Struggling with diabetes

Diabetes is a very debilitating disease. It sneaks on very quietly into your body and takes over your whole system. The way this disease comes in a very unsuspecting manner, makes it deadly as most people do not know the gravity of this disease until it has taken root very deeply in a deadly manner. The main cause usually is careless life style and genetic inheritance , when not monitored closely to make sure that it is not transferred. Normally, a deliberate life style and diet change is a very good way to reverse the disease. Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes • type 1 diabetes – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin • type 2 diabetes – where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2. During pregnancy, some women have such high levels of blood glucose that their body is unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is known as gestational diabetes. Pre-diabetes Many more people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes. This is sometimes known as pre-diabetes. If your blood sugar level is above the normal range, your risk of developing full-blown diabetes is increased. It’s very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get progressively worse if left untreated. Symptoms • feeling very thirsty • urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night • feeling very tired • weight loss and loss of muscle bulk • itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush • cuts or wounds that heal slowly • blurred vision Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days. Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realizing because the early symptoms tend to be general. Why does diabetes create these symptoms? These symptoms occur because some or all of the glucose stays in the blood, and isn’t being used as fuel for energy. The body tries to reduce blood glucose levels by flushing the excess glucose out of the body in the urine. High levels of glucose being passed in the urine are a perfect breeding ground for the fungal infection which causes thrush. Dangers of ignoring the signs It’s hard to ignore the signs of Type 1 diabetes because symptoms can often appear quite quickly. But leaving it untreated can lead to serious health problems, including diabetic ketoacidosis, which can result in a potentially fatal coma. Although the majority of people with Type 1 diabetes are diagnosed in childhood and early adulthood, the symptoms are the same at any age. Adults with Type 1 diabetes may not recognise their symptoms as quickly as children, which could mean their diagnosis and treatment may be delayed. Type 2 diabetes can be easier to miss as it develops more slowly, especially in the early stages when it can be harder to spot the symptoms. But untreated diabetes affects many major organs, including your heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Being diagnosed early and controlling your blood sugar levels can help prevent these complications. Possible causes of diabetes The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach) When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it’s broken down to produce energy. However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there’s either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced doesn’t work properly. Although there are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight.. Type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight. That means there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing it. Around 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. If you maintain a healthy weight, you can reduce your risk of developing the condition. There are no lifestyle changes that can lower your risk of type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level, or the body is unable to use the insulin that is produced (insulin resistance). The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach that produces the hormone insulin. Insulin moves glucose from your blood into your cells, where it’s converted into energy. In type 2 diabetes, there are several reasons why the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. Three of the main risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes are 1. age – being over the age of 40 (over 25 for people of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean or black African origin. 2. genetics – having a close relative with the condition, such as a parent, brother or sister 3. weight – being overweight or obese People of south Asian and African-Caribbean origin also have an increased risk of developing complications of diabetes, such as heart disease, at a younger age than the rest of the population. • Age Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age. This may be because people tend to gain weight and exercise less as they get older. Maintaining a healthy weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly are ways of preventing and managing diabetes. White people over the age of 40 have an increased risk of developing the condition. People of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean and black African origin have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes at a much earlier age. However, despite increasing age being a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, over recent years younger people from all ethnic groups have been developing the condition. It’s also becoming more common for children – as young as seven in some cases – to develop type 2 diabetes. • Genetics Genetics is one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Your risk of developing the condition is increased if you have a close relative such as a parent, brother or sister who has the condition. The closer the relative, the greater the risk. A child who has a parent with type 2 diabetes has about a one in three chance of also developing the condition. • Being