how to know if you have diabetes , Diabetes is a common disease caused by high blood glucose (hyperglycaemia). It is usually caused by a combination of hereditary or environmental causes. Blood sugar levels are controlled by complex interactions of many chemicals and hormones in the body, including the hormone insulin, in the pancreas. There are three types of diabetes – type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes (gestational diabetes).
- Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a partial or absolute lack of insulin, which is why it is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. It most often occurs in childhood and adolescence, but can also develop at a later stage. Until recently, type
- 2 diabetes occurred exclusively in adults (even as a synonym for “senile type diabetes”), but with obesity and increased sugar consumption, it occurs at an earlier age. It is characterized by insulin resistance.
-
Pregnancy diabetes occurs in the third trimester and usually resolves after birth. Women who develop this type of diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes at a later age. Tighter control of the course of pregnancy is required, monitoring the development of the fetus.
Table of Contents
Diabetes statistics , how to know if you have diabetes
According to the latest data of the International Diabetes Federation, the number of patients in Bulgaria is more than embarrassing – 595,700. About 40 percent of them do not know that they are carriers of the disease, and another 70 – are poorly treated. According to the International Federation of Europe, 31 million people suffer from diabetes and the incidence is 8.6%. The forecast for 2025 is that the number of patients will reach 10%.
A message from the International Federation on World Diabetes Day (November 14), sent to all countries of the world, states the horrifying fact that every 10 seconds one person on the planet dies from diabetes. Other important facts are that every 10 seconds two people develop the disease, and every year about 70 million children worldwide do so. More people died of diabetes than during World War I and World War II combined.
Symptoms and dangers of diabetes , how to know if you have diabetes
The most common symptoms of diabetes are increased thirst, feeling weak and tired, urinating frequently, gaining weight or losing weight, increased susceptibility to infections and blurred vision. Less common are signs of the disease such as deteriorating mental health, ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar coma.
Increased thirst (or so-called polydipsia) is due to the high concentration of glucose in the blood, which raises its osmotic pressure. To restore balance, some of the intracellular water goes into the blood. Exceeding the renal threshold, glucose begins to be excreted in the urine and “pulls” more water with it. As a result, the body becomes dehydrated. On the other hand, the increased osmotic pressure of the blood and the dehydration of the cells send a signal to the brain, as a result of which a feeling of thirst is obtained as a compensatory reaction.
We feel the presence of fatigue in diabetes when the cells of the body are unable to absorb their main energy source from the blood – glucose. In this case, the cells begin to process other substances such as proteins that do not release enough “fuel”, which in turn leads to faster depletion of the human body.
Frequent urination means not only the frequency but also the excretion of higher amounts of urine. This is a kind of attempt by the body to get rid of the large amount of glucose in the blood, which anyway fails to be utilized by the cells. The kidneys have a so-called “glucose threshold” – this is the value of blood sugar, above which begins the excretion of glucose in the urine. The large amount of glucose “pulls” with it a significant amount of body water and as a result there is increased urination.
The symptom of increased appetite leading to weight gain is usually more pronounced in type 2 diabetes, where there is a high level of insulin (it stimulates the feeling of hunger). On the other hand, the lack of energy that reaches the cells causes the body to get more calories and more food. This manifests itself as a feeling of hunger and increased appetite.
Despite normal or even higher food intake, diabetics lose weight because they lose a lot of calories with glucose, which cannot “enter” the cells to be broken down, and is lost in the urine. Weight loss is also due to dehydration, which is a consequence of high blood sugar. High blood sugar interferes with the normal functioning of white blood cells, which are a key element in “cleansing” dead tissue in the body, healing wounds and fighting infections.
In addition, for a longer period of time, diabetes leads to sclerosis and thickening of the smallest and largest blood vessels and this causes poor blood flow, poor tissue nutrition (including access to oxygen and blood defenses) and hence more slowly and difficult wound healing and more frequent infections. Blurred vision is not a specific complaint of diabetes, but is common in high blood sugar. In the lens of the eye, glucose is converted to sorbitol, which retains a lot of water. As a result, there is a periodic “swelling” and “contraction” of the eye lens, which leads to blurred vision.
When the mental state changes, there is tension, inexplicable irritability, severe lethargy or confusion. The patient appears inadequate, the symptoms may resemble those of a stroke. These complaints may be due only to high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia), may be symptoms of some of the most serious acute complications of diabetes such as ketoacidosis (and subsequent diabetic coma) or hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic syndrome and coma as well as very low blood pressure. sugar (hypoglycaemia).
Therefore, the manifestation of any of these symptoms requires immediate medical attention! In the so-called. Ketoacidosis is the inability to absorb glucose, which causes cells to look for other sources of energy and break down other substances. As a result, so-called “ketothelium” can be obtained. They change the acid-base balance of the blood to acidic pH, which has serious consequences for the work of all cells and especially those of the nervous system. Uncontrolled ketoacidosis causes the symptoms of confusion, irritability, nausea and vomiting, etc. described above, which can pass in the absence of treatment in a coma and even death.
Often ketoacidosis is the first manifestation of type 1 diabetes in adolescents and young adults. This condition is one of the most acute complications of diabetes. Ketoacidosis is often provoked by conditions and diseases that place higher demands on the metabolism of cells with higher insulin needs. Hyperosmolar non-ketone syndrome and hyperosmolar coma is a condition that results from high glucose concentrations and severe cell dehydration.
The symptoms here are very similar to those of ketoacidosis. This condition is often the first manifestation of type 2 diabetes and is also life-threatening if left untreated. The development of this condition is often caused by other diseases.
Treatment of diabetes how to know if you have diabetes
Here are some tips to help prevent diabetes from beating you up.
- Nutrition – A healthy diet (to maintain an ideal body weight) is of great importance for achieving diabetes control. Consultation with a doctor or nutritionist about the specific diet according to the individual needs of the patient is of paramount importance. Diabetic foods should be varied, rich in fruits, vegetables and grains. Sugar and fat should be consumed in limited quantities. Meals should be regular and should not be missed. Alcohol intake should be significantly limited and smoking cessation should be stopped.
-
Exercise – it is not necessary to perform complex physical activity – vigorous walking is enough. However, exercise should be regular. It stimulates weight loss and improves diabetes control.
-
Medications – At a certain stage in the development of the disease, taking medications to treat diabetes becomes a mandatory component of a diabetic’s life. They can be in tablet form or in the form of injectable insulin. The second option is mandatory in type 1 diabetes, as the body in children does not produce insulin and requires the use of a substitute.
-
Monitoring blood glucose levels – Blood sugar levels should be monitored regularly. The values from the measurements give the doctor an idea of the patient’s condition and the success of the applied treatment. If necessary, at the discretion of the attending physician, changes are made to the treatment initiated to achieve the goals of diabetic control.
- Long-term care – regular visits to the doctor are mandatory. Good control prevents the development of complications that occur during the course of the disease.
- Support – The stress of being diagnosed with diabetes can be very high in some people, which is why they need the support of their loved ones and additional professional help in the person of another medical professional (not just an endocrinologist).
Patients should also pay attention to other specific day-to-day care to monitor their condition (strict personal hygiene; special care for the feet and skin by guarding against injuries; at least once a year eye examinations and urine tests for of protein; monitoring of cholesterol and triglycerides). Good information and frequent conversations with the attending physician are of great importance for the successful management of the disease.
how to know if you have diabetes
Sources used for how to know if you have diabetes :
People who look for how to know if you have diabetes , also look for :
Why did I stop losing weight?
Is Watching TV While Eating Harmful ?
Why fasting Yourself is Bad for Weight Loss
6 Myths about the alkaline diet
