When you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, it can leave us with many questions you want answers to and information about the condition you want to know. There are a couple of types of diabetes, and it is a medical condition that is increasing in numbers and is linked to our modern diet and lifestyle. Below is some more information about diabetes to help answer any questions you may have and remove some of the stigmas from this increasingly common medical condition.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is often a long-term medical condition affecting how your body converts the food you eat into energy. Your body breaks down the food you eat into sugars and releases these into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar levels go up, your pancreas releases insulin into your bloodstream to allow the cells to absorb the sugars and energy. When you have diabetes, your body does not produce enough insulin naturally or does not use it efficiently to manage the glucose levels in your bloodstream.
The Different Types Of Diabetes
There are two primary types of diabetes that you can have, and there is also gestational diabetes which some pregnant women suffer from and is often only temporary but can affect the unborn child’s health. The two primary types are as follows:
Type 1 Diabetes: Scientists have suggested that the cause of type 1 diabetes might be an autoimmune response resulting from the body attacking itself. The autoimmune response prevents your body from creating insulin, and you will need to take a shot of it to survive every day you live.
Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is the most common, with 90-95% of sufferers having this form of diabetes. It is often initially unnoticed in patients who have this type of diabetes, but it can often be delayed, prevented, and sometimes reversed.
There have been many recorded occurrences of people making significant changes to their lifestyle, changing their diet, losing weight, and taking regular exercise, which has reversed their diabetes. However, not all people suffering from type 2 diabetes can reverse the condition but eating and living healthily can make it much easier to live with and monitor your condition.
Managing Diabetes
Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you will require regular monitoring and testing of your blood sugar levels. Gone are the days when you needed to prick your finger and test your blood, as you can use modern technology to test your blood sugar levels. You will need to consult with your doctor, who can answer any questions you may have about your medical condition and follow their instruction to treat your diabetes effectively.
Diabetes can be hereditary, so it is worth regularly testing for this and other medical conditions and living and eating as healthily as possible. Having diabetes will significantly impact your life or that of your loved one, but it is a manageable condition, and you can still live a fulfilling life. If you are concerned about potentially having diabetes, consult with your doctor immediately and get yourself tested.
