A bit about diabetes

 

This week we are looking at diabetes, I thought I had written about it before but couldn’t find one, so here is one.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin or doesn't use insulin properly, resulting in high blood sugar levels.

There are two main types of diabetes type one and type two but there is also Gestational diabetes which is diagnosed during pregnancy with a blood sugar test, however after giving birth this type often goes away. However, having it increases your chances of developing type two later on.

Type one is often diagnosed in childhood, but it can develop at any age. It's less common than type 2 diabetes, affecting about 5–10% of people with diabetes. The exact cause is unknown, but it's likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. No, you are not born with it as I have heard some people say.

Then there is type two with this one there isn’t a clear pattern of inheritance, but the risk increases with the number of affected family members. This is likely due to shared genetic factors and lifestyle influences, such as diet and exercise habits. Other risk factors include being overweight, having high blood pressure, and being older. 

In both types of diabetes, sugar builds up in the bloodstream because the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin. 

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include:

• Urination: Frequent urination, including bedwetting in children
• Thirst: Excessive thirst
• Weight loss: Unintentional weight loss
• Hunger: Excessive hunger
• Vision: Blurred vision
• Fatigue: Feeling very tired
• Skin: Very dry skin
• Healing: Sores that heal slowly
• Infections: More infections than usual
• Nausea: Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains
• Mood: Feeling irritable or having other mood changes 

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop over a few weeks or months and can be severe. They typically start mild and get progressively worse. 

Type 1 diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes, blood glucose monitoring, and medications, such as insulin. 

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include:

• Thirst: Feeling very thirsty 
• Urination: Urinating more often than usual, particularly at night 
• Vision: Blurred vision 
• Fatigue: Feeling tired and lethargic 
• Weight: Unintentional weight loss or loss of muscle bulk 
• Healing: Slow-healing cuts, ulcers, sores, or other infections 
• Hunger: Increased hunger

Symptoms can be mild and may take many years to be noticed. Some people with type 2 diabetes may not have any symptoms at first.

As I don’t like doing really long posts I will split into two or three parts, so will end this here.