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What is Diabetes - Important Facts About Diabetes

Author: AdrianFletcher
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The disease of diabetes certainly seems to be getting a lot of attention these days. It is thought to be one of the fastest growing diseases in the world causing concern from organizations such as the World Health Organization. So what is diabetes ? This article will cover what it is and the different types of diabetes.

A person with diabetes has a high level of sugar in their bloodstream. Their body cannot process the sugar or glucose in the blood. Sugar is the energy that keeps the body's cells alive. Without this energy the cells begin to starve.

A common belief that is largely unfounded is that consuming too much sugar will give you diabetes. This is not strictly true. Eating or drinking too much sugar will increase your calorific intake. This could lead to a gain in weight if a person did not exercise enough.

If this continued for too long the person could become obese or be long term over weight. And there seems to be a definite link between type 2 diabetes and weight. A person that is over weight is at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than a person who is a normal weight for their size and sex.

Another common belief is that most people that have diabetes don't even know they have it. This is often the case because it is very hard to diagnose the disease without a fasting test. There are no symptoms that are unique to the disease and in some cases there are no symptoms at all.

Some of the more common symptoms are :

Constantly thirsty (polydipsia).

Increased urination (polyuria).

Having a large appetite without any appreciable weight gain (usually weight loss).

Extreme fatigue.

Nausea and a general feeling of being ill.

Yeast infections.

Problems with vision.

Male impotence.

Should you notice any of these symptoms in your own life then you want to notify your health care professional.

Your body may have stopped producing the hormone insulin, that is secreted to reduce the sugar content in the blood. This is known as insulin dependent diabetes or type 1 diabetes.

Or, your body continues to produce insulin but the cells become resistant to this insulin. This is called type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can also occur during pregnancy and then will stop after the birth. This is called gestational diabetes.

As yet there is no cure for all the types of diabetes. There is only ongoing treatment. Treatment is quite straightforward once the person has gotten used to the changes that are required in their lifestyle.

Treatment is a two pronged approach. If focuses on eating the right foods and getting regular exercise. You can set up your own diabetic diet by following the diabetic food pyramid but it is probably best to get initial ideas on the right food to eat from your doctor or a dietitian. Exercise helps to use up energy and reduce blood sugar levels. People with type 1 diabetes will also have to inject insulin normally before a meal and sometimes when they have a high blood sugar level. People with type 2 diabetes may have to take medication so that their body responds to the insulin already being produced. after the initial change in lifestyle, this treatment is easy to implement and there will be no significant impact on your life due to diabetes.

About the Author

Get more on diabetic diet plans at www.diabeticdietsplan.com. The site deals with diets and eating healthy diabetic food and some common symptoms of diabetes.