peripheral nerves.
How to treat diabetes:
* Lower your BMI: the BMI index, equals your weight divided by the square of your height. A BMI below 18.5 is very low and is accompanied by increased morbidity. A BMI above thirty is associated with serious medical complications. Being overweight or obese is one of the main risk factors for developing diabetes, because having more fatty tissue makes you more resistant to insulin. To get to the ideal weight, your BMI should be between 18.5 and 24.9. Try to lose any excessive weight, by following a diet low in saturated fat, which is found in butter, meat and full-fat dairy products. It would also be a good idea to avoid sweets, salt and alcohol.
* Increase your activity level: leading a sedentary life increases the risk of developing the disease, because physical activity can make your cells more sensitive to insulin. For this reason you must learn to exercise more. Half an hour of brisk walking per day is often sufficient to normalize blood sugar.
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body produces no insulin or does not use it properly. Consequently, blood sugar is not transported into the cells to be used as fuel, but instead it remains in the bloodstream. This leads to high blood sugar, which can damage vital organs like the kidneys, the eyes and the blood vessels.
Type 1 diabetes begins in childhood or adolescence and requires daily insulin injections. Type 2, also known as adult onset diabetes, usually occurs in people over 40 years of age and is the most common form of the disease. Although, it can be controlled through proper diet and exercise, in some cases medication by mouth or insulin injections may be required.
Symptoms: The most common symptoms include dehydration, excessive thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite and unexplained weight loss. However, often there are no symptoms.
Risk Factors: By far the biggest risk factor is advanced age. Other factors include heredity, excessive weight and lack of physical activity. Diabetes affects slightly more women than men and slightly more black people than white people. The prevalence of diabetes in people over 40 years of age ranges between 2% to 16%.
Long-term effects of the disease: Apart from diabetic coma, which can threaten the lives of patients, this condition can also cause a number of long-term complications, such as arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis causes disturbances in heart function and blood circulation, which can sometimes lead to amputations. It also damages the kidneys, eyes and peripheral nerves.
How to treat diabetes:
* Lower your BMI: the BMI index, equals your weight divided by the square of your height. A BMI below 18.5 is very low and is accompanied by increased morbidity. A BMI above thirty is associated with serious medical complications. Being overweight or obese is one of the main risk factors for developing diabetes, because having more fatty tissue makes you more resistant to insulin. To get to the ideal weight, your BMI should be between 18.5 and 24.9. Try to lose any excessive weight, by following a diet low in saturated fat, which is found in butter, meat and full-fat dairy products. It would also be a good idea to avoid sweets, salt and alcohol.
* Increase your activity level: leading a sedentary life increases the risk of developing the disease, because physical activity can make your cells more sensitive to insulin. For this reason you must learn to exercise more. Half an hour of brisk walking per day is often sufficient to normalize blood sugar.
