Diabetes known medically as diabetes mellitus is a condition characterized by the body’s inability to produce sufficient amount of insulin or failure of the body to properly respond to insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas and it is responsible for cell absorption of glucose. Glucose is an energy containing sugar compound that supplies most of the body’s energy.

So diabetes is the inability of the body to respond to its own insulin or the inability to make enough insulin or both reasons. As a result of the body’s inability to have sufficient amount of insulin, glucose tends to accumulate in the blood which causes various complications such as frequent urination, severe weight lose, increased thirst and poor eyesight among a number of others.

Facts about Diabetes

Diabetes is the biggest killer of citizens in America and 1 in 5 men world wide suffer from it. Diabetes can be grouped into three types namely; Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes.

 While Type 1 diabetes is due to the body’s inability to produce insulin, Type 2 is as a result of insulin resistance. Type 1 diabetes affects 5-10% of Americans according to the Diabetes Association of American and sufferers must take insulin injections to stay healthy.

Type 2 diabetes on the other hand is as a result of Insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that cells do not use insulin properly or sometimes could be due to deficiency of insulin. People are bound to have type 2 diabetes may for many years be in a state of Pre-diabetes which is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

 Gestational diabetes is suffered by pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. It may precede development of type 2 (or rarely type 1).

Other types of diabetes include

1.       Congenital diabetes due to genetic defects of insulin secretion

2.       Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes

3.       Steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids

4.       Monogenic diabetes

Treatment and cure of diabetes

All forms of diabetes can be treated with the use of insulin injections and other diabetic drugs but there is no cure for the common types except a pancreatic transplantation.

Diabetic complications resulting from poor treatment

Often times, diabetics suffer from heart diseases, renal or kidney failure, high blood pressure and gangrene (which results when injuries especially leg and foot injuries do not heal properly and could possibly require amputation).

Diabetic complications could also lead to blindness, several types of nerve damage and micro-vascular damage which may cause erectile dysfunction (impotence).

Diabetes is best treated with emphasis made on the control of blood pressure and maintaining a healthy diet and body weight.

How to prevent diabetes

Since diabetes is often the result of harmful lifestyles then such lifestyles should be shunned. For instance smoking increases the risk of contracting diabetes. People who smoke often are creating room themselves to develop mainly type 2 diabetes.

Alcoholism is another major cause of diabetes. Large intakes of alcohol over an extended period could lead to diabetes. Drinking with moderation or avoiding alcohol entirely is an effective of preventing diabetes.

Obesity as a result of poor dietary habits could also lead to diabetes. Excessive weight gain not only increases the risk of heart diseases, it also exposes one to the risk of contracting diabetes. No wonder many obese diabetics suffer one form of heart disease or the other. Obese people tend to have diets that contain a lot of sugars and starch with little vitamins, minerals and proteins to match their high carbohydrate intakes.

Exercise regularly as a way of shedding excess glucose from the blood stream. A good form of exercise that reduces the risk of contracting diabetes is walking. At least 20 minutes walk a day consistently over time is effective in preventing diabetes.

Have your blood sugar level monitored frequently at your local clinic or store. You could buy a tool kit for measuring your blood sugar level.  If your sugar level is high it is a warning to you, take adequate steps to prevent it by visiting your doctor for advice and joining diabetic support groups that could provide you with useful information on how best to handle it.