16/03/2020
DIABETES AWARENESS BECAUSE IT MATTERS.
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose or blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. The pancreas produces the hormones that control glucose... primarily insulin and glucagon. The pancreas is mostly made up of tissue that secrets digestive enzymes.. but about 5% of the pancreas is made of beta cells that produce insulin. The body’s cells need glucose for energy- it’s their primary fuel. But glucose can’t get into those cells without the help of insulin, therefore Insulin is the key to a lock... the cells need the “key” to let the glucose in.
Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems. Although diabetes has no cure, you can take steps to manage your diabetes and stay healthy.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DIABATES
The most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. Your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, this type of diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops in some women when they are pregnant. Most of the time, this type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born. However, if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Sometimes diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy is actually type 2 diabetes.
WHO IS MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP DIABETES TYPE 2
People are likely to develop type 2 diabetes if:-
They are age 45 or older
Have a family history of diabetes
Are in Obesity
Physical inactivity
Have high blood pressure
High blood fat levels
High alcohol intake
You are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you have prediabetes or had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant.
Over time, high blood glucose leads to problems such as;-
Heart disease
Stroke
Kidney disease
Eye problems
Dental disease
Nerve damage
Foot problems
THE SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES
Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Increased hunger
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
Sores that do not heal
Unexplained weight loss
•Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can start quickly, in a matter of weeks.
•Symptoms of type 2 diabetes often develop slowly_over the course of several years and can be so mild that you might not even notice them.
•Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms.
•Some people do not find out they have the disease until they have diabetes-related health problems, such as blurred vision or heart trouble. •Diabetes can’t be cured but can be regulated
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