Happy Saturday! It’s November, which means the year’s almost over and it’s Diabetes Awareness month. Many people know about diabetes, but they don’t know what exactly it is.
Diabetes is a condition where one’s blood sugar is higher than what’s considered normal and healthy. There’s 2 types of diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. The gland that controls our blood sugar is the pancreas. Using ins
ulin and glycogen, the pancreas can control our blood sugar from going too high or too low. Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin: the hormone that helps reduce blood sugar levels. Because of this, blood sugar goes up. Insulin is able to control the glucose levels by acting as a “key” to cells, allowing the glucose to enter the cells where they can be used for food. When there is little insulin, they can’t effectively get the glucose into cells and there’s a buildup of it in the blood. Type 2 Diabetes on the other hand is caused by the inability of insulin to open up the cells. The insulin receptors (the “lock” which the insulin “key” attaches to) don’t work properly. Because the glucose can’t enter the cell, there’s a build up of glucose in the blood.
There are many symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes. A few symptoms are frequent urination, feeling very thirsty and hungry, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, slow healing cuts, and rapid weight loss. Watching out for these symptoms can help prevent any major complications. While Type 1 diabetes isn’t curable, it can be treated. With insulin treatment, blood sugar can be regulated. By introducing insulin back into the body, blood sugar will go down and get back to a normal level. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes are very similar to those of type 1 diabetes. However, the treatment is quite different. Since the problem isn’t in the lack of the insulin but rather in the efficiency of the insulin, treatment for Type 2 diabetes includes mainly lifestyle changes and sometimes medicine to control glucose levels. Regardless of which type, consistent monitoring of blood sugar levels, proper diet, and a healthy lifestyle can help diabetics live a normal and healthy life.
If you’d like to learn more about both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, here are a couple links you can check out.
Stay healthy! Enjoy your weekend and the extra hour of sleep on Sunday!
