An Explanation for Diabetes
Diabetes can strike anyone, from any walk of life.
In the last decade, the cases of people living with diabetes jumped almost 50 percent – to more than 29 million Americans. Worldwide, diabetes afflicts more than 380 million people. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2030, that number of people living with diabetes will more than double.
Diabetes claims the life of 1 American every 3 minutes. It is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart failure, and stroke.
Living with diabetes places an enormous emotional, physical and financial burden on the entire family.
Annually, diabetes costs the American public more than $245 billion.
Just what is diabetes?
To answer diabetes, one must understand the role of insulin in your body. When you eat, your body turns food into sugars, or glucose. At that point, your pancreas is supposed to release insulin. Insulin allows glucose to enter into the cells and convert the sugar into energy.
But with diabetes, this system does not work.
Several major things can go wrong – causing the onset of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the most common forms of the disease, but there are also other kinds, such as gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy.
With type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks part of its own pancreas. For reasons unknown, the immune system mistakenly sees the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas as foreign, and destroys them. This attack is known as “autoimmune” disease.
Type 2 diabetes is often tied to people who are overweight, with a sedentary lifestyle. People with type 2 are able to produce some of their own insulin, but not enough. Sometimes, the insulin will try to serve as the “key” to open the body’s cells, to allow the glucose to enter. But the key won’t work. The cells won’t open. This is called insulin resistance.
Managing diabetes is a challenge every day.
Food, exercise, stress, general health, insulin injections are some of the few variables for trying to manage diabetes. Keeping blood sugar levels in the desired range is a constant balancing act. Diabetes can impact all aspects of life. And, all aspects of life can impact diabetes. Therefore, finding a way to set goals within your lifestyle is extremely important when managing diabetes.
Attached is a great brochure offering realistic goal setting opportunities in the management of diabetes: SETTING GOALS FOR MANAGING DIABETES
Many more useful articles, tips and information regarding diabetes can be found at the DIABETES RESEARCH INSTITUTE. Meanwhile, consider stopping into SureScreen Labs for your next wellness check and screen to see if you are at risk of diabetes. CALL NOW AT 803-256-9535 to learn more.
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