Wreaking Havoc

Diabetes is a disease (type 1) or a disorder (type 2 and gestational). Diabetes can wreak havoc on the body when it’s not properly managed. Diabetes left to run rampant can cause the following:

• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease
• Heart disease
• Retinopathy
• Nerve damage

This is not a complete list but it does give you an idea of the seriousness of diabetes. It is not something you can just ignore and expect it to correct itself without taking certain steps.

Type 1 diabetes used to be called insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile-inset diabetes. It is a disease that develops when the body’s immune system attacks the body and destroys the cells which make the hormone needed to control blood glucose.

Type 2 diabetes was once called insulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes. It is the most common form of diabetes and results from the body being unable to regulate insulin leading to the loss of the ability of the pancreas to produce the right amounts of insulin. Type 2 diabetes often develops in people who are overweight or obese.

When you learn about diabetes, you will also learn there is gestational diabetes which is glucose intolerance that first occurs during pregnancy. Up to 60% of these women will develop full-blown diabetes within the 10 years following pregnancy.

Diet and Exercise to the Rescue

The facts about diabetes reveal an astonishing 10.7% of the people in the USA who are 20 years or older have diabetes. This equates to 23.5 million people in 2007 reporting diabetes. Men, women, children, senior citizens and people of all ethnic backgrounds develop diabetes.

Fortunately, diabetes can be managed through diet and exercise, and in some cases, insulin. The diabetic diet is actually a healthy diet which is one of the facts about diabetes some people don’t understand. The healthy diet for anyone, including those with and without diabetes, includes natural foods with a low glycemic index. Exercise can lower blood glucose levels and plays an important role in any prevention or management program.

The facts about diabetes reveal that up to 95% of the cases of diabetes in the USA are type 2. It is also the 6th leading cause of death which sends a clear message it cannot be ignored.

Reading the facts about diabetes may be alarming until you learn it’s possible to gain control over the disease in most cases. It takes a desire to live a healthy lifestyle and a willingness to do what it takes to prevent or eliminate the disorder in the case of type 2, or to manage it when the type 1 disease exists.