Diabetes
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a common hormone disorder which causes chronic high blood sugar. The disease is brought on by the body no longer responding to insulin or the body becoming unable to produce insulin.
Type 1
Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. This condition is serious because sugar is not being moved out of the blood stream at all. Not only is the buildup of sugar causing high blood sugar, but the person is not receiving what they need to have energy to function. This will lead to dehydration, weight loss, and damage to the body. It can also lead to the breaking down of fat cells by large amounts of acid in the blood. This is called ketoacidosis and is life threatening.
Type 2
Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not respond to insulin causing sugar to build up in the blood. As sugar builds up in the blood cells start to lose their functioning capabilities. The most common causes of this type are lack of exercise and obesity. Type 2 diabetes is controllable through diet and some medication.
Risk Factors
- Someone in your family has had diabetes
- Being of Hispanic or African-American descent
- Hypertension
- Being overweight
- Polycystic ovary disease
- Vascular disease
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that only occurs while you are pregnant. While pregnant, the hormones produced by placenta can make it difficult for insulin to work. This causes insulin resistance similar to those who have Type 2. This is dangerous if not treated because the baby could be born with low blood sugar or be too large to be birthed normally.
How to Prevent Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is currently not preventable; however, Type 2 can be prevented simply by maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen.
