3 posts tagged “type 1 diabetes”
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition caused by too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. Your blood sugar level can be too high if your body does not make enough of the hormone insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach) and moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it is broken down to produce energy.
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, accounts for 10-15% of all people with the disease. It can appear at any age, although commonly under 40, and is triggered by environmental factors such as viruses, diet or chemicals in people genetically predisposed. People with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with insulin several times a day and follow a careful diet and exercise plan.
Type 2 Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use the hormone insulin, made in the pancreas, to help them process blood glucose into energy.
People develop type 2 diabetes because the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly. Eventually, the pancreas cannot make enough insulin for the body’s needs. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy. Over the years, high blood glucose damages nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems, gum infections, and amputation.
Diabetes Symptoms
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stop producing insulin, due to autoimmune response or possibly viral attack on pancreas. In absence of insulin, body cells does not get glucose for producing ATP (Adenosin Triphosphate) units which results into primary symptom in the form of nausea and vomiting. In latter stage which leads to ketoacidosis in which body starts breaking down muscle tissue and fat for energy, there is consequently fast weight loss. Dehydration is also usually observed due to electrolyte disturbance. In advance stages even coma and death, are being witnessed.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:
* Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.
* Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.
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Juvenile Diabetes
For many years, Type 1 Diabetes has been referred to as Juvenile Diabetes. Most often, the people who are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes are children and young adults. Insulin is a natural hormone found in your body that helps the body to convert sugar, starches, and other foods into the energy that is needed to sustain life. People are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when their body fails to produce enough insulin to properly convert the intake of sugars and starches into energy.
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease – a disease that results in the body’s failure to fight infections naturally. Autoimmune diseases cause the body to begin attacking its own cells. In Type 1 Diabetes, the cells that are attacked are the beta cells in the pancreas that produce the insulin that turns sugars and starches into the energy needed for your body to function properly.
Cause and Length of Illness
Though the cause of Type 1 Diabetes is unclear, there are several things that we do know about this disease. Type 1 Diabetes is a lifelong, yet often manageable disease. Lifestyle and genetics play a large role in the onset and diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. It is not contagious like a cold; therefore Type 1 Diabetes cannot be passed from one person to another. Diabetes is not caused from eating sweets. One symptom of diabetes is that the body fails to produce the hormone that turns sugars and starches into energy – but consuming sugars and starches do not cause the disease.
What To Do if You Are Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes
If you are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, the first thing that you should do is to avoid panicking. Type 1 Diabetes is a serious and lifelong illness, though in many cases it can be successfully managed with the proper care and diet. Maintaining your overall health is the first step to successfully managing diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes can sometimes lead to other, more serious health conditions – such as heart attack and stroke. While maintaining a healthy lifestyle may not prevent the onset of these other illnesses, it may increase the onset of the illnesses and can help to lessen the effects of these illnesses dramatically. Skin disorders can also be caused by diabetes; therefore, it is important to maintain a routine regimen of skin care that may help to delay or even avoid the onset of skin diseases associated with diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes could place you at a higher risk for contracting gum diseases and other mouth-related problems. It is important to maintain a proper oral hygiene regimen in order to reduce the risks of illnesses associated with the mouth. Proper eye care and early detection of problems can contribute to saving your sight. Blindness is often associated with diabetes. Nerve damage or poor blood flow associated with Type 1 Diabetes can cause a diabetic to develop many different types of foot problems. It is important that you follow some basic guidelines that will help you protect your feet and avoid the onset of foot-related problems.
Lifestyle choices can help or hinder your management of Type 1 Diabetes. It is very important that you maintain a healthy lifestyle, complete with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and proper hygiene. In that fashion, there are some things that you should completely avoid or limit.
Smoking is a habit that contributes to the deterioration of your health, especially if you have been diagnosed with a disease that already affects your health, such as Type 1 Diabetes. Smoking is definitely something that should be avoided – and is a good idea even if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes. While alcohol consumption should be limited, it is not completely necessary to avoid all consumption of alcohol. If your diabetes is under control and if you are free of any of the health problems associated with diabetes that can be made worse by alcohol consumption, such as nerve damage or high blood pressure, it is often okay to have the occasional social drink. Stress is also something that can contribute to increasing the affects of Type 1 Diabetes. While stress cannot always be avoided, it is essential to both your physical and your mental health to learn how to handle stress in a healthy manner.
Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on Herbs and Alternative health. If you are looking for more useful information then visit Diabetes Causes and Diabetes Symptoms.
Diabetes is a metabolic disease that is caused when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to naturally turn sugars ingested into your body into energy. There are three major types of diabetes.
Type-1 Diabetes
This type of diabetes is an autoimmune disease – which is a result of the body’s failure to fight infection. As a result, the body begins to attack its own cells – in this case the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. The body destroys the beta cells and no insulin is produced. People with type-1 diabetes have to take insulin shots daily in order to live.
The causes of type-1 diabetes are not known, however autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are believed to play a role in the onset of type-1 diabetes. This type of diabetes can affect people of any age, but most often is found in children and young adults. Symptoms of type-1 diabetes include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, blurred vision, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. An early diagnosis of type-1 diabetes is very important. Without daily injections of insulin, a person with this type of diabetes is at a high risk of lapsing into a diabetic coma, a life-threatening condition.
Type-2 Diabetes
This type of diabetes is the most common type. Type-2 diabetes usually affects adults who are obese, have a family history of diabetes, or have a previous history of gestational diabetes. Type-2 diabetes is not caused by the body’s inability to produce insulin, but rather by the body’s inability to use the insulin it creates effectively. This causes the blood to have higher levels of sugars than normal.
The symptoms of type-2 diabetes include frequent thirst and urination, nausea, unexplained weight loss, frequent infections, wounds and sores heal slowly, and fatigue.
This type of diabetes can often be prevented or controlled with certain lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and regular exercise. Some patients need to take medications and many use natural treatments to effectively control the symptoms of type-2 diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes
This type of diabetes occurs in pregnant women and is caused by an intolerance to carbohydrates, which causes blood sugar levels to increase. It is very important for a woman who has gestational diabetes to control the disease in order to prevent the baby from being affected at birth. If the blood sugar levels in the pregnant woman are not under control, there is a risk of the baby going into insulin shock at birth.
Gestational diabetes risk factors include a family history of diabetes, increased maternal age, and obesity. While the symptoms of gestational diabetes usually disappear after the birth, there are significant risks to both the mother and child. The mother is at a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes at a later time and the child is at a higher risk of being obese or developing diabetes later in life.
Preventing the Onset of Diabetes
Many times, diabetes can be prevented or the onset can be delayed. All three types of diabetes can be controlled effectively by changes in your lifestyle. A healthy diet is the most important change – eating healthy foods on a normal schedule allows your body to perform the tasks necessary to sustain life. A healthy diet should consist of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Once a person has been diagnosed with any type of diabetes, the intake of carbohydrates should be monitored and the intake of sugars should be greatly reduced.
Regular exercise is also important for your overall health. Keeping your body in good working order by keeping muscles toned and blood flowing correctly also helps your body to perform its normal tasks.
It is important for early diagnosis and effective treatment of diabetes in order to avoid more serious illness and diseases that can be associated with diabetes such as heart disease and stroke. Diabetics are at a higher risk of developing many other diseases and illnesses, but the most important thing to remember is that if you work with your body, your body will work for you.
Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. If you are looking for more information, read about Types of Diabetes. AyurvedicCure.com is the World’s Largest Alternative Health Portal. Visit Exclusive Guide on Pets Health Care