Diabetes is a long-term health problem that occurs when your pancreas does not make enough insulin – a hormone that lets sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. Without insulin production, glucose accumulates in your bloodstream, causing high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Over time, high blood sugar can cause complications such as heart disease, chronic kidney disease, vision loss, nerve damage, and other problems. There is a lot of information about Lafayette diabetes, but the following facts summarize all you need to know about this condition.
There are three types of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that occurs when your body’s defense system mistakenly attacks the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. It is not clear what prompts the attack, but genetic and environmental reasons may play a role. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells resist insulin action, and the pancreas produces more insulin until it can’t meet the demand. Eventually, insulin production decreases, resulting in high blood sugar. The exact cause of type 2 diabetes is unknown, but contributing factors include a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and genetics. Health factors and environmental reasons may also play a role.
Gestational diabetes occurs for the first time in pregnant women due to the insulin-blocking hormones produced during pregnancy. This type of diabetes is often seen in people with prediabetes or a family history of diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after pregnancy, but about 50% of women develop type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type
About 11% of the population, which is about 37.3 million people in the United States have diabetes. Out of the number, type two diabetes accounts for 90% to 95% of all diabetes cases, making it the most common form.
Type 2 diabetes is preventable
While type 2 diabetes is common, it is also largely preventable with a few lifestyle changes. Prevention is especially crucial if you are at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes due to obesity or a family history of diabetes. You can still prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes – a type of diabetes where your blood sugar exceeds the normal level but is not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Some of the things you can do to prevent type 2 diabetes include exercise, losing extra weight, and eating healthy plant foods and fats.
You can live with type 2 diabetes and not know
Type two diabetes develops over many years, meaning you may have it without knowing it. For this reason, getting your blood sugar tested is important, especially if you are at risk of diabetes. When symptoms develop, you may experience fatigue, blurred vision, frequent urination, increased thirst, unintended weight loss, increased hunger, slow-healing sores, frequent infections, and areas of darkened skin.
While type 2 diabetes develops gradually, the symptoms of type 1 diabetes occur suddenly, usually over a few hours or days. In young people, but might take a few days or weeks to develop in adults.
Consult your doctor at Moore Healthcare Group to learn more about diabetes and how its risk factors apply to you.
Facts You Should Know About Diabetes
Diabetes is a long-term health problem that occurs when your pancreas does not make enough insulin – a hormone that lets sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. Without insulin production, glucose accumulates in your bloodstream, causing high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Over time, high blood sugar can cause complications such as heart disease, chronic kidney disease, vision loss, nerve damage, and other problems. There is a lot of information about Lafayette diabetes, but the following facts summarize all you need to know about this condition.
There are three types of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that occurs when your body’s defense system mistakenly attacks the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. It is not clear what prompts the attack, but genetic and environmental reasons may play a role. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells resist insulin action, and the pancreas produces more insulin until it can’t meet the demand. Eventually, insulin production decreases, resulting in high blood sugar. The exact cause of type 2 diabetes is unknown, but contributing factors include a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and genetics. Health factors and environmental reasons may also play a role.
Gestational diabetes occurs for the first time in pregnant women due to the insulin-blocking hormones produced during pregnancy. This type of diabetes is often seen in people with prediabetes or a family history of diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after pregnancy, but about 50% of women develop type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type
About 11% of the population, which is about 37.3 million people in the United States have diabetes. Out of the number, type two diabetes accounts for 90% to 95% of all diabetes cases, making it the most common form.
Type 2 diabetes is preventable
While type 2 diabetes is common, it is also largely preventable with a few lifestyle changes. Prevention is especially crucial if you are at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes due to obesity or a family history of diabetes. You can still prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes – a type of diabetes where your blood sugar exceeds the normal level but is not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Some of the things you can do to prevent type 2 diabetes include exercise, losing extra weight, and eating healthy plant foods and fats.
You can live with type 2 diabetes and not know
Type two diabetes develops over many years, meaning you may have it without knowing it. For this reason, getting your blood sugar tested is important, especially if you are at risk of diabetes. When symptoms develop, you may experience fatigue, blurred vision, frequent urination, increased thirst, unintended weight loss, increased hunger, slow-healing sores, frequent infections, and areas of darkened skin.
While type 2 diabetes develops gradually, the symptoms of type 1 diabetes occur suddenly, usually over a few hours or days. In young people, but might take a few days or weeks to develop in adults.
Consult your doctor at Moore Healthcare Group to learn more about diabetes and how its risk factors apply to you.
