Diabetes is a chronic disease that can majorly impact your overall health. It’s a lifestyle disease that many people don’t fully understand. Here’s what you need to know about diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when too much sugar (glucose) is in the blood. The body cannot produce enough insulin to process the sugar, so it begins to build up in the bloodstream. Over time, this can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and blindness.
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is typically diagnosed in childhood, while type 2 diabetes is more likely to develop in adulthood. However, both types of diabetes can lead to the same serious health complications.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common diabetes, accounting for 90-95% of all cases. It’s when your body can’t produce enough insulin, or the insulin it does produce doesn’t work correctly.
Type 1 diabetes is less common, accounting for 5-10% of all cases. It happens when your body can’t produce any insulin at all.
What are the Symptoms of Diabetes?
The symptoms of diabetes can be subtle at first and may go unnoticed for months or even years. The early signs of diabetes can include:
- Frequent urination
- Increased thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to several serious health complications. In addition, it can fully affect your body. Here are some ways diabetes can affect your body.
How Diabetes Affects Your Body
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Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes raises your risk of developing cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death among people with diabetes. In addition, heart disease, stroke, and other circulation problems are all more common in people with diabetes.
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Oral disease
Diabetes can cause changes in the mouth’s blood vessels, which can lead to gum disease. People with diabetes are also more likely to develop infections of the gums and
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Eye problems
Diabetes can cause various eye problems, including diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the United States.
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Nerve damage
High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves throughout your body. This can lead to numbness and tingling in your extremities (a condition called neuropathy), as well as a higher risk of gastrointestinal problems and sexual dysfunction.
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Skin problems
People with diabetes are more susceptible to skin infections, including bacterial and fungal infections. They’re also at increased risk for poor healing after injury or surgery. In severe cases, diabetes can cause skin conditions like diabetic dermopathy (brownish patches on the skin) and necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (raised yellowish-brown patches).
If you have diabetes, it’s essential to be aware of the potential complications associated with the disease. It can be a complex disease, but it can be avoided and managed by doing some things.
Follow a Healthy Diet
What you eat can affect your diabetes. A healthy diet can help you manage weight, blood sugar levels, and overall health. You can also follow diet plans that can reduce the chances of diabetes. Here are some of those plans.
Keto Diet
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. It’s been shown to improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes and help people lose weight.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is plant-based and includes healthy fats, such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados. This diet has been linked with lower rates of heart disease and diabetes.
Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is a plant-based diet that does not include animal products, meat, dairy, or eggs. This type of diet has been linked with lower rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Visit Your Dentist
Your oral health is crucial when preventing diabetes and its comorbidities with oral health. That’s why you should visit your local dentist at least once a year. This will help you avoid gum disease, a common complication of diabetes. It can also prevent oral cancer, another comorbid oral disease connected to diabetes.
Get a Support Group
Diabetes has been linked with mental health. For example, people who have diabetes are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. A support group can help you cope with the mental and emotional aspects of diabetes.
Control Your Blood Sugar Levels
If you have diabetes, it’s essential to control your blood sugar levels. This can help prevent or delay the complications of diabetes. There are several ways to do this, including:
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Medication:
Taking insulin or other medications as prescribed can help control blood sugar levels.
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Exercise:
Regular exercise can help your body use insulin more effectively and lower blood sugar levels.
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Monitoring blood sugar levels:
Checking your blood sugar levels regularly can help you identify when levels are high or low, so you can take action to correct them.
Diabetes is a lifestyle disease. This means that you can control it by making lifestyle changes. Following the tips above can improve your diabetes and avoid its complications.
