Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes is a dreadful disease to have. In the United States alone, some 21 million people, or 7 percent of the entire population, suffer from it. In Canada, approximately 2.5 million people, or about 6 percent of the population, have it. Not to be overly morbid, but if you have ever asked yourself, "Can you die from diabetes?" the answer to that is simply yes. Diabetes mellitus is the sixth leading cause of all disease-caused deaths, killing more than 73,000 U.S. residents each year. Its complications also result to deaths from kidney failure, heart disease, and other conditions, contributing to around 225,000 deaths in the U.S. annually.
Diabetes is basically either insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. The former is what is called Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; the latter is Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It really isn't a cheery thought having either of the two: for Type 2 diabetes you have to modify your diet entirely and get into more exercise programs, or anything that can help you be more physically fit; for Type 1 diabetes it's actually the same, but with the addition of getting a regular subcutaneous injection of insulin so it can perform its function in the body, which is to regulate blood glucose levels. Without enough of the hormone, blood glucose levels will rise, and if it remains unmanaged, complications may arise, such as retinopathy. The excess in blood sugar can actually block blood vessels and nerves, putting you at risk for diabetic nephropathy, kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke, among others, if you have diabetes. In the case of retinopathy, the blood vessels supplying the retinas of the eyes get blocked, resulting in blurred vision which may escalate to blindness.
It may seem unfair to some, especially since diabetes is hereditary (if you have a family relative who has it, you are likely to acquire it as well), and it is more prevalent among Native Americans, Africans, and Hispanics. It has no cure too. All you can do is to be religious in taking your insulin supplementation, if you have Type 1 diabetes. Consult a dietitian and follow his or her advice. Avoid simple sugars and limit carbohydrate intake. Drink more water to help reduce the excess sugar in your urine and also to prevent dehydration. Exercise more to help lower your blood sugar (a word of caution, however: if you have Type 1 diabetes, your blood sugar is more than 240 mg/dL, and you have ketones in your urine, do not exercise; the same goes if you have Type 2 diabetes and your blood sugar is more than 300 mg/dL). Diabetes mellitus is indeed a dreaded disease, but you don't have to be scared of dying from it or not enjoying life because of it if you only follow the recommended diabetes treatment regimen and learn all you can learn about the disease.
Diabetes is basically either insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. The former is what is called Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; the latter is Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It really isn't a cheery thought having either of the two: for Type 2 diabetes you have to modify your diet entirely and get into more exercise programs, or anything that can help you be more physically fit; for Type 1 diabetes it's actually the same, but with the addition of getting a regular subcutaneous injection of insulin so it can perform its function in the body, which is to regulate blood glucose levels. Without enough of the hormone, blood glucose levels will rise, and if it remains unmanaged, complications may arise, such as retinopathy. The excess in blood sugar can actually block blood vessels and nerves, putting you at risk for diabetic nephropathy, kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke, among others, if you have diabetes. In the case of retinopathy, the blood vessels supplying the retinas of the eyes get blocked, resulting in blurred vision which may escalate to blindness.
It may seem unfair to some, especially since diabetes is hereditary (if you have a family relative who has it, you are likely to acquire it as well), and it is more prevalent among Native Americans, Africans, and Hispanics. It has no cure too. All you can do is to be religious in taking your insulin supplementation, if you have Type 1 diabetes. Consult a dietitian and follow his or her advice. Avoid simple sugars and limit carbohydrate intake. Drink more water to help reduce the excess sugar in your urine and also to prevent dehydration. Exercise more to help lower your blood sugar (a word of caution, however: if you have Type 1 diabetes, your blood sugar is more than 240 mg/dL, and you have ketones in your urine, do not exercise; the same goes if you have Type 2 diabetes and your blood sugar is more than 300 mg/dL). Diabetes mellitus is indeed a dreaded disease, but you don't have to be scared of dying from it or not enjoying life because of it if you only follow the recommended diabetes treatment regimen and learn all you can learn about the disease.
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