DIABETES PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

 DIABETES PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

Introduction:

This is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use the insulin, resulting in the inability of the body to convert sugar, starches and other food items into energy needed for daily use.

When you have diabetes, glucose level in your body become too high. Glucose comes from carbohydrates and sugars in your diet and is needed for energy.

Without doubt, one of the greatest public health challenges in most countries today is the high incident of diabetes, especially in the urban areas. In 2008, 150,000 people were diagnosed with the condition. A combination of genetic and life style factors is to blame. Therefore, being overweight is one of the them.

There are lots of misconceptions that if one takes lots of sugar, you will catch sugar diabetes. This is simply not true; eating sugar is not the cause of diabetes. Of course, if you eat lots of sugar, you can become obese. Obesity can ultimately lead to a condition in which your body can no longer produce enough insulin to properly process sugar and other starches.

The hormone insulin, made by the pancreas, help the glucose get into your body’s cell, where its needed as fuel. However, in diabetes, this does not make enough insulin, or the insulin does not work properly so glucose cannot be taken up by cells and remains in your bloodstream.

Although, the exact causes of diabetes remain a mystery, doctors now know enough to tell you that genetic factors; i.e your biological inheritance, environmental factors such as lack of exercise, play the leading role in the development of Type-2 diabetes.

Types of diabetes

There are mainly two types of diabetes; Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes.

Type-1 Diabetes

Type-1 diabetes has been described as insulin dependent diabetes or juvenile on-set diabetes. This develops, when the pancreas cannot produce any insulin, because of the destruction of islets or beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Beta cells simply mean, the body cells that make hormone insulin that regulate glucose in your body.

This is the result of autoimmune response, where the body attack its own tissue. That is why people with Type-1 diabetes must have insulin introduced into their body by injection or pump. But, the incidence is very small, accounting for only about 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

It is estimated that 5-10 percent of people who are diagnosed with diabetes all over the world have Type-1 diabetes. Though there is an increase in the number of people developing it, but unlike Type-2, which is common; Type-1 is not related to obesity. This type of diabetes causes massive weight loss.

It follows that siblings with Type-1 diabetes or children whose parent have it are at great risk of developing this form of the disease.

Symptoms of Type-1 diabetes

These include; frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability.

The symptoms can strike very quick. In some cases, the patient might experience blurred vision. Therefore, if you notice any of these symptoms, it is comparatively to see your doctor.

Treatment

Presently almost all the persons with Type-1 diabetes must take insulin injections, healthy balance diet and constant exercise.

Consequently, high blood glucose can lead to long-term damage to organ. Such as eyes, kidneys, nerve, heart and major arteries.

Type-2 Diabetes

This is called non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or adult on-set diabetes. Type-2 diabetes account for over 90 percent of all diagnosed causes of diabetes.

This is much more common and occurs when the body can make insulin, but it is either not enough or does not work properly. People at the age of 40 or younger, even children develop Type-2 diabetes especially, those with obesity.

Type-2 diabetes may go unnoticed for years because visible symptom are usually mild, non-existent or periodic, and usually there are no ketoacidotic episode. However, severe long-term complication can result from unnoticed Type-2 diabetes.

Type-2 is associated with ageing, obesity, a family history of diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism.

However, being over weight is a major risk factor. But while obesity is strong factor for Type-2 diabetes, some people with Type-2 diabetes are not overweight.

Lack of physical activities, genetic factors, and age play a major part in getting Type-2 diabetes.

Symptoms of Type-2 Diabetes

They include frequent infection; blurred vision, cuts and bruises that are slow to heal, tingling numbness in the hand, or feet and recurrent skin, gum or bladder infection. The symptoms are almost the same with Type-1 diabetes but tends to be milder and come on slowly, which is why some people are not aware they have it until it becomes threatening.

Most obese patients have Type-2 diabetes.

Treatment

Type-2 diabetes may be treated by medication to normalize their blood glucose level.

Taking regular exercise to maintain healthy weight and eating healthy balance diet will help prevent Type-2.

Stopping smoking will lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart diseases for Type-2 diabetes.

Complications Of Diabetes

Blindness

Diabetes risk developing what is called diabetes retinopathy; a leading cause of blindness.

