What Is Diabetes?
Almost everyone knows someone who has diabetes, a serious condition that lasts for life. Diabetes is a long-term (acute) condition caused by too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. Diabetes mellitus is another name for it, and if you have it you are diabetic.
Diabetes is a disorder of your metabolism, the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. When you eat food the body is breaking most of it down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the needs of the body.
Insulin stimulates these cells and they absorb glucose they need from the blood. It also stimulates the liver into absorbing and storing any insulin that’s left over. In diabetes, the glucose in the blood is too high.
Glucose comes from foods that contain carbohydrate (starches and sugars); for example, breads and cereals, milk and dairy foods, fruits and some vegetables. Glucose travels in the bloodstream to the muscles and other organs that use it as fuel. Detouring to the liver is excess glucose, the liver storing it for future use. Glucose is the body’s preferred source of energy and our bodies need it to work efficiently, just like a car needs petrol to run.Insulin is regulating the blood glucose level, a hormone (or chemical messenger) made in the pancreas. Insulin is the key that glucose needs to enter the body’s cells so using it as fuel. Diabetes happens when the pancreas stops producing insulin, which is Type 1 diabetes, or when the body responds improperly to insulin, known as Type 2 diabetes. Insulin injections are necessary to treat Type 1 diabetes. Controlling type 2 diabetes by doing regular exercise and diet helps initially. As the disease progresses starting tablets and eventually insulin injections may be necessary.
Producing insulin is the job of the pancreas which is a gland behind the stomach. Digesting food enters your bloodstream, and insulin moves any glucose out of the blood and into cells, breaking it down to produce energy.
When insulin is deficient, the body starts breaking down fat and protein stores to use as alternative energy sources. As a result, you eat more yet lose weight. Also removing high levels of sugar in the bloodstream by the urine happens. In addition sugar in the urine causes excessive urination and thirst.
Learning more about diabetes is an important step toward helping yourself feel better and staying healthy. Working with your health care providers, you can set goals that are right for you to help manage your diabetes.
Diabetes can have other effects throughout your body. Keeping control of your blood sugar can reduce the risk of damage. Remember that it is never too late to start, prevention being better than cure in keeping problems away.