Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels. It is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin, or, the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced, thus not letting insulin function properly. Broadly, there are 3 types of diabetes:
1. Type 1 diabetes - When body does not produce enough insulin. It is an autoimmune disease.
2. Type 2 diabetes - When insulin is produced but it is not able to function properly. It is a lifestyle disease.
3. Gestational diabetes - When pregnant women who never had diabetes before develop high blood glucose levels during pregnancy.
Although signs and symptoms varies among individuals, the common signs and symptoms are increased - thirst, increased hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss or gain, fatigue, blurred vision, wounds that heal slowly, nausea, skin infections, reduced feeling in your hands or feet. If you have any of these symptoms, get yourself tested from a lab.
Diabetes gives rise to many different problems in the body, known as Diabetes Complications, which is why diabetes is called 'Mother of diseases’. It is not a single disease, but a bundle of diseases. It causes eye problems, kidney disease, heart problems, blood pressure, blood circulatory problems, sexual problems, nervous disorders, foot problems, digestive problems etc. Diabetes complications are silent and irreversible. We need to control diabetes to save ourselves from these complications.
Nowadays diabetes is very common as lifestyle has changed with urbanization. Manual work is less, day is spent mostly sedentary, food is mostly high calorie and stress is high, all these factors add to a high glucose level in blood. Overall, there is more of glucose IN than glucose OUT, hence increased incidences of diabetes.
An effective treatment for diabetes consists of proper management of diet, physical activity, stress, medication and blood glucose monitoring.