CURBING DIABETES

Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.

This is because your pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin, or not enough insulin, to help glucose enter your body’s cells – or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance).

·         Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose to enter the body’s cells, where it is used as fuel for energy so we can work, play and generally live our lives. It is vital for life.

·         Glucose comes from digesting carbohydrate and is also produced by the liver. 

·         If you have diabetes, your body cannot make proper use of this glucose so it builds up in the blood and can’t be used as fuel.

There are two types of diabetes, namely Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 diabetes: This develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin.

This type of diabetes accounts for about 10 per cent of all adult’s diabetes and is treated by daily insulin doses – taken either by injections or via an insulin pump. It is also recommended to follow a healthy diet and take regular physical activity. Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age but usually appears before the age of 40, and especially in childhood. It is the most common type of diabetes found in childhood.

When we eat, our body breaks down carbohydrates into smaller sugar units called glucose. Carbohydrates are found in starchy foods (like bread, potatoes and pasta, etc) and also in fruit- some dairy products, sugar and other sweet foods. The glucose then moves into our blood stream. Our body needs glucose to survive.

Normally, special cells in our pancreas (an organ in our body) produce insulin. After eating, insulin is needed to move the glucose from our blood and into our body cells where it’s used as energy. But, in Type 1 diabetes there is an autoimmune reaction in which the body attacks its own cells in the pancreas. As a result, the insulin-producing cells are destroyed and someone with Type 1 doesn’t make any insulin. This causes glucose to build up in the blood and leads to symptoms like thirst, needing to pass urine often, tiredness and weight loss (as the body has to break down fat to get energy).

Insulin is a hormone that works as a chemical messenger that helps your body use the glucose in your blood to give you energy. You can think of it as the key that unlocks the door to the body’s cells. Once the door is unlocked, glucose can enter the cells where it is used as fuel. In Type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce any insulin so there is no key to unlock the door, and the glucose builds up in the blood. Since the body can't use glucose to provide energy, it tries to get it from elsewhere and starts to break down stores of fat and protein instead. This can cause weight loss and because the body doesn’t use the glucose, it ends up passing it out through the urine.

Nobody knows for sure why these insulin-producing cells have been destroyed, but the most likely cause is the body having an abnormal reaction to the cells. This may be triggered by a virus or other infection.

Although It’s a common misunderstanding that Type 1 diabetes is caused by eating too much sugar – it’s not. In fact, nobody knows exactly what causes the autoimmune reaction – but we do know that it’s got nothing to do with lifestyle, and there’s nothing you can do to prevent it.

Currently there is no cure and people with Type 1 diabetes have to take insulin every day to survive. Insulin is given by injections or through a pump.

About 345,000 people are living with type 1 diabetes in the UK and the peak age for diagnosis is 9 – 14 years but you can be diagnosed as a child or an adult. More so Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that’s not caused by lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetes: This develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body are unable to produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). If untreated, it can cause very serious health problems.

Type 2 diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, though it’s the South Asian people, who are at greater risk, it often appears from the age of 25. It is also increasingly becoming more common in children, adolescents and young people of all ethnicities. This type of diabetes accounts for between 85 and 95 per cent of all people with diabetes and is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. In addition to this, medication and/or insulin are often required.

The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes can be difficult to spot. If you are overweight or over 40, you should ask you GP for a test for Type 2 diabetes.

Sometimes diet and exercise are not enough to control this type of diabetes, and you may need to take diabetes medication, or to inject insulin.

TREATMENT.

Although the types of diabetes mentioned above are the most common but in all cases there is need for one to eating rightly and engage in physical activity of the body to increase body metabolism and boost insulin production in the body.

It is no doubt that taking diabetes medication or insulin injection is the most popular treatment for diabetes however, there are methods to produce insulin in your body naturally by making great food choices, exercise regularly and taking right vitamin supplements. Insulin is mainly responsible for glucose regulation and it is produced by the beta cells of pancreas, an organ that is located in the abdomen.

Pancreas is an important organ that performs both functions of insulin production and foods’ digestion. If someone keeps on taking ‘anti-pancreas’ foods, it will badly hurt the functioning of pancreas. In addition to insulin friendly foods, it is also wise to decrease the use of insulin decreasing diets. Hence if you already have diabetes, try to avoid foods with glycemic index (rise in blood sugar levels after eating a particular food.) Foods with low glycemic index are the ones that enhance and maintain steady levels of insulin. Please see examples below;

• Brown rice, oatmeal, barley and whole grains are example of staple foods with a low glycemic index.

• Honey is an exception here. To your surprise, it has a low glycemic index instead of being sugar packed gel.

• Fiber foods are a must as they’re greatly helpful in regulating glucose levels and insulin control. Vegetables and fruits should make a big portion of a diabetic’s daily diet. As a matter of fact a diet guide should be applied for proper monitoring.

Please share and help to get someone out of depression from these common types of diabetes.