Tuesday, March 20, 2012

An Introduction To Diabetes

An Introduction To Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious chronic disease. It works much the same way as hypertension is as far as a lack of immediate symptoms is concerned. Most people have it yet they lack basic information about what it is.


Diabetes is amongst a list of known chronic diseases that affect millions of people globally. It is amongst a list of other chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease and cancer. Diabetes operates much in the same way as high blood pressure in as far as a lack of immediately identifiable symptoms is concerned. The key elenent associated with diabetes is glucose. This is also commonly known as blood sugar which is formally blood glucose. Our bodies need glucose to produce energy that keeps us going. Blood sugar is found in our blood and is also stored in the liver and muscles. The danger and worry associated with blood glucose is when blood sugar is too much.


Diabetes occurs when your body fails to absorb the glucose in the bloodstream. This raises the levels of sugar in your blood which is harmful to your heart, eyes, kidneys and other important organs. Medicines divides diabetes into two namely type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes as well as gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is associated with failure of your pancreas to produce insulin which is needed to help cells absorbs blood sugar. Individuals with this type pf diabetes will need daily insulin shots to help the pancreas which possibly has cells producing insulin destroyed.


Type 2 diabetes is when your pancreas produces insulin perfectly unlike type 1 diabetes. Theo only problem in this case is that your cells fails to use this insulin very well. Individuals in this category often take pills and insulin shots to help their system make use of the insulin to absorb blood glucose. The additional insulin might be needed because that which the pancreas is producing might not be adequate. Previously it was thought type 2 diabetes was only for adults. Younger people were mostly associated with type 1 diabetes. Today due to the scourge of overweight and obesity more and more teens and younger people in children are suffering from type 2 diabetes. Obesity is also linked to high blood pressure. The association between diabetes and high blood pressure is also well documented.


The third yet less common type of diabetes is called gestational diabetes. This occurs obviously in women and particularly women who are pregnant. Women who suffer from gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes later in life. Their offspring will also be at increased risk of type 2 diabetes and being overweight later on in life. Gestational diabetes may occur at about 28 weeks of pregnancy. It also does not certainly point to later life diabetes. It is just the risk that is increased compared to women who never had diabetes whilst pregnant.

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