Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes is a complex, serious, costly and increasingly common disease.

One hundred and fifty one million people or 8% of the world population are diabetic and the number is increasing. Since the 1990's, there has been a 75% increase in diabetes, averaging about one million new cases diagnosed each year. In 1999, diabetes was listed as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, causing approximately 450,000 deaths.

To understanding the complexity of diabetes, we must first learn how the body process food. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (sugar) that the body then uses for energy. the pancreas, an organ which lies near the stomach, produces a hormone called insulin. Operating much like a key, insulin opens up each individual cell's door, letting in glucose. After the cells receive this sugar, energy is produced. Diabetes is a condition where the body makes little or on insulin, or does not properly use the insulin it does produce. thus, when the sugars are unable to enter the cells, they begin to build up in the blood becoming very harmful to the body.

Diabetes can adversely affect nearly every organ system. Complications of diabetes include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease, amputation, dental disease and difficulties with pregnancy. People with diabetes are more susceptible to many other illness, studies have found that diabetes are more likely to die of pneumonia or influenza than people who do not have this disease.

Type of Diabetes

The three type of diabetes: Gestational diabetes, Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is a form of glucose intolerance that is diagnosed in some pregnant women; the cause is still unknown. During pregnancy, some forms of treatment are required to normalize maternal blood glucose levels to avoid complications with the infant. Immediately following pregnancy, 5% to 10% of women with gestational diabetes are fond to develop type 2 diabetes. Women with gestation diabetes who do not develop type 2 diabetes immediately after delivery have a 20% to 50% change of developing type 2 diabetes during the following 5~10 years.

Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. The causes of type 1 diabetes are complex and still not fully understood. In this form, cells within the pancreas are destroyed and eventually insulin is no longer produced. The diabetic then needs several insulin injections a day or an insulin pump to survive. Type 1 diabetics are thought to have an inherited predisposition to diabetes that usually strikes children and young adults. It has been theorized that this genetic disease may remain dormant until activated by an environmental trigger such as a virus or a chemical.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, accounting for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Nearly 6 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Type 2 diabetics are associated with obesity, older age, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity and race. As with all type of diabetes, treatment is focused at keeping blood glucose near normal levels at all times. However, many people with this form of diabetes can control their blood glucose levels by following a nutritious diet and consistent exercise program, losing excess weight and taking oral medication.

No matter which type of diabetes one develops, being diagnosed with diabetes can mean a lot of changes, especially concerning diet. Diabetics should learn how specific foods affect their blood sugar level and what foods they should avoid in order to achieve a healthy balance.