Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease caused by a lack of insulin in the body. Insulin is a hormone that we need to convert the sugar we eat into energy for our body. When the sugar is not converted into energy it stays in our blood, causing high blood sugar levels and a range of ailments as a result.
There are two kinds of diabetes - Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes most commonly occurs in people before they turn 30 years old. This type of diabetes is caused when the pancreas does not produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, occurs when the pancreas does produce insulin, but it is either insufficient or ineffective for what the person's body requires.
The video below provides a good overview of the causes of diabetes and the effects of this illness.
In 2004-05, around 700,000 people, or 3.6% of the population, reported having diabetes in Australia, according to an Australian Bureau of Statistics article. Of these people, 13% reported having Type 1 diabetes and 83% reported having Type 2 diabetes, while the remaining 4% were unsure which type they had.
There is no known cure for diabetes, but there are ways to treat both types of the disease, as explained below.
Type 1 diabetes is known to be caused by the genes that a person carries and an unknown environmental trigger that sets it off, resulting in the disease occurring. We are currently unable to prevent this process from occurring in people with this genetic predisposition to it. Once it does occur, however, we can control its effects by testing blood sugar levels regularly, taking insulin, and not smoking and lowering our alcohol intake, weight, cholesterol and blood pressure, which all make it easier for insulin to do its job. Type 2 diabetes can also be managed in these ways, and there are also medications that may be taken to regulate this kind of diabetes.
It is thought that Type 2 diabetes is preventable though for many people as there are a range of choices that we can make to reduce the odds of diabetes occurring. They are:
- maintain a healthy weight - obese people are known to be at increased risk of diabetes, perhaps as this study suggests because their bodies become resistant to the effects of insulin
- watch what you eat - a diet high in fish, whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables, and low in refined grains, saturated and trans fats and processed foods will increase your chances of maintaining good levels of weight, cholesterol and blood pressure
- exercise regularly - obesity, high levels of cholesterol and blood pressure can all be prevented with regular exercise
- do not smoke - some studies have indicated that smoking may increase the likelihood of diabetes occurring
- moderate alcohol intake - drinking too much alcohol increases the chances of diabetes occurring as it interrupts the normal regulation of blood sugar levels
Has diabetes affected you or someone you know? Do you need help, or are you able to provide advice? If so, please join the SeniorSpace community discussing diabetes on our forum here.
Useful Links
Health Insite, an Australian Government website, has a good index of resources relating to diabetes here.
Diabetes Australia is a federal organization of different associations focused on lessening the impact of the disease on Australians through partnerships with medical practitioners, researchers and educators.
The International Diabetes Institute is an independent charity that provides specialized medical and educational services to people with diabetes.
Learn about...
Unless indicated otherwise, all material on this website © Manabu Media 2009