Diabetes – Symptoms and Causes of Diabetes
October 28, 2009 by Diabetes and Blood Glucose Tips
Filed under About Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease. It does not go away, even with treatment. It is also progressive, meaning that if left untreated, it can lead to difficult complications. The good news is that diabetes can be controlled. However, it must be carefully monitored to keep it in control.
Diabetes is a very serious disease and should be treated as such. In nearly all situations, people with diabetes require, at a minimum, routine medical treatment- including daily self-care. Through scrupulous attention to a healthy lifestyle and a strong commitment to maintaining target blood-sugar levels, diabetic people can significantly slow down the degenerative process.
Symptoms of Diabetes
The symptoms of diabetes may develop extremely quickly (over the course of weeks or even days) in children or adolescents who had previously been exhibiting signs of health.
Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes usually arise over weeks and months, as compared to those of Type 2 diabetes that may take years. Although Type 1 diabetics can briefly see mild symptoms similar to the early stages of Type 2 diabetes, the most pronounced symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are usually the more severe symptoms of very high blood sugars and this progress quickly.
Irritability: It is one of the sign of high blood sugar because of the inefficient supply of glucose to brain and other body organs, which make us, feel tired and uneasy.
Diabetes includes fatigue, a sick feeling, frequent urination, especially at night, and excessive thirst. When there is extra glucose in blood, one way the body gets rid of it is through frequent urination. This loss of fluids causes extreme thirst.
Unexplained weight loss: People with diabetes are unable to process many of the calories in the foods they eat. Thus, they may lose weight even though they eat an apparently appropriate or even excessive amount of food. Losing sugar and water in the urine and the accompanying dehydration also contributes to weight loss.
Poor wound healing: High blood sugar resists the flourishing of WBC, (white blood cell) which is responsible for body immune system. When these cells do not function accordingly, wound healing is not at good pace. Secondly, long standing diabetes leads to thickening of blood vessels which may affect proper circulation of blood in different body parts.
Altered mental status: Agitation, unexplained irritability, inattention, extreme lethargy, or confusion can all be signs of very high blood sugar, ketoacidosis, or hyperosmolar hyperglycemia nonketotic syndrome or hypoglycemia (low sugar). Thus, any of these merit the immediate attention of a medical professional. Call your health care provider or 911.
Causes of Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed by an autoimmune process, whereby the body’s immune system – its defence mechanism against disease – for some reason recognises the cells as being ‘foreign’ rather than ’self’, and therefore attacks them.
Type 2 diabetes is believed to have a strong genetic link, meaning that it tends to run in families. Several genes are being studied that may be related to the cause of type 2 diabetes.
Drugs such as steroids, Dilantin, and others may elevate the blood sugar through a variety of mechanisms. Certain other drugs, such as alloxan, streptozocin, and thiazide diuretics, are toxic to the beta cells of the pancreas and can cause diabetes.
Heredity is a major cause of diabetes: If both parents have Type 2 diabetes, there is a chance that nearly all of their children will have diabetes. If both parents have Type 1 diabetes, fewer than 20 percent of their children will develop Type 1 diabetes. In identical twins, if one twin develops Type 2 diabetes, the chance is nearly 100 percent that the other twin will also develop it
Thanks to peterhutch for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Diabetes is a very serious disease and should be treated as such. In nearly all situations, people with diabetes require, at a minimum, routine medical treatment- including daily self-care. Through scrupulous attention to a healthy lifestyle and a strong commitment to maintaining target blood-sugar levels, diabetic people can significantly slow down the degenerative process.
Symptoms of Diabetes
The symptoms of diabetes may develop extremely quickly (over the course of weeks or even days) in children or adolescents who had previously been exhibiting signs of health.
Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes usually arise over weeks and months, as compared to those of Type 2 diabetes that may take years. Although Type 1 diabetics can briefly see mild symptoms similar to the early stages of Type 2 diabetes, the most pronounced symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are usually the more severe symptoms of very high blood sugars and this progress quickly.
Irritability: It is one of the sign of high blood sugar because of the inefficient supply of glucose to brain and other body organs, which make us, feel tired and uneasy.
Diabetes includes fatigue, a sick feeling, frequent urination, especially at night, and excessive thirst. When there is extra glucose in blood, one way the body gets rid of it is through frequent urination. This loss of fluids causes extreme thirst.
Unexplained weight loss: People with diabetes are unable to process many of the calories in the foods they eat. Thus, they may lose weight even though they eat an apparently appropriate or even excessive amount of food. Losing sugar and water in the urine and the accompanying dehydration also contributes to weight loss.
Poor wound healing: High blood sugar resists the flourishing of WBC, (white blood cell) which is responsible for body immune system. When these cells do not function accordingly, wound healing is not at good pace. Secondly, long standing diabetes leads to thickening of blood vessels which may affect proper circulation of blood in different body parts.
Altered mental status: Agitation, unexplained irritability, inattention, extreme lethargy, or confusion can all be signs of very high blood sugar, ketoacidosis, or hyperosmolar hyperglycemia nonketotic syndrome or hypoglycemia (low sugar). Thus, any of these merit the immediate attention of a medical professional. Call your health care provider or 911.
Causes of Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed by an autoimmune process, whereby the body’s immune system – its defence mechanism against disease – for some reason recognises the cells as being ‘foreign’ rather than ’self’, and therefore attacks them.
