Blood sugar is created from the food you consume. It is the primary way your body gets the energy it needs to maintain all of its systems. Low blood sugar can make it difficult to do even the most basic daily activities.
The hormone Insulin is what the body uses to transfer the glucose from the bloodstream into your body’s cells.
If your body doesn’t make enough insulin or your cells become intolerant to insulin, your cells don’t get the energy they need. Diabetes develops from the excess of blood sugar in the bloodstream.
There are 3 most recognized types of Diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Gestational Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is diagnosed when your body doesn’t make any insulin. In this type, the body’s immune system attacks and kills off the cells of the pancreas that are used for insulin production. Type 1 diabetes can appear at any stage of life but is most commonly diagnosed during childhood or early adulthood. It can be brought on by environmental factors, like a virus, or genetic factors.
Type 1 diabetes requires insulin to be administered daily to let the body’s systems continue working.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes occurs when your body can’t produce insulin effectively or can’t use insulin well enough to get the energy to your cells. This type often happens when excess blood sugar levels cause the body’s insulin production to become over-stimulated.
When elevated blood sugar levels force the body to produce more insulin, the body’s cells will develop a resistance to the insulin.
When this happens, it makes the insulin less effective, keeps blood sugar levels higher by not removing it to the cells, and keeps the cells from receiving the energy they need to maintain themselves.
Type 2 Diabetes is the most common type diagnosed. It develops more often in middle-aged to older patients but can occur at any age.
Gestational Diabetes
Usually a temporary condition, Gestational Diabetes sometimes occurs during pregnancy. Most often it disappears after the woman gives birth. It is important to be aware that gestational diabetes can signal a higher chance of developing Type 2 later.
Symptoms of Diabetes
There are a number of symptoms that can show when diabetes developments. Symptoms of type 1 symptoms can begin very quickly.
Type 2 diabetes symptoms will usually occur more slowly, sometimes over a period of several years, or not show up at all. Some patients are unaware they have the condition until other diabetes-related health issues developed.
The most common symptoms can include:
- Fatigue
- Blurry Vision
- Increased Hunger
- Increased Thirst and Urination
- Numbness or Tingling in the Feet or Hands
- Sores That Don’t Heal
- Unexplained Weight Loss
Health Issues Related to Diabetes
Eventually, high blood sugar levels can lead to several critical conditions. If diabetes is not treated, or a patient doesn't make healthy choices when being treated, the conditions can come sooner and be more severe. They can include:
- Eye Problems
- Dental Disease
- Kidney Disease
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Nerve Damage
- Foot Problems
There have also been cases in patients who didn’t follow a reasonable diet plan where the damage let to the cells dying and required amputation to remove the dead tissue.
Prevention
We know that diabetes, its symptoms, and treatment all directly involve blood sugar levels.
Precautions include:
- Limiting added sugars in your diet from desserts, sodas, etc
- Balancing your meals to avoid excess natural sugars from foods like fruit, honey, and dairy
- Avoiding excessive simple carbs like bread and pasta that your body will break down into more sugar.
- Limiting use of artificial or other “diet” sweeteners that will induce insulin production.
When trying to prevent Type 2 from occurring, a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a proper diet can go a long way in preventing the disease.
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