There is a reason 14th November every year is celebrated as World Diabetes Day. It is an effort to reduce the instances of patients being diagnosed with diabetes while creating awareness about the issue.
American Diabetes estimates in 2017, there were 451 Million people between the ages of 18-99. Millions of people who were diagnosed with diabetes all over the world. Now, these figures are expected to go as high as 693 Million by the year 2045.
Now, let us know what is Diabetes Mellitus Symptoms and Cure?
Diabetes Mellitus can be described as a disorder that prevents the body from proper use of energy acquired. Energy from the consumption of food you eat. Diabetes type 1 and type 2 takes over your system in the given situations:
- Your pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach, produce little to no insulin. Now, insulin is the natural hormone that is produced by beta cells located inside the pancreas. Proper insulin production helps your body use up the sugar as energy.
- Your pancreas makes sufficient insulin; however, it isn’t used by the body as it needs to be. This condition is termed as insulin resistance.
In order to understand this issue better, let’s understand how your body turns food into energy. This process termed as metabolism.
- Your body is comprised of a million cells. In order to create energy, your cells require food churned into simplest forms.
- When you drink or eat, a good portion of the food is churned down in simple sugar form termed as glucose. This glucose renders energy to your body to accomplish the daily activities.
- Your blood vessels as well as the blood act as highways for transportation of sugar from the stomach/liver to each cell in the body. Especially to the muscles and storage sections.
- Now, the sugar cannot simply enter your cells. They need the help of insulin to be used as energy.
- People with Type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes do not have this option. Hence turn up with high blood glucose levels due to failed utilization.
What are the various forms of diabetes?
Common Types of Diabetes Includes:
1-Type 1 Diabetes:
Diabetes cure isn’t possible until you understand the type you are suffering from. Now, diabetes type 1 occurs when the insulin-producing pancreatic cells start getting damaged. In this variant of diabetes, people use insulin injections in order to control the blood sugar levels.
Type 1 is among the common diabetes form for people under the age of 30. However, it can take over your body at any possible age. About 10% of people suffer from this issue all over the world.
[Also Read What is Type 1 diabetes]
2-Type 2 Diabetes:
Also known as adult onset diabetes, this is when your pancreas makes insulin. However, either the amount isn’t enough or it doesn’t work in a proper manner. This is one among the most prevalent form of diabetes.
However, type 2 diabetes can be controlled properly with help from weight management, exercise (physical activity), and diet. Additional forms of treatment also include oral glucose-lowering medications or insulin injections.
[Also Read What is Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms and Cure]
3-Gestational Diabetes:
This is a temporary form of diabetes that takes over your body when you get pregnant. Top reasons for soon-to-be mothers to be diagnosed with gestational diabetes are many. Like genetic predisposition being overweight, stress, and being pre-diabetic. Even though the condition is temporary and fades away after delivery. It can serve as a sign suggesting that you are vulnerable to be diagnosed with diabetes in future.
Other known forms of diabetes stem from usage of certain medications, illnesses, and several related causes.
If you are suffering from gestational diabetes, please read our article on 13 Simple Steps to Overcome Gestational Diabetes.
If you are recently diagnosed with Diabetes, This video can help you Turn Diabetes into a Positive Force.
What leads to onset of diabetes?
The direct cause of diabetes is still unknown. However, there is a line of risk factor that might increase the chances of being diagnosed with diabetes which includes:
- Family history with close relatives suffering from diabetes
- Specific ethnic background such as Native American, African-American, Asian-American Race, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander
- Physical Stress from illness or surgery
- Being Overweight
- Pancreatic injuries from tumor, infection, accident, and surgery
- Use of medications like steroids
- High Blood Pressure
- Autoimmune Disorder
- Age (Increased risk with age)
- Abnormal triglyceride levels or blood cholesterol
- Past diagnosis with gestational diabetes
- Smoking
There has been a prevalent rumor that extended intake of sugar causes diabetes but that is not the case. Consuming high sugar content can induce tooth decay. However, it does not lead to diabetes. It surely is one among the contributors but it doesn’t lead to diabetes single-handedly.
Now, in order to ensure that you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic, you need to look for certain symptoms.
[Also Read What causes Diabetes ?]
What are the common symptoms of diabetes?
The common symptoms of this epidemic diabetes include:
What are the prominent symptoms of hypoglycemia or Low blood sugar?
Most people showcase symptoms of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar when it drops down to a number below 70mg/dl. You can get the same tested with the help from your healthcare provider. If your blood glucose levels are low, the body shows signs that you require food. Different individuals showcase a line of symptoms which includes:
- Feeling of dizziness
- Lingering weakness
- Feeling hungry
- Sweating
- Feeling shaky or trembling
- Pounding heart
- Feeling anxious and frightened
- Pale skin
Late in the progress of diabetes, you can expect these symptoms of low blood sugar such as:
[Also Read How To overcome Diabetic Hypoglycemia?]
Complications from Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus drastically enhances the risk from premature death & disability. Furthermore, the risk from early death amid people suffering from diabetes mellitus is twice. As compared to people with no diagnosis of diabetes.
