Information on Diabetes

(MOTHER OF ALL DISEASES)
UNDERSTAND DIABETES, ARE YOU AT RISK?
Diabetes is a chronic disease where the body does not make enough insulin, or becomes insensitive to the insulin which is produced. It is a condition of too much sugar/glucose in the blood. When Pancreas (gland behind stomach) does not produces enough insulin which moves glucose out of the blood and into cells (glycogen in the liver) where it is broken down to produce energy.
Resulting this a large quantity of glucose is being passed on to the blood stream and where body is unable to use the glucose in the blood for the production of energy. The excess of glucose in the
blood is filtered in the kidney and passed out through the urine. There is frequent and excessive urination which give rise to constant thirst. Under stress diabetes occurs when your body begins to
break down fats for energy instead of glucose, leading to a build up of ketone acids in your blood.

Eating too much of sugar is also one of the major cause. Because of the high sugar level in the blood damages the blood vessels (hardening of arteries which lead to damage of the kidney, heart or the brain).

Those who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing certain serious health problems. The risk is particularly high for people with diabetes who are also obese, who smoke or
who are not physically active. Diabetes is a disease that can attack at any age.

All forms of diabetes can have serious consequences if left untreated. There is no cure for diabetes, but there is much that can be done from a lifestyle perspective to improve the blood sugar level
control and prevent potentially life-threatening complications.

There are two types of diabetes:
Type 1 or Insulin-dependent diabetes
Type 1 is often referred to an auto – immune disease. Your immune system attacks the cells in your pancreas destroying them or damaging them. Therefore it develops very quickly
within days or a week.
• It cannot be inherited. It usually happens to young people (before the age of 40).
• Research says, the risk of Type 1 diabetes reduces in child if they been breastfed and been exposed to Vitamin D through Sunlight.

Type 2 or Non-insulin dependent diabetes
Pancreas not functioning properly your Beta – cells are 80 percent dead before we realise we have diabetes. It is closely linked to obesity and runs in the family (hereditary).

SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES

Know the warning signs. Without treatment, the main symptoms of diabetes are:

• Going to the toilet a lot
• Weight loss
• Feel Exhausted
• Increase thirst (dehydration)
• In case injury/wound- it takes longer to heal
• Calf Muscles are in constant pain
• Mood became dull
• Body resistance power reduces Itchiness around the groin
• Blurred vision, caused by the lens of your eye becoming very dry
• Body temperature reduces- feel cold
• Frozen Shoulder
• Skin becomes dry

OBESITY- Are you at Risk?
Obesity is one of major cause of Diabetes therefore we need to understand when we come obese.

Following are few ways to find out if you are obese:
• Pinch test – if you can pinch more than an inch of fat on your waist then you have to loose your weight

• Hip to Waist ratio- For male is 1 or below and for female 0.85

• BMI- Measure height in metre (1.7m), weight in kg (65 kg), BMI =65/1.7×1.7=22.5

(If your BMI is under 18 you are under weight and 18-25 you are healthy, 25-30 overweight,
over 30 obese, over 40 very obese. *Note: obesity also linked to asthma)

You are also more at risk of developing Type-2 diabetes if you have
• Type 2 diabetes runs in your family, • Not been physically active enough. Lack of Exercise
• Unhealthy Diet • Being over weight or obese.
• You have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• Mental stress, Nervous weakness
• Unhealthy liver • You are a woman who has given birth to a large baby (over 9 lbs/4 kg).
• You are of Asian, Afro-Caribbean or Middle-Eastern background, or
• The risk of developing Type-2 diabetes also increases, as you get older.

 

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