Diabetes

What is diabetes?

The term diabetes encompasses a group of diseases that are associated with the hormone insulin and how your body processes glucose, or blood sugar -- put simply, if you have too much glucose in your blood, you have diabetes.

Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas that is responsible for regulating glucose levels in your blood and delivering glucose to your cells. If your pancreas does not produce insulin or your body’s cells have become resistant to insulin, you will have high blood sugar.

The most common types of diabetes are:

• Type 1 -- no insulin production
• Type 2 -- your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or is resistant to insulin
  Gestational -- triggered by pregnancy and changes in hormones

If you have diabetes, you are at risk for many health problems, including:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Nerve damage
• Kidney problems
• Vision problems
• Foot damage

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

If you have Type 1 diabetes, you are likely very aware of your condition. For those at risk of Type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes, the following symptoms are indicators of the disease:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Hunger
• Fatigue and irritability
• Blurred vision

Diabetes is a very serious disease so you should make an appointment with Dr. Ahad-Daman if you suspect something is wrong.

What causes diabetes?

The causes for for Type 1 diabetes usually are:

• Family history
• Diet
• Infection
• Diabetes autoantibodies that damage insulin production

In Type 2 diabetes, the factors that put you at risk typically are:

• Weight
• Pregnancy
• Lack of exercise
• Diet
• Race and age

As the name suggests, gestational diabetes is a result of pregnancy.

What is the treatment for diabetes?

There is no cure for diabetes -- but you can make great strides in fighting the disease with proper management techniques, such as:

• Lifestyle changes including diet and exercise
• Glucose monitoring
• Insulin therapy

If you have diabetes, it is important that you see Dr. Ahad-Daman to manage the disease and its potential complications, which can be very serious.