Type 2 diabetes is believed to have a strong genetic link, meaning that it tends to run in families. Several genes are being studied that may be related to the cause of type 2 diabetes.
Drugs such as steroids, Dilantin, and others may elevate the blood sugar through a variety of mechanisms. Certain other drugs, such as alloxan, streptozocin, and thiazide diuretics, are toxic to the beta cells of the pancreas and can cause diabetes.
Heredity is a major cause of diabetes: If both parents have Type 2 diabetes, there is a chance that nearly all of their children will have diabetes. If both parents have Type 1 diabetes, fewer than 20 percent of their children will develop Type 1 diabetes. In identical twins, if one twin develops Type 2 diabetes, the chance is nearly 100 percent that the other twin will also develop it
Thanks to peterhutch for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Read about Natural Herbal Home Remedies and Pregnancy Information Guide. Also read about Dental and Tooth Care Guide
Age and Diabetes Risk
July 3, 2009 by Diabetes and Blood Glucose Tips
Filed under About Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Diabetes means a disease where people have too much sugar in their blood. The three main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes , type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body’s system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period, although beta cell destruction can begin years earlier. Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue. The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. About 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2. This form of diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, previous history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, and ethnicity. About 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually. Symptoms may include fatigue or nausea, frequent urination, unusual thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow healing of wounds or sores.
Diabetes is not contagious. People cannot “catch” it from each other. About 3 to 8 percent of pregnant women in the United States develop gestational diabetes. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. There are 20.8 million children in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. Diabetes mellitus is a disease where people have too much glucose (a kind of sugar) in the blood. Glucose level in the blood is controlled by several hormones. Hormones are chemicals in your body that send messages from cells to other cells. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. Diabetes is likely to be underreported as the underlying cause of death on death certificates. About 65 percent of deaths among those with diabetes are attributed to heart disease and stroke.
Obesity is the single most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Between 80% and 90% of people with diabetes are overweight–that means they weigh at least 20% more than the ideal body weight for their height and build. More than 40 percent of people with diabetes have abnormal levels of cholesterol and similar fatty substances that circulate in the blood. These abnormalities appear to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease among persons with diabetes. Nearly 40 percent of the women who have diabetes during their pregnancy go on to develop type 2 diabetes later, usually within five to ten years of giving birth. Diabetes prevalence in the United States is likely to increase for several reasons. First, a large segment of the population is aging. Education is important for both types of diabetes. Diabetics must learn about diet. Diabetics must also be careful about exercise. Exercise is important to stay healthy. High Cholesterol or other fats in the blood and Impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose can precede the development of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Treatment Tips
1. Medicines, diet, and exercise to control blood sugar and prevent symptoms and complications.
2. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is treated with insulin, exercise, and a healthy diet.
3. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is first treated with weight reduction, a healthy diet and regular exercise.
4. Gestational diabetes is treated with insulin and changes in diet.
5. Alcohol use Try to have no more than 7 alcoholic drinks in a week and never more than 2-3 in an evening.
6. Smoking: If you have diabetes, and you smoke cigarettes or use any other form of tobacco, you are raising your risks markedly for nearly all of the complications of diabetes.
7. Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.
8. Drink extra fluids that do not contain sugar before, during, and after exercise.
Thanks to Juliet Cohen for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Diabetes is not contagious. People cannot “catch” it from each other. About 3 to 8 percent of pregnant women in the United States develop gestational diabetes. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. There are 20.8 million children in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. Diabetes mellitus is a disease where people have too much glucose (a kind of sugar) in the blood. Glucose level in the blood is controlled by several hormones. Hormones are chemicals in your body that send messages from cells to other cells. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. Diabetes is likely to be underreported as the underlying cause of death on death certificates. About 65 percent of deaths among those with diabetes are attributed to heart disease and stroke.
Obesity is the single most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Between 80% and 90% of people with diabetes are overweight–that means they weigh at least 20% more than the ideal body weight for their height and build. More than 40 percent of people with diabetes have abnormal levels of cholesterol and similar fatty substances that circulate in the blood. These abnormalities appear to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease among persons with diabetes. Nearly 40 percent of the women who have diabetes during their pregnancy go on to develop type 2 diabetes later, usually within five to ten years of giving birth. Diabetes prevalence in the United States is likely to increase for several reasons. First, a large segment of the population is aging. Education is important for both types of diabetes. Diabetics must learn about diet. Diabetics must also be careful about exercise. Exercise is important to stay healthy. High Cholesterol or other fats in the blood and Impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose can precede the development of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Treatment Tips
1. Medicines, diet, and exercise to control blood sugar and prevent symptoms and complications.
2. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is treated with insulin, exercise, and a healthy diet.
3. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is first treated with weight reduction, a healthy diet and regular exercise.
4. Gestational diabetes is treated with insulin and changes in diet.
5. Alcohol use Try to have no more than 7 alcoholic drinks in a week and never more than 2-3 in an evening.
6. Smoking: If you have diabetes, and you smoke cigarettes or use any other form of tobacco, you are raising your risks markedly for nearly all of the complications of diabetes.
7. Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.
8. Drink extra fluids that do not contain sugar before, during, and after exercise.
Thanks to Juliet Cohen for contributing this article to our Diabetes blog:
Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions and women health care. More information on health related topics visit our site at http://www.health-care-articles.info.
