6 Facts About Diabetes You Ought to Know
Diabetes has been dubbed as the “silent killer.” In many cases, you won’t know if it is already lethal and severe until the later stages of the disease. Fortunately, diagnosis of the disease can be done at the earliest stages, allowing you to prevent the complications and manage the condition on your own. By going to your doctor and getting the screening tests necessary, you can be instructed if you need to modify your diet and lifestyle choices.
The Effects of Diabetes
Diabetes refers to a group of illnesses that affect how the body makes use of glucose or blood sugar. Sugar is an important component of your diet because it fuels the cells to build tissues and muscles. It is also the brain’s main source of energy. However, diabetes occurs when there is too much sugar. Some of the symptoms include excessive thirst, frequent need to urinate, extreme hunger, considerable weight loss, blurred vision, fatigue, and more.
Inform Yourself: Diabetes Facts
More than 400 million have been diagnosed with diabetes worldwide.
Recent data from the World Health Organization fact sheet reveals that the number of people suffering from the illness has now risen to 422 million (from 108 million back in the 1980s). Among adults over 18 years old, the prevalence has increased from 4.7% in 1989 to 8.5% in 2014. WHO also recorded an estimated 1.6 million casualties due to the disease, with an additional 2.2 million attributed to high blood sugar levels in 2012.
Diabetes is directly related to obesity.
Overweight and obese individuals are more prone to acquire diabetes compared to individuals with a BMI that’s within the normal limits. While studies are still ongoing, connecting diabetes and being overweight, experts agree that being a BMI higher than normal is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes. Obesity may account for an 85% chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Too much body fat may incur significant changes to your body’s metabolism, making it harder to break down sugar and excrete it.
Diabetes comes in different forms.
Common knowledge is that there are two major types of diabetes -- Type 1 and Type 2. Respectively, they refer to the lack of insulin production and the body’s ineffective use of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas and is responsible for regulating the body’s sugar levels.
A third type of diabetes is known as gestational diabetes. This happens during pregnancy, where blood glucose levels are at greater risk for being elevated because of the woman’s pregnancy hormones. This poses a risk to both the mother and child. If untreated, the possibility of giving birth to an overweight baby is high. It can also affect how quickly the mother’s wounds can heal during and after delivery.
Diabetes can lead to amputation, blindness, and kidney failure.
In some cases, the worsening of the illness may contribute to conditions such as blindness (diabetic retinopathy) and kidney failure that could weaken the bodyn and in worst cases, become lethal. Other complications include stroke, heart attacks, and nerve damage.
During elevated blood sugar levels, the body’s ability to heal itself is compromised, that’s why so many advanced cases of diabetes lead to amputation of the legs (or arms). A simple cut on the foot can become gangrenous and infected, posing harm to the rest of the body. The inability to heal its own wounds makes cutting off the extremity the best alternative to put a stop to the pain and complications.
Oral medications are now available to treat diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association says that prescribing medicines to combat diabetes and its effects should be based on a “patient-centered approach.” This means that recommendation for medication should consider factors such as previous medical history, age, income bracket, possible side effects on weight, blood sugar levels, and more.
Some of these oral treatments are Biguanides, Thiazolidinediones, Sulfonylureas, Meglitinides, and DPP-4 Inhibitors. Never take any of these without the doctor’s prescription, only take the recommended dosage, pair it with a healthy diet and exercise program, and be sure to go to your check-ups regularly.
Early detection and treatment are very important.
Diabetes can be detected early on. Your doctor can advise you on the appropriate lifestyle modifications (diet, exercise, alcohol use, etc.) that you can do. There are even some who catch it during the pre-diabetes stage. This means that you don’t have the condition yet, technically, but are at great risk of developing it soon. This gives you a great chance to turn your health around using only a healthier way of eating, being more physically active, and more conscious of your health.
In fact, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with this, you can still decide to become proactive with your health and embark on a health journey.
The Zero-Sugar, Zero-Calorie Lifestyle
Here at NatriSweet, we give you zero-calorie and zero-carb sweeteners, but we do not stop there. Our stevia products have so many uses. You can use them to sweeten your morning coffee or afternoon tea, as most users do, or you can use them to go to the next level of healthy and mindful food preparation.
Substitute your usual sugars and sweeteners with our stevia when cooking your favorite dishes, baking delicious pastries and desserts, or mixing satisfying drinks. It’s also perfect in creating sauces, marinades, dressings, and main dishes. NatriSweet stevia gives you the sweet life without triggering a glycemic response.
NatriSweet stevia is 100% pure and natural. It does not use any artificial sweeteners and chemicals, which have been suspected of causing adverse health effects and contributing to a number of serious health conditions. Our stevia is free of maltodextrin, erythritol, natural flavors, aspartame, acesulfame, sucralose, gluten, wheat, soy, milk, eggs, or shellfish.
Stevia contains stevioside, which has been found to promote normal insulin functioning. By doing so, the body is able to maintain lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure. This is a huge help for those with type 2 diabetes.
References:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-obesity.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444