Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, is a complex chronic disease that can cause or contribute to serious health problems. Diabetes comes about when the body’s ability to produce or properly use insulin is disrupted. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.
The Cause of Diabetes:
– The pancreas, a bodily organ located behind the stomach, contains special cells responsible for the production and secretion of a hormone called insulin. The body has very strict regulations regarding blood sugar (glucose) levels. When blood glucose levels become too high, such as after a person has eaten, the pancreas secretes insulin to return the blood glucose to a healthy level.
– The body is provided with energy by means of carbohydrates. When a carbohydrate-rich food is eaten, it is eventually broken down in the intestines. The glucose in the food is absorbed by the small intestines to be converted by the body to energy. The glucose is transported in the bloodstream to cells who will utilize it. Glucose though, cannot be absorbed by the cells without the aid of insulin.
These are the roles of insulin in the body. When this system of insulin secretion, blood glucose levels, and glucose absorption becomes distorted from a variety of causes, the result is diabetes.
When a person has a certain type of diabetes, their body does not produce insulin in sufficient amounts. As a result:
– The body is unable to adequately control elevated levels of blood glucose;
– The cells are unable to utilize glucose in the blood, therefore, the cells starve and the glucose that is required by the body but cannot be used is excreted in the urine.
As a result of these insulin malfunctions, a person is diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that will have to be dealt with during the entire life of the person diagnosed with it. It is not a curable disease, but there are several methods of treatment a doctor can prescribe, including insulin injections or the introduction of a healthy diet and exercise. Diabetes can frequently lead to such medical conditions as kidney failure, blindness, stroke, nerve damage, bladder infections, heart disease, hypertension, and in extreme cases, loss of a limb due to poor circulation
Contributing Factors:
There are certain factors that can contribute to the onset of diabetes. Diabetes is being diagnosed to more and more young people in the United States, which suggests that lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity may be playing increasingly major roles in its development, and not just factors related to advanced age.
Diabetes may be more likely to occur in persons of a certain ethnicity, or those with a family history of diabetes. People who are overweight or who consume a high fat diet are particularly susceptible. Knowing the factors that contribute to the development of diabetes may be helping in reducing the large number of cases diagnosed each year. These factors include:
– Age, especially those older than 45 years, although diabetes is being increasingly diagnosed in young people and children;
– Obesity;
– A family history of diabetes;
– Race or ethnicity, particularly:
o Native American
o Hispanic American
o African American
o Pacific Islander
– A diet high in fat and cholesterol;
– Hypertension (high cholesterol);
– For a woman, having given birth to a baby that weighs 9 pounds or more;
– Having had a viral infection that affected the pancreas;
– An early allergic reaction, which in some can affect the pancreas;
– The long term use of certain medications.
When two or more of these risk factors apply, a consultation with a doctor should be arranged. A doctor can confirm, through simple tests, the presence of diabetes, and introduce treatment that can control the disease.
Every person can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by eating a healthy diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight.