What is Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes ?
Adrian Fletcher
The spread of diabetes has caused consternation in many governments and health organizations. It is thought to be one of the fastest growing diseases in the world at present. But what is diabetes ? This article will answer that question and list the different types of diabetes and common ways to treat the disease.
Someone with diabetes will have a high blood sugar reading after they have eaten some food. Their body is unable to process the sugar in the bloodstream. Sugar is vital for the body as it is the primary source of energy for the body's cells. Without sugar the cells will starve and die.
A common belief that is largely unfounded is that consuming too much sugar will give you diabetes. This is not strictly true. Eating or drinking too much sugar will increase your calorific intake. This could lead to a gain in weight if a person did not exercise enough.
If the scenario continued without change then the person would run the risk of becoming obese. And there seems to be a definite link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. An obese person has a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes than someone that is a normal weight.
Another common belief is that most people that have diabetes don't even know they have it. This is often the case because it is very hard to diagnose the disease without a fasting test. There are no symptoms that are unique to the disease and in some cases there are no symptoms at all.
Some of the common symptoms are :
Always being thirsty (polydipsia).
Increased need to urinate (polyuria).
Having a large appetite without any appreciable weight gain (usually weight loss).
Extreme fatigue.
Nausea and a general feeling of being ill.
Yeast infections in both sexes.
Problems with vision.
Male impotence.
Should you notice any of these symptoms in your own life then you want to notify your health care professional.
It could be that your body has stopped making insulin, which is the hormone responsible for reducing blood sugar levels. This is called type 1 diabetes.
Or, your body can become immune or resistant to insulin such that it cannot process the sugar. This is known as type 2 diabetes. A similar condition, known as gestational diabetes also occurs but lasts during pregnancy and normally stops after the birth.
As yet there is no cure for diabetes. It will last for life and the best way to deal with it is regular checkups and ongoing treatment. Treatment is easy after the initial adjustment to a new lifestyle conducive with the disease.
Treatment is a two pronged approach. If focuses on eating the right foods and getting regular exercise. You can set up your own diabetic diet by following the diabetic food pyramid but it is probably best to get initial ideas on the right food to eat from your doctor or a dietitian. Exercise helps to use up energy and reduce blood sugar levels. People with type 1 diabetes will also have to inject insulin normally before a meal and sometimes when they have a high blood sugar level. People with type 2 diabetes may have to take medication so that their body responds to the insulin already being produced. after the initial change in lifestyle, this treatment is easy to implement and there will be no significant impact on your life due to diabetes.
Learn more about
http://diabeticdietsplan.com/Diabetic_Diet_Plan.html diabetes diet plans at
www.diabeticdietsplan.com. The site features diets and eating healthy
http://www.diabeticdietsplan.com/ diabetes food and some common symptoms of diabetes.
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