Impact Of Diabetes On The Body

Diabetes is a common disorder that affects the glands of the endocrine system. It is caused when the pancreas produce less insulin. The body uses this insulin produced by the pancreas to absorb glucose into cells, if the insulin is less it leads to abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood and urine. This causes problems and defects various parts of the body. Many organs in our body get damaged by diabetes. Most of the people suffering from different types of diabetes lead a healthy life by taking correct diet, regular exercise, and taking correct dose of insulin as directed by their doctor. On the other hand, there is risk of serious complications if the blood sugar level is not in control.

Types of diabetes and it's effects

 

Coronary heart disease, stroke, nerve problem, eye problem, and kidney problem are the main impact that arises if diabetes is not in control. Coronary heart disease develops due to many reasons and diabetes or high sugar in the blood is one of the reasons. Diabetes may cause harmful changes in the structure and function of the heart. People having type2 diabetes, which means insulin resistance have higher level of substances in the blood, which causes blood clot and blocks the coronary arteries. In this case people have heart attacks and in some cases even death. If a person has high blood pressure along with diabetes, there is more risk of coronary heart disease. People having type2 diabetes have a higher risk of having cholesterol, triglyceride, and high blood pressure. All these things are dangerous for health and causes cardiovascular disease.                                                                                                         

 People having high blood sugar for long period or for many years have nerve problems. It damages the blood vessels that bring blood to some nerves. This damages the nerves for which there is numbness, weakness, and pain in the hand, feet, arms, and leg. When nerves are affected due to diabetes it is known as diabetic neuropathy.

Diabetic eye disease grows slowly. People having diabetes have higher chances of getting cataract, glaucoma, and retinopathy. People having diabetes have more chance of getting glaucoma. Neovascular glaucoma is a rare type of glaucoma, which is found more in diabetic patients. Retinopathy is also found in people having diabetes. Diabetes retinopathy is the disease, which damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina and is one of the most common diabetic eye diseases. It is advisable to keep your blood sugar in control and get your eyes checked by an eye specialist.

Diabetes affects the kidney also. Diabetic kidney disease is also known as diabetic nephropathy. In this case the cells and blood vessels in the kidney are damaged for this reason the kidney is unable to filter out the waste. Instead of the waste being excreted it accumulates in the blood, this may lead to kidney failure. Diabetic kidney diseases occur silently and slowly, for this reason people suffering from diabetes are not able to know the condition of their kidney. It is better to be careful and check your blood and urine regularly, those who are suffering from diabetes.

Diabetes affects our digestive system also. Gastro paresis is a disorder due to the nerve damage the stomach takes a longer time to empty itself. There is heart burn, nausea, and vomiting of undigested food. Weight loss and lack of appetite is also there. The people having type1 and type2 diabetes are more prone to gastro paresis.

Peripheral neuropathy causes tingling, pain, or loss of feeling in leg or feet. In some cases, due to diabetes, amputation of legs and feet is required. Nerves gets damaged in long term diabetic patients and the pain is not felt even if there a wound or sore in legs or feet. If these problems are not noticed and left without treated it becomes infected and leads for amputation.

Diabetes has an effect on our skin also. People having type2 diabetes have scleroderma diabeticorum. It causes thickening of skin on the back of the neck. Vitiligo is another skin problem caused by type1 diabetes. Long term type2 diabetic patients have a reduced blood flow to the skin. Less blood circulation leads to changes in the collagen of the skin in which the texture or the surface quality of the skin gets damaged. Diabetic dermopathy appears as a shiny round or oval lesion of thin skin in the lower front part of the leg. It is itchy and sometimes has a burning sensation.

What Is Diabetes And Types Of Diabetes?

 Diabetes occurs when body cannot control the blood sugar level properly due to the insulin produced by the pancreas is not sufficient. Diabetes means high rate of sugar in the blood. Diabetes is a metabolism disorder. Metabolism is how or the way our body uses the digested food for growth and energy. The food that we eat breaks down and turns to form glucose. The form of sugar in our blood is glucose, which is the main source of energy. Glucose is used by cells for growth and energy. For this insulin is required which should be present in the body. Insulin is a hormone, which is produced by the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ that lies just below the stomach. The function of the pancreas is to produce the correct amount of insulin. However in some people the pancreas produce too little insulin and sometimes no insulin or the cells do not respond properly to the insulin produced. If there is insufficient insulin for the necessity of the body, sugar accumulates in large amount and comes out through urine. The sugar in the form of glucose in our body is not able to give proper energy to the body. The people suffering from diabetes become weak and lose weight. They feel thirsty and drink plenty of water, pass urine frequently. Some time under stress, our body produces hormones that make blood sugar rise. Insulin resistance is caused by chronic stress in people. There are three types of diabetes. Type1, type2, and gestational diabetes. 

Role of pancreas in diabetes.

The pancreas produces very less insulin in type1 diabetes, which is known as the insulin dependent or the juvenile diabetes. It is mostly found in young people under the age of forty. In this type of diabetes the immune system in the body destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas thus the pancreas produce very little or no insulin. Type1 diabetic patient should take insulin regularly. Some people have low immune system for which the pancreas does not function properly, and produces less insulin in the body. Some scientists say that type1 diabetes occurs as a result of a viral infection that damages the pancreas, which is then unable to produce sufficient amount of insulin. The body may be insulin resistant, in such case the cells are unable to respond to normal levels of insulin. In some cases the family history also counts.

Type2 diabetes is a very common form of diabetes in the world. Out of all diabetes patients, ninety percent of the diabetes patients are type2 diabetic. This type of diabetes usually occurs to older people, physically inactive people, obese or over weight, and family history of diabetes in the patients. In this type of diabetes, the insulin produced in the body does not work effectively for any reason or the cell in the body does not react to insulin produced by the pancreas. Instead of the sugar helping the cells of the body it goes into the blood. The people having visceral fat or central obesity or the abdominal obesity have more chance of developing this type of diabetes.

How to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Indiscipline life style and imbalanced diet is another reason for type2 diabetes. Inactive people having more sitting jobs usually gain weight. This is not good for a healthy body; there is more chance of getting diabetes. As we grow old gradually we become less active, if we keep ourselves active by doing house work and exercise, there is less chance of getting type2 diabetes. Going for morning walk and evening walk is good for people having diabetes. People eating refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and white rice is not good, sugary food or snacks are more prone to have type2 diabetes. People eating less nutritious, high fat contain food and more sugary foods have a high risk in getting diabetes. So the best way to prevent diabetes is to follow a strict diet plan.

Gestational diabetes is another form of diabetes, which occurs only to pregnant woman. This usually develops during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. In some cases of pregnancy the body does not produce enough insulin to meet the extra demand in this period. Although the sugar level in the blood becomes normal after the delivery but these women have a high risk of getting type2 diabetes in future. Gestational diabetes occurs to women with history of diabetes. Women having this type of diabetes do not have any systems. Some scientists believe that the women who have taken more animal fat earlier have the risk of getting gestational diabetes.

Diabetes has no cure. Diabetic patients should be always careful about their diet and exercise. Balanced diet and disciplined life style with regular exercise can keep the blood sugar level in correct range.