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Posts Tagged ‘diabetes treatment’

The majority of diseases can be prevented and diabetes is no exception except for type 1 diabetes which is believed to be triggered by genetic factors. Some researches suggests that breastfeeding might decrease the risk of type 1 diabetes but so far there are no conclusive evidence. However, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can be prevented with healthy lifestyle which is also required for successful management of all types of diabetes.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes are well known. If you have overweight problems, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, if you are physically inactive or have a relative with diabetes you are at greater risk to develop type 2 or gestational diabetes during pregnancy. The most effective diabetes prevention is healthy diet which means eating lots of fruits and vegetables as well as reduced intake of foods high in calories and fat to about 30% of your total daily calorie intake. At least one half of your total daily calorie intake should consist of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index: the majority of fruits and vegetables (except for potato and watermelon), legumes, whole grains, pasta, nuts, etc.

In addition to healthy diet you should not forget to be physically active – about 30 minutes for most days in the week will do. However, if you have been physically inactive for a longer period you are recommended to exercise for 10 minutes three times a day. With healthy diet and regular exercise you will be also lose excess pounds and maintain a healthy body weight which is also highly important in prevention of diabetes.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes and that the disease is responsible for over 1 million deaths. If left untreated type 1 diabetes can be fatal, while type 2 diabetes can cause serious complications including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, cataract which can lead to blindness, poorly healing wounds and eventually gangrene as well as shorter life expectancy. Untreated gestational diabetes can seriously affect the health of the fetus.

There is no cure for diabetes and it cannot be reversed with exception of gestational diabetes which might disappear after delivery although women with history of gestational diabetes are at greater risk to develop type 2 diabetes. All types of diabetes can be successfully managed with a combination of healthy diet (very helpful might be low glycemic index foods), regular exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week, weight loss, self-monitoring blood sugar levels and taking oral medications in type 2 diabetes or insulin injections in type 1 diabetes. Insulin therapy is also required in type 2 diabetes when not responding to oral medications. Gestational diabetes is usually treated with dietary changes and regular exercise, while some women need to take antidiabetic medications as well.

Oral medications and insulin injections alone are not sufficient to successfully manage the disease. Diabetes management is a lifelong process which requires good education and compliance of the patient.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes – about 90% of people with diagnosed diabetes suffer from type 2 diabetes. It most commonly affects people older than 40 years of age and the number of patients including children is rapidly rising, while the World Health Organization projects that the number of diabetics will double until 2025. Type 2 is less severe than type 1 diabetes but if left untreated it can cause severe health risks and can be life-threatening as well.

Why some people develop type 2 diabetes and the other do not is not yet completely understood, while factors which increase the risk for type 2 diabetes are overweight, inadequate physical activity, age (people older than 40 years of age), some races and ethnical groups (African-American, Hispanics, Native American and Asian-Americans), family history of type 2 diabetes and women with history of gestational diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by failure of the body to respond to its own insulin – often referred as insulin resistance or failure of the pancreas to produce required amounts of insulin which leads to increased glucose blood levels. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes develops gradually and besides increased blood sugar levels there might be no other signs and symptoms. Thus many people were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with random blood sugar tests. Symptoms which might occur in type 2 diabetes are similar to those in type 1 diabetes: frequent urination and extreme thirst, unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, fatigue, blurred vision and poorly healing wounds.

Like type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes requires treatment – taking of one or more medications, healthy diet and regular exercise and monitoring of blood sugar levels.

Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes and juvenile diabetes is the severest type of diabetes which commonly affects children and adults younger than 35 years of age although it can occur at any age. It is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces insufficient amounts or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes cannot be cured but it can be successfully managed.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by destruction of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas by the immune system. Why the immune system destroys its own insulin producing cells is not exactly known, while factors which increase the risk are believed to be genetic factors and some viral infections. Without insulin the cells cannot use nor properly store glucose which accumulates in the blood and afterwards begins to appear in the urine which causes the most distinctive symptoms of type 1 diabetes – frequent urination and extreme thirst. People developing type 1 diabetes might also experience the following symptoms: unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, fatigue and blurred vision. Symptoms develop very rapidly, commonly in few weeks or months and if left untreated high blood sugar levels can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication which can cause coma and death.

People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections for the rest of their lives but successful treatment of type 1 diabetes also requires change of lifestyle – healthy diet and adequate physical activity. Highly important is also regular monitoring of blood sugar levels (glucose levels) using glucose meter.