You probably know someone with diabetes, the not-so-sweet disease that is most commonly associated with sugar. Maybe it’s your sister, aunt, or best friend. Or maybe you have. If so, you are in good company – Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, and Nick Jonas are among the celebrities struggling with diabetes, along with more than 100 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and contraception.
In fact, it is one of the most common diseases in the United States, and the number is growing. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. And the 10 states with the highest rates of type 2 diabetes are in the south. It is therefore not surprising that the south has its own nickname for the disease: “sugar”.
So you are probably thinking that the cause of diabetes is pretty obvious, right? It’s the sugar! Think again This cute science report reveals the real root cause. Read on – and to keep your health and the health of others safe, don’t miss this urgent news: How To Catch COVID Even If You Are Vaccinated.
Blood sugar control of the patient, diabetic measurement
Before we get into the cause, we need to define what diabetes is.
Diabetes occurs when your blood sugar – or blood sugar – is too high. Blood sugar is the body’s primary source of energy and is obtained from the food you eat. Enter insulin: a hormone made by your pancreas. Endocrine Web states that “Insulin is often described as the key that unlocks the cell so that sugar can enter the cell and be used for energy.” But sometimes your body doesn’t make enough insulin – or nothing at all – or just doesn’t use insulin well.
What then happens is glucose stays in your blood and doesn’t reach your cells – which causes glucose to build up in the blood and increase your blood sugar levels. If you have too much glucose in your blood it can lead to significant health problems.
There are different types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, pregnancy and, for people on the threshold, prediabetes. While each is different, they all have the same underlying blood sugar problems. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are chronic diseases. Prediabetes is a precursor to chronic diabetes, and gestational diabetes often goes away on its own after the baby is born.
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So what can happen when your body can’t properly use glucose for energy? The two main types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2 – have similar warning signs, although with Type 1 symptoms can be faster, occur within a few days or weeks, and tend to be more severe. According to the American Diabetes Association, you may experience frequent urination, a sign that your kidneys are trying to remove excess sugar in your blood.
Extreme thirst is almost always accompanied by frequent urination, as all that peeing dehydrates your body. Likewise, a lack of fluids in your body can lead to dry mouth and itchy skin. You may also feel hungry or have unexpected weight loss because your body is unable to get enough energy from the food you eat.
Over time, high blood sugar levels can affect blood circulation and cause nerve damage, making healing difficult. Slowly healing cuts or wounds are another diabetes warning sign. Last, but not least, frequent yeast infections in men and women are another characteristic symptom of diabetes as yeast feed on excess sugar in the blood.
Doctor and elderly woman wear face masks
Symptoms vary from person to person and also depending on how much your blood sugar is increased. Type 1 diabetes symptoms can appear quickly, sometimes over a few weeks, according to the NIH. In type 2 diabetes, symptoms often develop more slowly over several years, and in some they are so mild that they are imperceptible. In fact, many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms and don’t realize they have the disease until they develop diabetes-related health problems such as increased thirst and urination, or heart problems.
It is important to pay attention to what is happening in your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it: go to your doctor and get examined.
Male feet on glass scales, male diet, body weight, close-up, man stepping on scales
Type 1 Diabetes can occur in people of all races, shapes, and sizes at any age – and accounts for 10% of all diabetes cases, according to the NIH. It is most common in people of European descent. This type of diabetes occurs when your immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Researchers don’t know exactly what causes type 1 diabetes – but believe that a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as certain common childhood viruses, can trigger the disease.
Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and affects between 90 and 95% of people, according to the CDC. Often, a period of prediabetes precedes it, when there is a greater chance of stopping the disease from getting worse. Both lifestyle factors and genes play a role in the development of type 2. Family history of the disease? You are more likely to develop diabetes too. Physically inactive (we’re talking to you desk jockeys) – overweight or obese? These are also important risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is a form of the disease that develops during pregnancy and is caused by hormonal changes, as well as genetic and lifestyle factors. Hormones produced by the placenta contribute to insulin resistance in the later trimesters – this happens to all women, but some may not be able to make enough extra insulin to compensate for and develop gestational diabetes. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of this condition.
Portrait of Asian female doctor wearing protective face mask showing some information to patient on digital tablet clipboard, patient listening to specialist in clinic office
What is the number one cause of diabetes? As I said: it’s not sugar. High blood sugar is a symptom – not the cause – of diabetes. The most common cause of diabetes is your body’s inability to respond normally to insulin.
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Walk
The path to diabetes is paved by many factors, some out of your control, but many within. Regarding the most common form of diabetes, type 2, there is a lot you can do to prevent the disease.
Move your body. A sedentary lifestyle is now seen as a significant health risk. Walk. To dance. Do something you enjoy and make sure you keep moving.
Eat well. You have heard it before, you will hear it again: you are what you eat. A high-carbohydrate diet is more likely to increase your blood sugar. So go easy on bread, pasta, beer, rice and potatoes. A rule of thumb from our friends at Eat This, Not That! (and the American Heart Association): Eat your colors. Orange (carrots, peppers). Red (strawberries, raspberries). Green (all greens from broccoli to kale to peas). Blue (blueberries, blackberries).
Keep your weight within the normal range. If you’re having problems losing weight, contact your doctor and ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Together you can come up with a plan that you can live happily with.
Health visitor and one elderly man during home visit
If you experience symptoms like frequent urination and immense thirst together, or have cuts that are slow to heal, see your doctor. If you have diabetes in the pre-diabetic stage, smart regular exercise and a healthy (often low-carb) diet can actually prevent you from developing the disease! And to get through this pandemic in the healthiest way, don’t miss this one 35 Places Most Likely to Catch COVID.
