What Is Diabetes?
When there is an imbalance of insulin and glucose in the blood that causes glucose levels to be abnormally high, this is a condition called diabetes, or hyperglycemia. Insulin serves to regulate glucose levels to stay within normal values. In the absence of adequate insulin, glucose isn’t changed into energy for the cells to use as fuel, leading to organ damage and complications.
The proper definition of diabetes is the elevated level of glucose or sugar in the blood. The body naturally regulates these levels by producing insulin which converts glucose into energy for the cells to use as fuel. If insulin cannot perform its job properly, glucose levels rise resulting in complications of this disease. Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination and excessive thirst.
Here are the two forms of diabetes:
Type 1: Is genetic, the pancreas does not make insulin. It is usually diagnosed in young children Type 2: Is metabolic, in that insulin is being produced but the body is resistant to it.
Both forms of diabetes create an elevation in glucose levels in the blood and therefore must be monitored daily.
A sedentary lifestyle, being overweight or having family members previously diagnosed with diabetes is at a high risk for contracting this progressive disease.
What are the symptoms?
Diabetes has many varying symptoms and not everyone will experience them. Some of the most common signs include:
- Headache, irritability, extreme thirst, frequent urination and non healing wounds.
Due to the buildup of glucose in the blood, the body tries to get rid of it via the kidneys, resulting in polyuria (increased urination). Frequent trips to the bathroom cause dehydration, which explains the extreme thirst and headache. Dehydration is the same reason for the headache of a hangover.
Living a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight are risk factors for development of the disease.
How Do I Get Diagnosed?
The first step to knowing your risks is knowing the signs. From there, a visit with a medical professional will determine if you indeed have the disease. By performing specific tests, a doctor can diagnose your risk factors, whether you have it and what type you have. How is diabetes diagnosed by a doctor?
In general, a glucose level of 70 mg/dl-125 mg/dl is normal. A doctor will perform testing in order to measure your specific blood glucose levels.
What are the means of treatment?
Treatment of diabetes includes changes in diet, regular exercise at least 3-4 times per week, daily monitoring of glucose levels, and insulin injections by syringe, insulin pump, or prefilled pens.
Treatment for diabetes is designed to regulate glucose levels while at the same time stop or slow down the diseases progression to ensure no further complications.
