Diabetes

UNDERSTANDING DIABETES

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes refers to a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood. Blood glucose is the main energy source required to drive the different body’s processes, like respiration, metabolic processes, and many others. Glucose is obtained from the food we eat, like maize, millet, rice and many others. Insulin is a hormone that converts the excess sugar in our body’s cells into glycogen, and it is released by the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. Signs and symptoms of diabetes include; increased thirst and hunger, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, and sexual problems in males (erectile dysfunction, reduced sex drive, and poor muscle strength) and females (vaginal dryness, yeast infections, urinary tract infection and dry and itchy skin).

 TYPES OF DIABETES

There are numerous types of diabetes; a few are elaborated on below.

  • Type 1 diabetes 

This is a condition in which beta cells of islets of Langerhans of the pancreas fail to produce enough insulin or when the cells in the body fail to react to insulin. This occurs due to the destruction of the beta cells of the pancreatic islets by the body’s immune system. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, normally below 30 years though it can appear at any age. It is also sometimes known as insulin-dependent diabetes (diabetes mellitus) or juvenile diabetes.

  • Type 2 diabetes

This occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin and affects the way the body processes glucose. As a result, sugar builds sugar in the blood. It is the most common type of diabetes diagnosed in patients, i.e. about 90% to 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.  Persons aged 45 years and above, obese (overweighed individuals), people diagnosed with high blood pressure and persons with physical inactivity are likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

 

  • Gestational diabetes

This is a form of diabetes that affects pregnant women and normally goes away after the baby is born. If gestational diabetes is not managed properly, it can lead to problems affecting both the mother and the baby, including stillbirth, premature birth, overweight baby and increased risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. A pregnant mother with gestational diabetes can develop complications such as; preeclampsia and type 2 diabetes.

  • Prediabetes

Refers to a condition in which persons with high blood sugar levels above the normal range but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

 

TREATMENTS AND MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES. 

The main treatment for type 1 diabetes is insulin; various types of insulin are used, and they differ in how fast they work and how long their effect last. The different types of insulin include; rapid-acting insulin, short-acting insulin, intermediate-acting insulin, long-acting insulin, and ultra-long-acting insulin.

Healthy eating is key to managing diabetes. Eating the right types of foods and changing your diet can both manage your blood sugar levels and help you lose weight. Limiting and balancing the number of carbohydrates with insulin doses daily can also help manage type 2 diabetes. Regular physical exercise and skipping meals also help to drop the glucose level to the norm.

 

DIABETES CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS, INCLUDING:

Medical complications arising as a result of diabetes are due to reduced blood flow to some organs as a result of high blood sugar levels, and they include; heart disease and stroke, kidney problems, dental disease and nerve damage, foot problems, cancer, eye disease, sexual problems in both men and females this is due to reduced/restricted amount of blood flowing to the reproductive organs thus leading to erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual drive and poor muscle strength, especially in males. This can also lead to vaginal dryness, dry and itchy skin and urinary tract infections in females.

 

In conclusion, complications can be prevented/ delayed by; keeping both blood sugar and pressure, as well as body weight and fats, under control. This means managing your diabetes which also includes your diabetes and carbohydrate intake. And most importantly, regularly go for a diabetes health check and find your diabetes status.

Apio Nuame

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