Diabetes is a disease, which people often don’t realize they have. It is even possible to have it, get rid of it and not know you had it. However, even though you’re not aware of its presence, if you have diabetes it is working within your body to damage cells.
Diabetes occurs when your body’s normal method of handling sugar encounters problems. Sugar in your blood is called glucose. It enters into your bloodstream through the foods you eat and from your liver. Your body needs this sugar as it provides energy for your muscle and tissue cells.
But in order to do its job, glucose needs the help of insulin. Insulin is present in certain cells of your pancreas known as beta cells. As you eat, your pancreas releases insulin into your bloodstream. The insulin circulates and allows sugar to enter your cells. This reduces the sugar in your bloodstream. When these levels begin to drop, the pancreas stops releasing insulin.
Glucose is also stored and manufactured in your liver. When insulin levels are high, your liver stores the extra sugar. When insulin levels are low, your liver converts this sugar into glucose and sends it into your bloodstream.
However, if this intricate balancing process malfunctions, the glucose does not enter the cells but builds up in the bloodstream until it is excreted in the urine. This condition has two causes. Either your pancreas is not producing enough insulin or your cells have become resistant to insulin. In either case, you have what is known in the medical profession as Type 2 Diabetes or Diabetes Mellitus.
There are also two other types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder. Your immune system attacks the beta cells in your pancreas and prevents it from producing the insulin you need. This type is often called juvenile diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes. It does most often occur in children and they do need a daily intake of insulin. However, adults can develop Type 1 and people with Type 2 diabetes may also need insulin.
Sometimes diabetes develops temporarily during pregnancy. This is called gestational diabetes. It happens because the hormones you secrete during pregnancy sometimes increase your body’s resistance to insulin. It is not common, occurring only in 2 to 5 percent of expectant mothers. It usually appears in the third trimester. Since most women are under a doctor’s care during pregnancy, it is caught early. After the baby’s birth, gestational diabetes goes away, however it leaves the mother at risk for type 2 diabetes later on.
Medical scientists do not know what causes diabetes but have identified certain risk factors. Your risk increases if someone in your family has had the disease.
Although scientists don’t know why, some races are more vulnerable to diabetes. It is more prevalent among Blacks, Hispanics and American Indians, than among Caucasians.
Age, weight, and inactivity are also factors. As people age, they tend to be more sedentary and often gain weight.
While some of these risk factors are beyond your control, two are not. You can do something about your weight and you can certainly become more active. Addressing both issues goes a long way toward preventing diabetes.
And the most important measure to take is to be tested to see if you already have the disease. There are several blood tests available that are inexpensive and simple to perform. Some doctors do these as part of a routine physical but not all doctors. So you need to ask to be sure.
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