What is Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, is a medical condition associated with abnormally high levels of glucose (or sugar) in the blood (hyperglycaemia).
Unfortunately, if you have diabetes, either inherited or through your lifestyle, diabetes is a chronic, life long condition. This however, makes it all important to know how to care for a diabetic person.

Glucose is a type of sugar found in certain foods such as honey and some, but not all, fruits. It is also the form of sugar that all sugary and starchy foods are converted to in the body after digestion. Glucose is used by the body to make energy.

How long does Diabetes last?
Diabetes Mellitus is a life-long, chronic condition.

1. Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood or adolescence. The symptoms tend to occur suddenly after the onset of the disease and are usually more obvious than those of type 2.

2. Type 2 diabetes usually begins in adulthood (mainly after 40 years of age). It develops gradually in most cases and may be present for several years before it is detected.

Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that may occur during pregnancy and usually goes away after the baby is born.

In both types of diabetes, the sugar stays in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells where it is needed and belongs. When blood sugar builds up in the blood, it causes two problems. First, the cells become starved for energy. And, over a period of time, high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys

Diabetes - Eye problems
Diabetes can damage and weaken the small blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye that is sensitive to light and helps you see. When the blood vessels are weak, they can leak fluid, which causes swelling in the eye. The swelling blurs your vision. If the eye damage gets worse, your eye attempts to fix this damage by making new blood vessels over the retin But because these blood vessels are fragile, they can break open easily and bleed into the eye. Scar tissue can then form. This may cause the retina to break away from the back of the eye, which can lead to visual impairment -even blindness.

If uncontrolled for many years, diabetes mellitus can lead to more serious health problems:

1. Blood vessel damage within the eye (retinopathy). This can lead to blindness.
2. Kidney disease (nephropathy) or kidney failure.
3. Nerve damage (neuropathy) especially of the hands and feet, causing tingling, numbness and weakness.
4. Narrowing of the blood vessels due to fatty deposits (atherosclerosis). This increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and poor blood flow in the legs.

How is Diabetes treated?
Treatment is aimed at controlling the elevated blood glucose without causing an abnormally low glucose level (hypoglycaemia). An important aspect of your treatment plan will involve eating a healthy diet (low fat, salt and sugar and high fibre). You should also monitor your blood glucose levels.

Article Tags: Diabetes Symptoms, Diabetes, Blindness, Kidney Failure, Immune System, Islet Cells, Insulin, Type 2 Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Sugar Levels, Glucose, Insulin Resistance.

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