What is Diabetes ?

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.

People with diabetes are characterized by having a high level of sugar in their blood with no way to reduce this level. Sugar gets into the bloodstream from the food we eat. It is used to provide energy to the body's cells. Without this energy the cells starve.

One belief that has no scientific proof is that eating too much sugar will give you diabetes. This is not really true, however eating lots of sugary foods without sufficient exercise could lead to weight gain.

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 commonly held belief is that many people that have the disease are not aware of it. This is true for many people because diabetes has no symptoms that are unique to it. So a person may think they are stressed out because they are tired or their vision gets blurred at times when, in fact, they have diabetes.

A few of the more common symptoms are :

Constantly thirsty (polydipsia).

Frequent urination (polyuria).

Excessive eating without any noticeable gain in weight (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.

Your body may no longer make the hormone insulin that allows sugar to be converted to energy. This is known as type 1 diabetes.

Alternatively, you continue to produce insulin but the body resists the affects of the insulin. This is known as adult onset diabetes or type 2 diabetes. This can also happen when a woman is pregnant. She will have type 2 diabetes during the pregnancy and it will stop after the birth. This is called gestational diabetes.

As yet there is no cure for all the types of diabetes. There is only ongoing treatment. Treatment is quite straightforward once the person has gotten used to the changes that are required in their lifestyle.

Treatment revolves around getting a well balanced diet and plenty of exercise. In the case of type 1 diabetes it also involves injecting insulin. For type 2 diabetics and gestational diabetes, medication may be necessary but not always. Monitoring the condition of the disease and regular check ups with your health care provider are also necessary. By adhering to the treatment plan set out for you, you can limit the impact that diabetes has on your life on a day to day basis and in the future.

By: Adrian Fletcher

Learn more about diabetic diet plans at www.diabeticdietsplan.com. The site deals with diets and eating nutritious diabetic foods and some common symptoms of diabetes.

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