Outsmarting Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a malfunction of the body’s metabolic system. This occurrence takes place when glucose in the bloodstream is not utilized properly. In normal cases when carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, the pancreas produces a hormone identified as insulin. Insulin enables cells to absorb glucose or blood sugar that acts as fuel or energy source for the body and the brain. In cases when the disorder diabetes is present, either insulin is not produced by the pancreas at all or the body misuses the produced insulin.

There are several types of diabetes. The first is Type 1 diabetes previously called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. It is experienced by children and young adults characterized by the pancreas’ inability to produce insulin. Only 5% to 10% of diagnosed cases in the United States fall under this category. Artificial insulin is usually administered, and proper maintenance is important due to its incurable nature. The second is Type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes. This happens when the body is able to produce insulin but the insulin produced falls below what the body needs or the body fails to use it in the proper way. It can run in one’s genetic or racial lineage or it can result from unhealthy diet or sedentary lifestyle. The third type is gestational diabetes. This can be experienced by 4% of pregnant women having high blood glucose levels during the latter or late period of their pregnancy. It is important to provide proper maintenance since poor monitoring may aggravate the illness and harm the child.

Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include the following: extreme irritability or fatigue, alarming weight loss, intense hunger, extreme thirst, and frequent urination. These symptoms are also part of Type 2 diabetes symptoms. Apart from the said signs, Type 2 symptoms include problematic vision, cuts and wounds that heal over a long period, tingling sensation felt by hands and feet, frequent infections, and repeated infections that afflict skin, gum, and bladder.

People with Type 2 diabetes are encouraged to conduct meal planning with their nutritionist or physician, take the correct medical supplement intake, and perform regular physical activities for wellness. It is said that, over time, Type 2 diabetic patients may need to take insulin similar to Type 1 patients due to metabolic changes occurring over time.

The chronic nature of diabetes requires that patients live with it and learn to manage it. A vital step is to learn to monitor the levels of glucose in one’s bloodstream. This can be monitored before and after meals depending on the requirements of your physician. Note that fasting plasma glucose (FPG) is the blood sugar level after 8 to 12 hours of fasting, which usually happens after one’s sleep. Postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) is the blood glucose level measured 2 hours after a meal intake.

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