|
| |
| |
| |
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is either too high or too low. Glucose comes from the digestion of starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes, chapatis, yams and plantain, from sugar and other sweet foods, and from the liver which makes glucose.
Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is vital for life. It helps the glucose to enter the cells where it is used as fuel by the body. |
|
| |
 There are two main types of diabetes. These are: |
|
| |
Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes |
|
|
|
Type 1 diabetes develops if the body is unable to produce any insulin. This type of diabetes usually appears before the age of 40. Type 1 diabetes is the least common of the two main types and accounts for between 5 – 15% of all people with diabetes. |
|
|
|
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). In most cases this is linked with being overweight. This type of diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, though in South Asian and African-Caribbean people often appear after the age of 25. However, recently, more children are being diagnosed with the condition, some as young as seven. Type 2 diabetes is the most common of the two main types and accounts for between 85 - 95% of all people with diabetes. |
|
|
|
Treating Diabetes
Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be treated very successfully.
Type 1 diabetes is treated by insulin injections and diet, and regular exercise is recommended. Insulin cannot be taken by mouth because it is destroyed by the digestive juices in the stomach. People with this type of diabetes commonly take either two or four injections of insulin each day. If you have Type 1 diabetes, your insulin injections are vital to keep you alive and you must have them every day.
Type 2 diabetes is treated with lifestyle changes such as a healthier diet, weight loss and increased physical activity. Tablets and/or insulin may also be required to achieve normal
blood glucose levels. There are several kinds of tablets for people with Type 2 diabetes. Some kinds help your pancreas to produce more insulin. Other kinds help your body to make better use of the insulin that your pancreas does produce. Another type of tablet slows down the speed at which the body absorbs glucose from the intestine. Your doctor will decide with you which kinds of tablet are going to work best for you and may prescribe more than one kind. Type 2 diabetes is progressive. If your diabetes cannot be controlled through lifestyle changes and tablets your doctor may recommend that you take insulin injections.
The main aim of treatment of both types of diabetes is to maintain blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels as near to normal range as possible. This, together with a healthy lifestyle, will help to improve wellbeing and protect against long-term damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and major arteries. |
| |
|
