Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone in the body that is responsible for allowing glucose to enter the cells, providing them with the energy to function. Glucose is vital to health as it is an important source of energy for the cells which make up the muscles and tissues. It’s also the brain’s main source of fuel.

The underlying cause varies by type. But, no matter what type of you have, it can lead to excess sugar in your blood.

The two types of chronic diabetic conditions include Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 (formerly known as insulin-dependent, juvenile, or childhood-onset) is a chronic illness characterized by the body’s deficient insulin production due to the autoimmune destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas. Neither the cause nor the means to prevent it are known. Although this illness frequently occurs in childhood, it can also develop in adults

Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, change in vision, and fatigue. Some of these symptoms may occur suddenly.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 is the most common type of Diabetes ( formerly known as non-insulin-dependent, or adult-onset) resulting from the body’s inability to effectively use insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are said to have insulin resistance This type of diabetes is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. People who are middle-aged or older are most likely to get this, but it also affects kids and teens, mainly because of childhood obesity.

Symptoms may be similar to those of type 1 but are often so mild that you hardly notice them. About 8 million people who have Type 2 Diabetes do not know they have it. 

Symptoms include:

• Thirst
• Frequent Urination
• Blurry vision
• Feeling Cranky
• Numbness in the hands or feet
• Fatigue/
• Wounds that don’t heal
• Yeast infections that keep coming back
• Hunger
• Weight loss

Prevention

Simple lifestyle measures have been shown to be effective to help prevent diabetes and its complications, These include:

• Keeping a healthy body weight;
• Being physically active – doing at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days.
• Eating healthily
• Avoiding tobacco use – smoking increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Read more on illnesses that can affect both adults and children here :