Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body cannot make or use available insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone that turns the sugars in the foods we eat/drink into biological energy.
Types of Diabetes
The WHO recognizes three types of diabetes:
- Type 1 is a situation where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin so glucose (sugar) is not being absorbed by the cells causing the blood glucose to rise.
- Type 2 is when insulin is produced but it does not work properly so glucose is not consistently absorbed by the cells therefore it rises in the blood. It is frightening that most people with this type of diabetes do not even know it until they develop eye problems, nerve damage, kidney and gum damage etc.
- Type 3 also known as gestational diabetes occurs in pregnancy and usually disappears after child birth. Glucose is a source of fuel for the body. An organ called the pancreas makes insulin. The role of insulin is to move glucose from the blood stream into muscle, fat, and liver cells, where it can be used as fuel.
Symptoms
You may have Diabetes if you:
- Feel more thirsty, more hunger, urinate more or feel more tired.
- Have blurred vision, suffer weight loss.
- Have gum problems, or itch, or have sores that do not heal properly.
- Feel unusual sensations such as tingling in your fingers, toes etc.
- Have vaginal discharge in women and erectile dysfunction in men.
Complications
- Cataract: This is an occurrence from prolonged diabetes where the blood glucose builds up in the lens of the eyes, clouding it up and preventing light from passing through to the retina at the back of the eyes.
- Retinopathy: This is the term used for a situation where the small blood vessels in the layer at the back of the eye is damaged as a result of prolonged high blood glucose. This can make the vessels develop small blisters which burst and cause bleeding in the eye. When this damage to the retina become serious, the body tries to make new blood vessels and these are very weak and can bleed easily causing serious loss of sight.
- Neuropathy: This is the term for disturbances of the blood supply to the nerves due to high blood glucose, causing weakness. This damage causes the body to feel a lot of pain and effects its ability to transfer minerals and oxygen to the body cells. Men may suffer erectile dysfunction. It may cause heart attack. More dangerous is the effect on organs with tiny blood vessels like the eyes, kidneys and liver.
Preventing Diabetes
- eating a healthy diet i.e. foods that are high in fibre e.g. green leafy vegetables, low in fats e.g. cereals, avoid fried foods. Low in cholesterol e.g. fish, fruits and vegetables.
- wholegrain e.g wheat, acha. Cut down on carbohydrates and moderate your protein (especially animal protein).
- exercise at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week.
- loose excess weight thereby helping your body to use insulin better and keeping your blood pressure down.
- quit smoking if you smoke and reduce your alcohol intake.
Some people get diabetes more easily than others. For example if you:
- are over weight.
- don’t exercise.
- have regular blood pressure ( above 140/90).
- have high cholesterol level.
- have a family history of diabetes.
- are a woman and have a history of diabetes during pregnancy.
- come from certain areas of the world, notably Africa.
