Diabetes is a disease in which the lack (or insulin resistance) of insulin causes blood sugar levels to rise higher than normal (also called hyperglycemia).
When you eat, your body breaks food down into sugar (also called glucose) and sends it into the blood. Insulin then helps move the glucose from the blood into your cells. Cells use the glucose either as fuel for energy right away or stored for later use.
In a person with diabetes, there is a problem with insulin. Either a lack or insufficient insulin or your body doesn’t recognize the insulin, But, not everyone with diabetes has the same problem.
There are different types of diabetes –
Type 1 Diabetes: is usually diagnosed in children and in young adults, was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Only 5% of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Treatment is to give insulin through injections or insulin pump.
Type 2 Diabetes: Your body doesn’t make enough insulin, the insulin you do make doesn’t work very well, or both. When the insulin you do make doesn’t work it is suppose to, is called insulin resistance. Without insulin, your blood sugar goes up and your cells can’t get the energy they need. Treatments include oral medications but can also include insulin injections.
Gestational diabetes: Usually found in pregnancy around the 28 Th. week and will usually resolved after birth of the baby. The risk if type 2 diabetes will continue for the remainder of the mother’s life. There is also an increase risk to the baby as he grows into adulthood of 25% risk of becoming a person with diabetes.
If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make insulin at all like in type 1 Diabetes. Or it can’t use insulin or doesn’t make enough insulin like in type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes may be treated with insulin, oral medications, exercise, and meal planning. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to several complications, such as nerve damage, kidney or eye problems, heart disease, and stroke. But, if managed well, you can live a long, healthy life with diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes can be controlled or reverse with lifestyle modifications. Start with nutrition, food is medicine, add exercise, control stress, improve sleep and you can reverse type 2 in the early years after being diagnosed. Unfortunately, passed about 10 years after being diagnosed it becomes almost impossible to reverse diabetes but it can still be controlled or managed. Diabetes is a progressive disease with many complications like increase risk of stroke or heart disease.