Recognizing Types of Diabetes

Diabetes is a common disease that affects people of all age. Diabetes is the condition when the glucose in human body is too high. According to WHO (World Health Organization), diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or sugar blood), which leads over time to serious damage to heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority happen in low-and middle-income countries, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year. The two most common type of diabetes are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. They have share name, but yet they have distinct characteristics, causes, symptoms, and management methods. Here is the explanation about each type of diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is the condition when body's immune attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in pancreas. This makes the pancreas produce little or no insulin. Insulin is the important hormone uses to allow and control glucose in blood to enter the cells to produce energy. Other possible type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and exposure to viruses and other environmental factors.

Symptoms:

Type 1 diabetes symptoms can include:

• Feeling more thirsty than usual
• Urinate often
• Extreme hunger/feeling very hungry
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blurry vision and fatigue

Management Methods

There is no way in preventing type 1 diabetes. However, researchers are still looking for ways and working for it. The treatment is directed toward managing the amount of sugar in the blood by using insulin, diet, self-monitoring, and lifestyle to prevent complications.

 

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the condition when human body have a problem in regulates and uses sugar to produce energy. This long-term condition results in too much sugar circulating in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is more common in older adults. But the increase the number of children having obesity has led to more cases of type 2 diabetes in younger people. Type 2 diabetes is mainly the results of two problems. When the cells in the muscle, fat, and liver become resistant to insulin, as a result the cells do not take enough sugar. And the condition when the pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range. The most common that causing type 2 diabetes is including lifestyle factors, overweight/obesity, insulin resistance, genes, and family history.

Symptoms:

• Feeling more thirsty than usual
• Urinate often
• Extreme hunger/feeling very hungry
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blurry vision and fatigue
• Slow healing sores
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
• Areas of darkened skin, usually in the armpits and neck

Management Methods

It is important to pay good attention to the lifestyle because it will help to prevent type 2 diabetes. If people have diagnosed of prediabetes, lifestyle changes may slow or stop the progression to diabetes. By eating healthy food that lower in fat and calories,

• Start eating healthy foods that lower in fat and calories. Focus on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Getting active by doing some exercises, jogging, bicycling, or swimming.
• Appropriate self-monitoring of blood glucose
• Laboratory assessment

From some of these explanations, it can be said that diabetes is a dangerous disease and it can affect people all of age, both type 1 and type 2. From now on, take care of your health by avoiding consume too much fat and calories, start consuming healthy foods, getting active by doing some exercises, and self-monitoring of blood glucose. Those habits will help you to prevent the risks of diabetes. Because you will never know when the diabetes will come to affect your body.