Diabetes is a disease characterized by the body’s inability to absorb glucose, its main source of energy. It is carried to the cells in different parts of the body via the blood. Insulin helps regulate the body’s glucose content. In diabetes, patients either face insulin resistance or insulin deficiency, leading to problems with their glucose levels and other health issues. This article highlights the signs, causes, types, and treatment options for diabetes.
Types of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes
This type of diabetes develops when the body stops producing insulin. Patients with this type 1 diabetes have to take insulin shots everyday via the pump, pen, or syringe.
Symptoms
Some of the more prevalent symptoms of type 1 diabetes are extreme thirst and hunger, frequent urination, involuntary weight loss, mood swings, irritability, fatigue and tiredness, and blurred vision.
Causes
Type 1 diabetes develops when the body’s immune system, which normally fights bacteria and viruses, unintentionally attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The condition is also genetic and may be caused due to exposure to certain viruses and environmental factors.
Treatment options
In this case, the patient relies on artificial insulin, which can be administered in various ways. The frequency of administration depends on the type of insulin and its effects.
Type 2 diabetes
In type 2 diabetes, the body produces enough insulin but lacks the ability to convert glucose into energy. This type of diabetes is more common than type 1 and is associated with excess weight.
Symptoms
Major symptoms of type 2 diabetes include increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination, blurred vision, slow-healing cuts and sores, frequent infections, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, and dark skin around the hands or neck.
Causes
In this condition, the body stops responding to insulin. The cells in the muscles, fat, and liver become resistant to insulin, leading to excess blood sugar circulating in the bloodstream. This causes high blood sugar levels, leading to type 2 diabetes and various other complications. Additionally, excess weight and low physical activity are key contributors to type 2 diabetes.
Treatment options
Keeping the weight in check is essential for people with type 2 diabetes as this is one of the root causes of the problem. Patients heavily rely on prescription options to help manage the symptoms and spikes in sugar levels. In addition to that, making lifestyle changes and modifying meals according to health requirements helps keep the condition under control.
Gestational diabetes
This type of diabetes only occurs in pregnant women as the body becomes less responsive to the insulin produced. The high blood sugar levels can be controlled with the help of healthy foods and mild exercises. This also aids in easy delivery. The condition tends to go away once the patient has given birth.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of gestational diabetes include frequent urination and increased thirst. These can easily be mistaken for typical pregnancy symptoms, making it imperative to opt for blood and urine tests to rule out the condition.
Causes
The constant change in hormones plays a crucial role in causing gestational diabetes. The blood sugar levels spike more easily than normal during pregnancy.
Treatment options
Getting blood sugar levels in control with the help of exercise and healthy eating habits is ideal. But when that doesn’t work, women are given insulin shots to manage their blood sugar levels.
Foods to eat and avoid
It is vital that an individual with diabetes has balanced meals and healthy lifestyle habits to keep the blood sugar levels in check. Aside from the kind of food consumed, one also needs to watch their proportion.
Foods to have with diabetes
Some healthy choices in foods for individuals with diabetes are fruits and vegetables with low sugar content, legumes, lentils, whole grains, oats, sweet potato (in moderation, millets, and brown rice.
Foods to avoid with diabetes
Some items increase blood sugar levels and also lead to other health complications. These are deep fried chips and food, sugary drinks and beverages, cereals with artificial sweeteners, carbohydrate-rich meals, candies, gums, and chocolates, and white rice.
Adopting an active lifestyle helps keep chronic diseases like diabetes at bay. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle and maintain healthy food choices to manage blood sugar levels naturally.
