What Really Is Diabetes?

By Sanam Marjan

Whenever we hear the word “diabetes” the first thing that comes to our minds is eat less sugar!--not really being able to grasp the real reasons why diabetes grows onto us.

So, what is diabetes?

It is a group of conditions where the body produces little to no amount of insulin. And this can lead to high sugar levels as the body is unable to get sugar from blood into your cells.

Glucose is a form of sugar that is found in blood, and is the main energy source of human beings. Lack of insulin can cause a build up of sugar in the blood and can lead to many health problems.

There are 3 types of diabetes;

Type 1 diabetes

It is an autoimmune condition, where our immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the beta cells (which are responsible for producing insulin) in our pancreas.

This condition may arise due to both genetic and environmental factors. And the damage is permanent.

Type 2 diabetes

This starts as insulin resistance, meaning our body fails to use insulin efficiently. As a result, the pancreas produces more insulin until it cannot keep up with bodily demands. Insulin production then decreases, which is responsible for elevating blood sugar.

The contributing factors include genetics, lack of physical activity and obesity.

Gestational diabetes

This is caused by insulin-blocking hormones, produced during pregnancy. This type of diabetes only happens during pregnancy and is often seen in people with a family history of diabetes.

Symptoms of diabetes

• Excessive thirst and hunger

• Fatigue and drowsiness

• Dry, flaky skin

• Frequent urination

• Blurry vision

• Slow healing of wounds

Symptoms of both types of diabetes can appear at any age, but type 1 diabetes usually appears in children and young adults, while type 2 appears in people over the age of 45

Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes

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