All About Diabetes - Understanding, Preventing, Treating and Finding a Cure For Diabetes
Diabetes is a very common disease affecting approximately 23 million people in the United States.
There are three different types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.
The most common is type 2 which affects close to 90 percent of those afflicted with the disease.
When confronted with diabetes our community has three different options; we can work to understand the disease better, work to prevent and treat the disease or work to find a cure for diabetes.
Understanding Diabetes Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way the body manages blood sugar or glucose.
Glucose enters the body through an individual's diet; it then makes its way through the intestinal tract where it is absorbed.
Once in the blood stream, the sugar is absorbed by the cells which require the glucose to function.
Glucose is an important energy source in the body.
In a person with diabetes the blood sugar levels are elevated whilst cell sugar levels are depressed.
For people suffering from diabetes it is important to find a cure for diabetes.
A person with diabetes either has cells that are no longer able to absorb glucose (non-insulin dependent or type 2 diabetes) or do not have enough insulin which is the hormone responsible for cell glucose absorption (type 1).
In the common type of diabetes, type 2, an individual's cells are said to be have developed insulin resistance.
Insulin no longer has its desired effect and blood sugar is no longer absorbed, the glucose is then excreted in the urine.
The increased glucose levels in the blood results in different symptoms.
The afflicted individual feels excessively thirsty, will urinate frequently, lose weight, have dry skin, have wounds that do not heal easily and will feel tired most of the time.
Preventing and Treating Diabetes Treatment with Medications: There are several medications available that are prescribed to treat diabetes.
In managing type 1 diabetes, a doctor may prescribe insulin shots to help to help in glucose absorption.
Type 2 diabetes medications help by making the cells absorb glucose better or by limiting the amount of glucose absorbed in the gut.
These medications help to manage the disease but most patients hope that the science community will find a cure for diabetes.
Treatment with Diet: Diet is an important part of treating diabetes.
Limiting certain foods can help keep blood sugar levels under control.
Preventing Diabetes: Prevention is better than finding a cure for diabetes.
However, diabetes that is genetically inherited cannot be prevented.
In contrary, type 2 diabetes can prevented.
Maintaining a healthy life style by exercising and eating right, an individual can help control glucose levels in their blood.
For people with an elevated risk of developing diabetes, certain tests can help predict the development of diabetes.
Finding a Cure for Diabetes Currently, majority of research is focused on finding strategies of diabetes disease management and prevention.
However, with obesity on the rise globally, diabetes is becoming an increasing health burden.
Researchers are now shifting their focus and working hard to find scientifically proven methods of curing diabetes.
Among the research being pursued are islet cell (insulin producing cells) transplants, artificial pancreases and the genetic manipulation of non-islet cells to produce insulin.
There are three different types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.
The most common is type 2 which affects close to 90 percent of those afflicted with the disease.
When confronted with diabetes our community has three different options; we can work to understand the disease better, work to prevent and treat the disease or work to find a cure for diabetes.
Understanding Diabetes Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way the body manages blood sugar or glucose.
Glucose enters the body through an individual's diet; it then makes its way through the intestinal tract where it is absorbed.
Once in the blood stream, the sugar is absorbed by the cells which require the glucose to function.
Glucose is an important energy source in the body.
In a person with diabetes the blood sugar levels are elevated whilst cell sugar levels are depressed.
For people suffering from diabetes it is important to find a cure for diabetes.
A person with diabetes either has cells that are no longer able to absorb glucose (non-insulin dependent or type 2 diabetes) or do not have enough insulin which is the hormone responsible for cell glucose absorption (type 1).
In the common type of diabetes, type 2, an individual's cells are said to be have developed insulin resistance.
Insulin no longer has its desired effect and blood sugar is no longer absorbed, the glucose is then excreted in the urine.
The increased glucose levels in the blood results in different symptoms.
The afflicted individual feels excessively thirsty, will urinate frequently, lose weight, have dry skin, have wounds that do not heal easily and will feel tired most of the time.
Preventing and Treating Diabetes Treatment with Medications: There are several medications available that are prescribed to treat diabetes.
In managing type 1 diabetes, a doctor may prescribe insulin shots to help to help in glucose absorption.
Type 2 diabetes medications help by making the cells absorb glucose better or by limiting the amount of glucose absorbed in the gut.
These medications help to manage the disease but most patients hope that the science community will find a cure for diabetes.
Treatment with Diet: Diet is an important part of treating diabetes.
Limiting certain foods can help keep blood sugar levels under control.
Preventing Diabetes: Prevention is better than finding a cure for diabetes.
However, diabetes that is genetically inherited cannot be prevented.
In contrary, type 2 diabetes can prevented.
Maintaining a healthy life style by exercising and eating right, an individual can help control glucose levels in their blood.
For people with an elevated risk of developing diabetes, certain tests can help predict the development of diabetes.
Finding a Cure for Diabetes Currently, majority of research is focused on finding strategies of diabetes disease management and prevention.
However, with obesity on the rise globally, diabetes is becoming an increasing health burden.
Researchers are now shifting their focus and working hard to find scientifically proven methods of curing diabetes.
Among the research being pursued are islet cell (insulin producing cells) transplants, artificial pancreases and the genetic manipulation of non-islet cells to produce insulin.