> ~~*Diabetes*~~, You Should Know Abut it

by **Haya** 1st September 2010, 12:59 pm

What is Diabetes

The Balance of Glucose and Insulin:

Diabetes
is a disorder that affects the way your body uses food for energy.
Normally, the sugar you take in is digested and broken down to a simple
sugar, known as glucose. The glucose then circulates in your blood where
it waits to enter cells to be used as fuel. Insulin, a hormone produced
by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas
adjusts the amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, if you
have diabetes, this process breaks down, and blood sugar levels become
too high.There are two main types of full-blown diabetes. People with
Type 1 diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. People with
Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don't respond to
it. In either case, the glucose can't move into the cells and blood
glucose levels can become high. Over time, these high glucose levels can
cause serious complications.

Pre-Diabetes:

Pre-diabetes
means that the cells in your body are becoming resistant to insulin or
your pancreas is not producing as much insulin as required. Your blood
glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be called
diabetes. This is also known as "impaired fasting glucose" or "impaired
glucose tolerance". A diagnosis of pre-diabetes is a warning sign that
diabetes will develop later. The good news: You can prevent the
development of Type 2 diabetes by losing weight, making changes in your
diet and exercising.

Type 1 Diabetes:

A
person with Type 1 diabetes can't make any insulin. Type 1 most often
occurs before age 30, but may strike at any age. Type 1 can be caused by
a genetic disorder. The origins of Type 1 are not fully understood, and
there are several theories. But all of the possible causes still have
the same end result: The pancreas produces very little or no insulin
anymore. Frequent insulin injections are needed for Type 1

Type 2 Diabetes:

A
person with Type 2 diabetes has adequate insulin, but the cells have
become resistant to it. Type 2 usually occurs in adults over 35 years
old, but can affect anyone, including children. The National Institutes
of Health state that 95 percent of all diabetes cases are Type 2. Why?
It's a lifestyle disease, triggered by obesity, a lack of exercise,
increased age and to some degree, genetic predisposition.

Look For These Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes:

Many
of the signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar. In both, there
is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your
body. High glucose levels in Type I are due to a lack of insulin because
the insulin producing cells have been destroyed. Type 2 diabetes occurs
when the body's cells become resistant to insulin that is being
produced. Either way, your cells aren't getting the glucose that they
need, and your body lets you know by giving you these signs and
symptoms.

Frequent trips to the bathroom:

Are
you visiting the bathroom much more lately? Does it seem like you
urinate all day long? Urination becomes more frequent when there is too
much glucose in the blood. If insulin is nonexistent or ineffective, the
kidneys can't filter glucose back to the blood. They become overwhelmed
and try to draw extra water out of the blood to dilute the glucose.
This keeps your bladder full and it keeps you running to the bathroom.

Unquenchable Thirst:

If
it feels like you can't get enough water and you're drinking much more
than usual, it could be a sign of diabetes, especially if it seems to go
hand in hand with frequent urination. If your body is pulling extra
water out of your blood and you're running to the bathroom more, you
will become dehydrated and feel the need to drink more to replace the
water that you are losing.

Losing Weight Without Trying:

This
symptom is more noticeable with Type 1 diabetes. In Type 1, the
pancreas stops making insulin, possibly due to a viral attack on
pancreas cells or because an autoimmune response makes the body attack
the insulin producing cells. The body desperately looks for an energy
source because the cells aren't getting glucose. It starts to break down
muscle tissue and fat for energy. Type 2 happens gradually with
increasing insulin resistance so weight loss is not as noticeable.

Weakness and Fatigue:

It's
that bad boy glucose again. Glucose from the food we eat travels into
the bloodstream where insulin is supposed to help it transition into the
cells of our body. The cells use it to produce the energy we need to
live. When the insulin isn't there or if the cells don't react to it
anymore, then the glucose stays outside the cells in the bloodstream.
The cells become energy starved and you feel tired and run down.

Tingling or Numbness in Your Hands, Legs or Feet:

This
symptom is called neuropathy. It occurs gradually over time as
consistently high glucose in the blood damages the nervous system,
particularly in the extremities. Type 2 diabetes is a gradual onset, and
people are often not aware that they have it. Therefore, blood sugar
might have been high for more than a few years before a diagnosis is
made. Nerve damage can creep up without our knowledge. Neuropathy can
very often improve when tighter blood glucose control is achieved.

Other Signs and Symptoms That Can Occur:

Blurred
vision, skin that is dry or itchy, frequent infections or cuts and
bruises that take a long time to heal are also signs that something is
amiss. Again, when these signs are associated with diabetes, they are
the result of high glucose levels in the body. If you notice any of the
above signs, schedule an appointment with your doctor. He or she will be
able to tell you if you have reason to be concerned about a diagnosis
of diabetes.

Treatments for Diabetes

A
diagnosis of diabetes can bring on many new challenges. Depending on
what type of diabetes you have, you may need medication or insulin. You
may need to make dietary and other lifestyle changes.

There are
two main types of diabetes. In both type 1 and type 2, glucose can't
move out of the blood and into the cells, where it needs to go. Glucose
levels in the blood can become too high. In people without diabetes, the
pancreas releases insulin into the blood to help move the glucose out.

People
with type 1 diabetes are unable to produce insulin. Type 1 requires
daily insulin injections. People with type 2 diabetes can still produce
insulin, but their cells don't respond to it as well as they should.

Diabetes
is approached from many angles. There are different types of insulin
and methods of insulin delivery for type 1. Sometimes, type 2 diabetics
require insulin if oral medications provide inadequate control of blood
glucose levels. Several classifications of medications are available for
type 2.

Treatments for Type 1 Diabetes

Insulin Action Reference Chart
Insulin Pump Therapy
How To Give An Insulin Injection

Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes

Oral Medications for Managing Type 2 Diabetes
Medication Reference Chart for Type 2 Diabetes
Januvia - A New Drug for Type 2 Diabetes
Byetta - A New Approach for Type 2 Diabetes