DIABETES
Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. Glucose comes from the digestion of starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes, chapatis, yams and plantain, from sugar and other sweet foods, and from the liver which makes glucose.
Insulin is vital for life. It is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps the glucose to enter the cells where it is used as fuel by the body.
There are two main types of diabetes.
Type I diabetes, also known as insulin dependent diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes
Type I diabetes develops if the body is unable to produce any insulin. This type of diabetes usually appears before the age of 40. It is treated by insulin injections and diet and regular exercise is recommended.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). This type of diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, though often appears before the age of 40 in South Asian and African-Caribbean people. It is treated by diet and exercise alone or by diet, exercise and tablets or by diet, exercise and insulin injections.
The main aim of treatment of both types of diabetes is to achieve blood glucose and blood pressure levels as near to normal as possible. This, together with a healthy lifestyle, will help to improve wellbeing and protect against long-term damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and major arteries.
The main symptoms of diabetes are:
increased thirst
going to the loo all the time - especially at night extreme
tiredness
weight loss
genital itching or regular episodes of thrush
blurred vision.
The people most at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes are:
People with family history of Diabetes
People age between 40 and 75
People of Asian or Afro-Caribbean origin
People who are overweight