If people with diabetes suffers from uncontrolled level of high blood glucose levels for long term. It can lead to organ dysfunction, damage, risk of heart, as well as failure. Diabetes Mellitus is linked with several serious forms of health conditions such as:
Other potential Diabetes Mellitus complications include:
- Obesity
- Growth Impairment
- Ketacidosis
- Non-functional intestines
- Greater Infant Mortality or Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
- Poor Circulation
- Infectious or gangrenous part leading to amputation
One can take the reduce the risks of diabetes by following Simple Yet Powerful Formula derived by ancient ayurveda.
Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus
Type 2 Diabetes can be diagnosed with the use of the following methods:
Glycated Hemoglobin Test (A1C):
This form of blood test actually indicates the average level of blood sugar in the last 2-3 months. Normal level for the same is below the mark of 5.7 percent. The results above 5.7 and below 6.4 percent denote that you are pre-diabetic. Any percentage higher than this suggests that you have diabetes.
Random Blood Sugar Test:
The value for blood sugar is expressed in mg/dl. The blood sample with a level equal to or higher than 200 mg/dl suggests that you have diabetes.
Fasting Blood Sugar Test:
This blood sample is generally taken post an overnight fasting. A reading less than 100 mg/dl is dubbed as normal. However, a level between 100 and 125mg/dl is pre-diabetic. Anything higher than this number suggests that you have diabetes.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test:
This is actually a less common test except if you need to take it during pregnancy. You need to fast the night prior to the test and drink a sugary liquid at the physician’s office. Now, your blood sugar level is tested periodically in the next 2 hours.
Treatment Options for Diabetes Mellitus
If you develop diabetes later in life or are pre-diabetic currently, the line of holistic treatment options helps. Holistic Treatment for diabetes mellitus includes:
Weight Loss:
If you are diagnosed with diabetes, losing your weight, even by 10 percent can bring down the blood sugar levels. This means, someone weighing close to 82 kilograms needs to lose at least 5.9 kilograms. This is to make a great impact over your blood sugar level. Controlling the portions & eating better/healthy foods can work as the simplest way to start shedding the weight.
[Also Read 5 most important tips for Diabetic in managing weight]
Healthy Eating:
Contrary to the popular belief, there is no set diet for diabetes. However, it is mandated that you center the diet around:
- Fewer refined form of carbohydrates likes sweets
- Fewer calories
- Fewer foods with saturated fats
- More fiber based food
- More fruits and vegetables
[Also Read Diabetes Diet: Make Your Healthy Food Choices and Eating Plan]
Blood Sugar Monitoring:
Depending on the treatment plan, a patient might be required to check the blood sugar levels in regular intervals. This is especially true if you have been taking insulin on a regular basis. Ask the doctor how often the blood sugar is required to be checked in your case. Regular and careful monitoring is the best way to address the fact that your blood sugar is normal.
Regular Exercise:
Everyone requires regular exercise, especially aerobic. People diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes also need the same. However, you need to get an “OK” prior to starting the exercise program. Pick activities that you actually enjoy like swimming, biking, and walking. This helps you add them to the daily routine without a need to miss or skip.
Aim for moderate exercise of 30-60 minutes along with vigorous exercise of 15 or 20 minutes. The combination of aerobic exercises with strength training and dancing/walking. These provides you ample benefit health wise and lowers the blood sugar. It also enhances the functionality of your blood sugar medications and helps you lose some body weight.
[Also Read Diabetes: Here is How to Manage Diabetes with Exercise]
Insulin Therapy or Diabetes Medications:
Some people with Type 2 diabetes can actually achieve the target level of blood sugar with mere exercise and diet. However, this is not true for everyone. Some patients require insulin therapy and diabetes medications to ensure that you remain safe from the diabetes complications. Complications such as kidney disease or heart disease. Your doctor could combine the drugs from several classes to aid in control of blood sugar.
Possible-Drug Based Treatment for Diabetes Includes:
Metformin (Glumetza/Glucophage):
Normally, metformin comes as the first line of medication prescribed for the Type 2 diabetes. It functions by lowering the glucose production inside the liver and improves the body’s sensitivity towards insulin. The possible metformin side effects include diarhhea and nausea.
Sulfonylureas:
These lines of medications help the body secrete higher amounts of insulin. The examples include glipizide, glyburide, and glimepiride. The possible sulfonylureas side effects include weight gain and lower blood sugar.
Meglitinides:
This medication like repaglinide & nateglinide works in a way similar to sulfonylureas. It stimulates your pancreas to produce higher amount of insulin with faster application process. However, their effect on your body is way shorter.
Thiazolidinediones:
Similar to metformin, these medications which include pioglitazone and rosiglitazone. The tissues in your body become highly sensitive to the insulin released by the liver. However, this drug has been associated with weight gain as well as serious side-effects. It leads to increased risk of suffering from anemia and heart failure.
Insulin:
If you are looking forward to a reliable way to control blood sugar levels. Insulin therapy comes as the most reliable one. Earlier, it was opted as a last resort. However, doctors today prescribe it as soon as possible given its ample health benefits for diabetics. Normal digestion tends to interfere with the insulin being taken orally. This is why insulin needs to be injected depending on the needs.
Conclusion
Now that you know the ins and outs of Diabetes Mellitus, the next goal is to opt for diabetes management. Try and bring your blood glucose level closest to normal by a careful mix of prescribed medications. Especially with the herbal/Ayurvedic treatment options.
Thanks for the kind words. Stay connected for more updates.