World Diabetes Day 2019: You Can Protect Yourself & Your Family

Recently, one of the most simple and curable diseases has become one of the most prevalent life-threatening disease in the world – Diabetes.

On Diabetes, there is good news, and there is bad news. The bad news is that millions of people with Diabetes are losing their life to death and while others are facing blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation. The good news is that you can prevent as well as cure Diabetes.

What Is Diabetes?

Form of Sugar that is found in your blood is called Glucose and Glucose comes from the food you eat. Blood Glucose is one of the main sources of energy and is also called Blood Sugar. Insulin, a hormone in your body, is responsible for diverting Glucose or Blood Sugar to your cells, which makes you feel energetic. When your body doesn’t make enough insulin, the level of the glucose in the blood increases, which, in medical terms, is called ‘Diabetes’ or ‘Diabetes Mellitus.’

Types of Diabetes

There are mainly three types of diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes is genetic, and so, within current knowledge, it is not preventable.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes has its origin in adolescents but appears in adulthood. In most of the cases, it is caused by excessive weight and physical inactivity. The majority of the people having Diabetes suffer from this type, and it is the leading cause of death too. Lately, Type 2 Diabetes is spreading among children as well. The good part is that it is preventable - approximately 70 percent of Type 2 Diabetes is preventable.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes occurs during pregnancy and normally disappears after giving birth. Women with Gestational Diabetes, as well as their children, have an increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes in the future. Gestational Diabetes is not diagnosed through symptoms but by prenatal screening.

Risk Factors of Diabetes

• Unhealthy lifestyle
• Poor eating habits, i.e., having polished and refined carbohydrates like polished white rice, fast food items, and excessive white sugar
• Lack of physical exercise
• Family history of Diabetes
• Obesity and High Body Mass Index
• Increasing Abdominal Girth

Early Warning Signs of Diabetes

• Tingling and Numbness
• Frequent urination, especially getting up at night to urinate
• Increased thirst
• Constant hunger
• Weight loss
• Vision changes
• Low energy levels and fatigue

Diagnosis & Treatment for Diabetes

Testing of Blood Sugar is very inexpensive, easy, and takes only two minutes. For testing, you can go to a nearby clinic.

For Type 1 Diabetes treatment, insulin has to be administered regularly, and it has to be treated with Insulin Injections.

Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes requires a healthy lifestyle, diet control, physical exercise, and no consumption of tobacco.

How Can Family Help Fight Diabetes?

Healthy Habits are the best ways for prevention as well as cure of Diabetes. Within the family, you can work together with your family members to build healthy habits that can protect you as well as your family members from Diabetes:

Healthy Lifestyle

Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Proper diet, proper exercise, healthy food, and, of course, timely and regular health check-ups.

Diet Control

Put a check on sugar levels in your diet and avoid saturated fats intake. Don’t let each other go for an unhealthy diet.

Physical Exercise

Go for a walk or do other physical exercises of your choice and maintain a healthy body weight. Usually, 30 minutes of exercise is enough. However, more exercise may be required to control weight.

No Tobacco

Smoking and other types of tobacco consumption increase the risk of Diabetes and also leads to other health issues. Better, quit tobacco. If someone consumes tobacco in your family, ask them to quit, for your sake.

Diabetes is a powerful and life-threatening disease, but it is no more powerful than you, and definitely not than the love of your loved ones. Work with yourself and work with your family members to bid goodbye to Diabetes.

Stay Together. Stay Healthy.