Chronic Diseases: Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Over 7% of our population suffers from diabetes and the cause remains somewhat of a mystery.
There are four types of diabetes.
| Type of Diabetes | Brief Description |
| Type 1 | Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. |
| Type 2 | Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. |
| Gestational diabetes | Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women and usually disappears after the birth of the baby. |
| Pre-diabetes | Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. |
Signs and Symptoms
Most symptoms of diabetes appear "normal" or at most harmless. However, these are some symptoms to look for:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unusual weight loss
- Increased fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurry vision
Treatment
In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Your health care provider will prescribe medicine and a lifestyle plan to combat this disease.
What do you think? Does eating too much sugar cause diabetes?
What do you think? If you have diabetes, you should only eat small amounts of starchy foods, such as bread, potatoes and pasta.For more information, visit American Diabetes Association.