overweight or obese You’re more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you’re overweight or obese 25 or above puts you in the overweight range 30 or above puts you in the obese range Fat around your tummy (abdomen) particularly increases your risk. This is because it releases chemicals that can upset the body’s cardiovascular and metabolic systems. This increases your risk of developing a number of serious conditions, including: • coronary heart disease • stroke • some types of cancer Measuring your waist is a quick way of assessing your diabetes risk. This is a measure of abdominal obesity, which is a particularly high-risk form of obesity. Some groups have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, based on their waist measurements: women with a waist size of 80cm (31.5 inches) or more Asian men with a waist size of 89cm (35 inches) or more white or black men with a waist size of 94cm (37 inches) or more Exercising regularly and reducing your body weight by about 5% could reduce your risk of getting diabetes by more than 50%. Other risks Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes is also increased if your blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. This is sometimes called pre-diabetes, and doctors sometimes call it impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Pre-diabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes if you don’t take preventative steps, such as making lifestyle changes. These include eating healthily, losing weight if you’re overweight, and taking plenty of regular exercise. Women who have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy also have a greater risk of developing diabetes in later life. Diabetes and your weight If you are overweight or obese, you’re at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. You can find out if you’re a healthy weight by calculating your BMI using our healthy weight calculator. BMI and diabetes risk For most people in the UK, if your BMI is 25 or above, you are in the overweight range, while a BMI of 30 or above puts you in the obese range. However, some groups have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than white populations. These groups are advised to maintain a BMI lower than the standard 25. The advice is: Although the evidence is less clear-cut, black people and other minority groups are also advised to maintain a BMI below 25, to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Your waist and diabetes risk BMI isn’t the only important measurement when it comes to your diabetes risk. Your waistline may also indicate that you’re carrying extra body fat, and are therefore at risk. All women have an increased risk of diabetes if their waist measures more than 80cm (31.5 inches). White or black men have an increased risk if their waist measures more than 94cm (37 inches). If you lose excess weight, you’ll lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. The healthy way to lose weight A healthy diet and physical activity are the key to a healthy weight, but that doesn’t have to mean going on a strict diet and spending hours at the gym. Causes of diabetes you can’t control A number of other risk factors can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, most of which can’t be controlled. These include 1. being over 40, or over 25 if you’re black 2. having a close family member (parent, brother or sister) who has type 2 diabetes 3. being south Asian or African-Caribbean; these ethnic groups are five times more likely to get type 2 diabetes • having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially if you’re also overweight • having had gestational diabetes (diabetes that lasts for the duration of a pregnancy) • having impaired fasting glycaemia or impaired glucose tolerance, sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes. If you have any of these risk factors, you should maintain a healthy weight to ensure that your risk of diabetes doesn’t increase further. Living with diabetes If you’re diagnosed with diabetes, you’ll need to eat healthily, take regular exercise and carry out regular blood tests to ensure your blood glucose levels stay balanced. You can use the BMI healthy weight calculator to check whether you’re a healthy weight. People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes also require regular insulin injections for the rest of their life. As type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition, medication may eventually be required, usually in the form of tablets. • Diabetic eye screening Everyone with diabetes aged 12 or over should be invited to have their eyes screened once a year. If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it’s not treated. Screening, which involves a half-hour check to examine the back of the eyes, is a way of detecting the condition early so it can be treated more effectively. Possible diet • Eat plenty of starchy carbohydrates with a low glycemic index (low GI) • Increase the amount of fibre in your diet • Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – at least 5 portions per day • Cut down on fat and saturated fat in particular • Choose foods with unsaturated fat instead – such as vegetable oils, reduced fat spreads, oily fish and avocados • Choose low-fat dairy products • Choose lean meat – such as skinless chicken • Avoid fatty or processed meat • Eat fish at least twice a week and ensure you have oily fish at least once a week • Eggs and beans are other good sources of protein • Cook food by grilling, baking, poaching or steaming instead of frying or roasting • Avoid fatty or sugary snacks – such as crisps, cakes, biscuits and pastries • Eat snacks such as fruit, unsalted nuts and low-fat yoghurts • Cut down on sugar • Eat less salt – have less than 6g of salt (2.4g of sodium) per day • Cut down on alcohol • Don’t skip breakfast • Keep hydrated – aim to drink between 1.6 and 2 litres of fluid each day***prbxselfnetwork***