It is not possible to prevent Type 1 diabetes mellitus. On the other hand, Type 2 diabetes can be prevented very effectively by eliminating the main cause: being overweight.
The best way to lose weight (also for people affected by diabetes) is to permanently change the food one consumes: lots of fruit, vegetables, and whole products, less fat and easily digested carbohydrates. With intensive diets first you will lose a lot of weight, but in the long run strict weight loss cures are ineffective. As soon as the original food is returned to the diet, the weight also returns, usually even more than before.
It is recommended to take a balanced and varied diet that does not require expensive special products, can be maintained permanently, and tastes good.
However, food not the only factor in declaring war against being overweight. If you want to lose weight and maintain a normal weight, you are also almost obligated to increase your physical activity. The ideal is a resistance/weight training of about half an hour a day with intensity of between low and medium. Strength training with muscle development also helps to lose weight since muscle cells burn many carbohydrates even at rest.
With a lot of exercise, it is possible to prevent Type 2 diabetes. Training makes the cells more sensitive to insulin. If you cannot lose weight yourself, it is worth asking the doctor for help. This help can come in many ways: from good advice to drug treatment in case of obesity.
It seems that stress favors the development of Type 2 diabetes. Many people resort to relaxation techniques such as Tai-Chi or yoga to be calmer and handle daily loads more relaxed.
The primary goal of treating diabetes is not to control sugar, but rather to reduce the risk of death. In addition, it is important to know that each patient suffering from diabetes receives a specific treatment for their body.
In the first phase diabetes is uncontrolled, so it is important to first normalize the symptoms of urine, thirst, and so on.
There are also non-pharmacological treatments. In this treatment, weight loss is most important. Avoiding the consumption of refined sugars such as sweets and their derivatives, smoking cessation and daily exercise are the most effective treatments for diabetes.
Pharmacological treatment for diabetes is what has been known the most, insulin-related pills or metformin.
The most accurate diagnosis of diabetes is to know the levels of glycemia or sugar in the blood. The normal limit of blood sugar has been modified over the years. Currently, people are diagnosed as diabetic if at least 2 times a fasting sugar level is equal to or greater than 126 mg/dl.
People who are in levels of 100 to 125 mg/dl are considered as PRE DIABETIC people. These people should be in treatment in order to increase the time it will take for them to become diabetic.
In addition to knowing the sugar level, there are complementary tests that help determine a true diagnosis of diabetes such as:
· Urine test
· Blood test
· Electrocardiogram
· Evaluation of the retina by deep-eye examination
It is important to rule out other factors that are affecting the level of sugar such as hypertension or high cholesterol.
Usually in the first stage of diabetes, the symptoms are not noticeable. Now the most common symptoms and a real alert are:
· Urinating a lot
· Rapid and sudden loss of weight
· Being very thirsty which consequently leads the patient to drinking too much water
· Reduced visual activity
· Tiredness
· Drowsiness
The main causes of diabetes are aging, lifestyle change in the population, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, high blood pressure, and in some cases, family history.
In some cases, diabetes can be secondary to some specific circumstances such as alcohol, kidney disease, and the use of some drugs such as contraception (in women).
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body fails to produce insulin. Insulin is the hormone that is made in the pancreas and allows glucose (or what we commonly call SUGAR) to pass into the body’s cells to become energy for muscles and tissues.
For a clearer understanding, if a person has diabetes, their body will not absorb the glucose properly, and therefore the glucose will keep circulating in the blood, damaging the tissues over time. This process causes health complications and may continue to such a degree that it becomes lethal.
There are 3 types of diabetes:
1. Type 1 diabetes
2. Type 2 diabetes
3. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)