Dental disease

People with diabetes are prone to suffer from periodontal “gum” disease. Adult are twice at risk. An estimated one third of diabetes patients also suffer severe gum disease, manifesting in progressive loss of attachment of gum to teeth.

Kidney disease

Diabetes is a major culprit in kidney failure. Most patients in developing countries begin treatment, where indeed the facilities exist. For end stage renal disease. Many would need dialysis and prohibitively costly kidney transplant.

Heart disease and Stroke

It is estimated that about 65 percent of death of people suffering from diabetes are caused by heart failure or stroke.

Nervous System disease

Diabetes can adversely affect sensation in the feet and hands, slow digestion of food and other nervous problems. Severe forms of nerve disease and damage to circulatory function can cause complications of extremities of feet and arm.

Sexual Dysfunction

Men with diabetes are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men without the disease.

Problem during Pregnancy

Gestational diabetes occur in pregnant women who have not had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) level during pregnancy. Gestation diabetes affect about 4 percent of all pregnant women. It may precede development of Type-2.

For women, inadequate control of diabetes before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy can result in major birth defect in 5 to 10 percent of pregnancies and spontaneous abortion in 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies in the second and third trimesters. Large babies can develop posing a threat to both mother and child

Other complication

Whenever diabetes sets in, in the life of an individual, it is usually the cause of long term complications including cardiovascular disease, chronic renal failure, retina damage, severe type of nerve damage, and microvascular damage, which may cause erectile dysfunction and poor wound healing.

Diabetes are more prone to suffer from many other illness; for instance pneumonia and influenza, and when they do their prospects of recovery are worse than for non-diabetics.

What food should a diabetes eat?

Balance diet

It is important to note that a person with diabetes can eat the same normal food as a person without diabetes. What a diabetes need is healthy eating which implies eating a variety of foods that should comprise vegetables, wholegrain, fruits, beans, lean meat, poultry and fish.

Of course, a diabetes meal should be low in fats, particularly saturated fat, used in many biscuit. Salt should be in moderate quantities, so also sugar. The emphasis is on a balance diet or what dietitians call portion control. A diabetes can consult a trained nutritionist to devise a balanced diet.

Vitamin A, C and E 

These vitamins can help prevent some of the serious health problems linked pre-diabetes and diabetes itself

Vitamin B

Can help improve glucose control and protect against circulatory problems which help reduce obesity.

Selenium

It has been proven to have insulin-like actions.

Green tea

It can help improve both glucose and fat metabolism and enhance insulin sensitivity.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

Diabetes is often detected when a person suffers a problem that is frequently caused by diabetes, such as a heart attack, stroke, neuropathy, a foot ulcer, certain fungal infection or delivery of a baby with macrosomia or hypoglycaemia.

Diabetes can be diagnosed by having a blood test administered by a health care professional. Health care providers usually administer a fasting plasma glucose test (FPGT) or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), either test can be used to diagnose pre-diabetes condition or diabetes.

The warning signs of diabetes include:

There are conditions where glucose level are abnormally high, not high enough to perform diabetes test. This condition is called Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT), Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) or pre-diabetes. In these conditions, no symptoms of diabetes can manifest, but doctor should check for tell-tale sign or blood glucose level, if you are scared of the risk. Frequent urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, tiredness, increased hunger, lack of interest and concentration, vomiting and stomach pain etc

It is however important to note that these signs can be mild or absent in people with diabetes leading to delay in diagnosis. For now, Type-1 DM is not preventable Type-2 DM can be prevented by a healthy diet and change of lifestyle, and increased physical activities.

Prevention

Making changes in diet and increasing physical activities can reduce diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight, getting at least two and half hours of exercise per week and having modest fat intake and eating sufficient fiber.

Moderate alcohol intake may reduce the risk. Diets that are low in saturated fat reduce the risk of becoming insulin resistance and diabetic

In another study of dietary practice and incidence of diabetes, food rich in vegetable oils including non hydrogenated margarine, nuts and seeds should replace food rich in saturated fat from meat and fat-rich dairy product. Consumption of partially hydrogenated fats should be minimized.

Smoking less or ideally not at all, consuming an appropriate diet, and taking of several drugs to reduce blood pressure.