Diabetes - A Deep-dive into Diabetes, Symptoms and Preventive Measures

in Endocrinology

Nov 9, 2024

To put it simply, Diabetes is a lifestyle disease. Owing to sedentary lifestyle, poor health habits, lack of movement in everyday life gradually compounds to predisposition of Diabetes. There are a few terms one should get acquainted with before trying to understand Diabetes at large. Some of the key terms are:

Glucose: Glucose is a vital component of energy for our bodies. It is mainly derived from 2 places – namely food and the Liver.

Insulin: Insulin is a type of hormone that aids glucose move from blood to our cells which thereafter use the sugar for energy.

In biological terms, Diabetes happens when the blood glucose is too high. It develops when your pancreas may not become potent enough to produce insulin. Now the question arrives, from where does the glucose come from? Well, the food we intake on daily basis which comprise of carbohydrates majorly, which is a key source of carbohydrate, this source of carbohydrate seeks help from hormone called Insulin.

In terms of biology, Diabetes is referred as Diabetes Mellitus. There are two types of Diabetes:

Pre-diabetes: Pre-diabetes is a condition that isn’t officially a type-2 diabetes condition but its presence indicates that at some point it might develop into type-2 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes: This type of Diabetes is an auto immune disease wherein the immune systems of the body attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas of the body. These calls are referred to as beta cells. Insulin is a kind of hormone that let glucose enter into cells thereby providing energy. Without the presence of insulin, glucose free flows in the bloodstream which eventually leads to high blood sugar levels.
Type 2 Diabetes: In this type of diabetes, the body produces little to no insulin and people with this type of diabetes need to depend on the external source of insulin in order to mitigate blood sugar level. This is one of the most common type of diabetes found in people owing to lifestyle choices and other factors. In the initial stage, a lot of people do not realise that they are prone to type 2 diabetes but there are signs that one can get familiarise themselves with in order to take steps from type 2 diabetes to creep in.

What are the key symptoms of Diabetes at Large?

Uncontrollable Thirst: One of the most evident signs of diabetes is the uncontrollable thirst as high blood sugar level can cause immediate dehydration. The reason behind this is that the body tries to flush out the glucose via urine.
Unexplained Weight Loss: When the body is unable to prioritize glucose utilisation owing to lack of insulin and insulin resistance, it starts to break down muscle and fat leading to unexplained weight loss.
Slow-healing Wounds or Sores: Another key sign is slow healing of the wounds as higher blood sugar can lead to poor circulation of the blood which in turn means that the body is unable to heal the wounds.
Frequent Infections: Individuals with diabetes are accustomed to getting frequent infections like fungal infection, UTI ( Urinary Tract Infection ) and other skin infections owing to weaker immune system.
Acanthosis Nigricans: There’s an evident presence of dark velvety patches in under arms, neck, groin area and other skin folds. Although it is usually mistaken for poor hygiene levels but that is incorrect information. This condition is developed due to insulin resistance.
Recurring Yeast Infection: The sign of high blood sugar is persistent yeast infection in women especially around warm and moist area such as under the breasts or vaginal area.
Fatigue: The presence of persistent fatigue and the lack of energy is a sign of diabetes as individuals’ body cannot utilise glucose in an efficient manner thereby reducing the energy levels of a person who is diabetic.
Blurred Vision: The lens of the eye swells if the blood sugar is poorly controlled. However, this improves once the blood sugar levels are stabilized but this symptom cannot be ruled out as a sign of diabetes.
Tingling Sensation: Nerve damage is a very clear-cut sign of diabetes which also referred to as diabetic neuropathy. One way to identify this is by paying attention to tingling sensation, numbness and pain in feet and the hands.
Increased levels of Hunger: Individuals with high blood sugar feel famished very often as the body does not get enough glucose owing to insulin issues. The body signals hunger to compensates for the lack of the energy in the body.

Prevention of Diabetes

While the treatment of type-1 diabetes remains unknown, type-2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented via lifestyle changes. There are so many ways that one can attempt to mitigate or manage the blood sugar levels such as:

Reducing the intake of carbohydrate and increasing the intake of protein in the diet
Reducing the consumption of sugar and other processed food items.
Maintain a healthy weight
Eat a well-balanced diet
Regular monitoring of blood sugar level to chart a path for better diagnosis

Seeking Treatment for Diabetes? Explore Treatment Plan at Paras Health

Although Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are like each other in that the blood sugar levels are high and a regulation of blood glucose is required, there exist major differences between the two conditions, including their age of onset, insulin production, and treatment. Indeed, Type 1 diabetes is essentially an autoimmune condition resulting in a near-total absence of insulin production, whereas Type 2 diabetes is primarily caused by a form of insulin resistance and is therefore associated with lifestyle factors.

If you or your loved ones are prediabetic, diabetic or struggling with blood sugar levels, you can explore the top-notch treatment by the endocrinologists at Paras Health. Our facilities have the most sought-after treatment plans, doctors, support staff and advanced tools and machinery to assist the diabetes management. In case you need to talk to our health experts, please reach us at 080 3538 3051.