How can you not get Diabetes? And what do we know about this Disease?
Diabetes occurs when our bodies cannot cope with blood sugar (glucose) levels. Blood becomes thick, and over time it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb gangrene.
The incidence of diabetes is rising: according to WHO, there are 422 million diabetics in the world today, almost four times as many as 40 years ago.
However, despite the most serious threat that diabetes poses to health, half of all diabetics are unaware of their disease.
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What causes diabetes?
When we eat, our body processes the carbohydrates it contains into sugar (glucose). Insulin, a pancreatic hormone that gives the cells a signal to absorb the glucose dissolved in the blood and use it as an energy source, is responsible for its absorption.
Diabetes occurs when insulin production stops or the hormone stops functioning normally, resulting in the accumulation of sugar in the blood.
What kinds of diabetes are there?
There are several types of diabetes mellitus.
- Pancreatic diabetes type 1 stops producing insulin, and the sugar begins to accumulate in the blood. Most often it happens quite early - in childhood or adolescence.
- Scientists still don't know exactly why this is happening, but believe that genetic predisposition or viral infection can play a role here, damaging the pancreatic cells responsible for insulin production. Almost ten percent diabetics patient from type one diabetes.
- Type 2 diabetes does not stop producing insulin completely, but either it is not enough or something prevents it from working effectively.
- This usually happens in middle age or closer to old age, but type 2 diabetes also occurs in young people who are obese or have a sedentary lifestyle. Individuals are also more likely to develop diabetes, especially those from South Asia.
- Gestational diabetes is sometimes diagnosed in pregnant women, meaning that their bodies do not produce enough insulin to suffice for both themselves and the unborn child.
A distinction is made between pre-diabetes, an increased level of glucose in the blood, which can also lead to the development of a full-fledged disease.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Some of the most common symptoms are diabetes:
- Constant thirst
- unusually frequent urination, especially at night
- increased fatigue
- losing weight for no reason
- visual impairment
- cuts and scratches that take a long time to heal
- Symptoms of type 1 diabetes most often develop during childhood or adolescence and are much more pronounced.
The risk group for type 2 diabetes is usually over 40 years of age (South Asians over 25), but also includes relatives of diabetics (brothers, sisters, children) and overweight people.
Can I prevent the disease?
The risk of diabetes depends on genetic factors and environmental conditions, but you can maintain blood sugar concentrations at normal levels through a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.
You can start by reducing the consumption of confectionery and sweet drinks and replace white bread and pasta with coarse-grind flour products.
Foodstuffs made of refined sugar and refined cereals contain less nutrients, since vitamins and fibres are mainly contained in the grain shell. Examples of such products include white flour, white bread, white rice, white pasta, baked goods, carbonated beverages, candy and sugar breakfast cereals.
A healthy diet includes vegetables, fruits, legumes and wholemeal products, as well as healthy vegetable oils, nuts and fish varieties, rich in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids such as sardine, salmon or mackerel.
It is important to eat at regular intervals to avoid over-eating.
Exercise also helps to reduce blood sugar levels. Doctors recommend at least two and a half hours per week for aerobic exercise, such as walking or climbing stairs.
It will be easier for the body to maintain normal blood sugar levels if you are not overweight. But if you need to lose weight, it is better to do it slowly, losing no more than 0.5-1 kg a week.
To reduce the risk of heart disease, it is best not to smoke and to monitor your cholesterol levels.
What are the complications of diabetes?
High blood sugar levels can severely damage blood vessels.
When the blood thickens, it becomes harder to move around the body - some cells may not be reached at all, which increases the risk of nerve damage (loss of sensation and pain), vision loss and foot infections.
According to WHO, diabetes mellitus is a major cause of blindness, renal failure, heart attack, stroke and gangrene of the lower limbs, leading to amputation of the legs.
n 2016 alone, about 1.6 million people died of the direct consequences of diabetes.
How many people have diabetes?
According to WHO, the number of diabetics worldwide increased from 108 million to 422 million between 1980 and 2014.
In 1980, less than 5% of the world's adult population suffered from diabetes. In 2014, this figure was already 8.5%.
The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 80% of people suffering from these diseases live in low- and middle-income countries.
In developed countries, diabetes is more common among people living below the poverty line and/or eating cheap convenience foods.
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