Diabetes is a disease that affects the body due to high blood sugar. Glucose is vital for he alth, it energizes cells and makes the brain work. Sugar is transported from the blood to the cells by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. When it is not enough, there is an excess accumulation of glucose, which leads to serious consequences.
Diabetes can come in several types or stages:
- Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar is higher than it should be, but not yet high enough to be classified as a disease.
- Gestational diabetes can occur during pregnancy when the placenta produces certain hormones that make cells more resistant to insulin. As a rule, in such a case, the pancreas increases its production in order to overcome this resistance. But sometimes it is still not enough, then too much glucose remains in the blood.
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus, also known as juvenile or insulin dependent diabetes, is a chronic disease in which the pancreasproduces very little or no insulin at all. This happens because the immune system attacks and blocks insulin-producing cells. As a result, sugar accumulates in the blood.
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus (adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes) is a chronic disease in which the body either resists the effects of insulin or does not produce enough of it.
Symptoms
The symptoms of diabetes depend on how high your blood sugar is. People with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes in the early stages may not experience any symptoms at all. Common signs of illness include:
- increased thirst;
- strong feeling of hunger;
- unexplained weight loss;
- presence of ketones in urine;
- fatigue;
- high blood pressure;
- blurred vision;
- frequent infections.
Diagnosis
To detect diabetes mellitus, a glycated hemoglobin blood test is performed, showing what level (on average) of glucose in the blood has occurred over the past few months. However, an accurate diagnosis cannot be made based on the result of this test alone. After all, increased sugar may be due to other reasons. Urinalysis, an overnight fast blood test, and other tests may be required to be more specific.
Treatment
Treatmentmay include insulin injections and various medications. But the most important therapy is maintaining a he althy weight through proper nutrition and exercise.
What can you eat with diabetes? Contrary to popular belief, there is no special diet. Simply eat he althy foods that are high in fiber and low in fat and calories (eg fruits, vegetables, whole grains), and cut down on animal products, refined carbohydrates, and sweets. In addition, people with diabetes should do aerobic exercise every day to improve insulin sensitivity.
