Diabetes is a disease that impairs the body's ability to use food properly. Normally, your small intestine takes out the sugar, or glucose, and puts it into your blood. The glucose is burned as fuel to give your cells energy to do their jobs. To get into the cells, the glucose needs insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin acts like a key to open the cells and let glucose in. In people with diabetes, the pancreas does not make enough insulin. The cells that make insulin have been destroyed.
There are two different types of diabetes. They are categorized as Type 1 and Type 2.
Type I Diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes. Although it can occur at any age, it usually develops before the age of 30. It often runs in families. About 12,000 children in the United States get diabetes every year. People with Type I diabetes usually don't produce insulin because cells have been destroyed. Treatment of Type I diabetes requires a strict daily regimen that includes a carefully monitored diet, insulin injections, and monitoring of blood glucose.
Type II Diabetes is also known as non insulin-dependent or
adult-onset diabetes. It typically develops after the age of 40,
but can appear earlier. People with Type II diabetes produce some
insulin, but the body cannot use it effectively. Treatment
includes weight loss (many Type II's are overweight), proper
diet, reduced sugar intake, and exercise. More severe cases may
be treated with oral medication or insulin injections.
Once over 90% of the pancreas cells are destroyed, the body is no longer able to regulate blood sugar levels and the patient develops some or all of the classic symptoms of diabetes:
While the symptoms appear abruptly, the development of the disease actually occurs over a much longer period of time.
Alot of famous people have diabetes. They include political leaders, sports figures, actors/actresses and business leaders. Most of these have Type II diabetes.
| Mikal Gorbechev
– Soviet Premier Anwar Sadat -- Egyptian Leader Ernest Hemingway – Novelist Mario Puzo -- Novelist, "The Godfather" H.G. Wells -- Writer, Novelist Arthur Ashe – Tennis Ty Cobb – Baseball James "Buster" Douglas -- Boxing Smokin' Joe" Frasier – Boxing Jackie Robinson – Baseball Sugar Ray Robinson – Boxing Art Shell – Football Johnny Cash -- Country Singer David Crosby – Singer Momma Cass Elliot -- 1960's Rock Singer |
Ella
Fitzgerald -- Jazz Legend Singer Patti LaBelle -- Singer, Actress Jerry Garcia -- The Grateful Dead Andrew Lloyd Webber – Composer Elvis Presley -- "The King", Rock Legend Jack Benny – Entertainer Jackie Gleason -- Actor George Lucas -- Director, Producer, Mary Tyler Moore – Actress Minnie Pearl -- Entertainer, Actress Elizabeth Taylor -- Actress, "Cleopatra" Thomas Edison – Inventor Howard Hughes – Industrialist Ray Kroc -- Founder of McDonald's |
Hypoglycemia occurs when there is too little sugar in the blood (when the blood glucose level is under 70). It can be caused by any of the following...
Hypoglycemia, unlike Hyperglycemia, has a sudden onset. Some signs of hypoglycemia include...
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If you notice any of the symptoms listed above you should immediately check your blood glucose. If it is under 70 (or whatever it is your doctor has chosen for you to be considered low) you should immediately eat or drink one of the following...
10-15 minutes after treating your hypoglycemia, you should do another blood glucose test. If your blood glucose level has still not risen, you should take another dose of treatment from the list above. If your blood glucose level has risen, it is a good idea to have an additional snack of something substantial, such as a sandwich.
Hyperglycemia is the technical term for high blood sugar, which happens when the body has too little, or not enough, insulin or when the body cannot use insulin properly. A number of things can cause hyperglycemia. For example,
Symptoms of hyperglycemia:
When too little insulin is present, your body cannot use glucose for energy. It is then forced to break down fat for energy. Your body produces ketones (acids) and releases them into the blood and urine. When people with Type I diabetes do not take enough insulin, especially in times of stress or illness, ketones are produced. Large amounts of ketones can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a medical emergency. Ketones warn that diabetes may be out of control.
If you have a blood glucose level over 240 mg/dL, you should test your urine using a ketone test kit. These test strips work by putting a sample of fresh urine on them, wait for the product's specified time and match the color on the chart on the bottle. It is a good idea to record all ketone tests along with your regular blood glucose counts, and insulin dosages. If you have large amounts of ketones in your urine, you should then contact your Doctor or diabetes educator immediately for further instruction. If you have a "trace" or "small" amount of ketones in your urine you should, drink a glass of water every hour and test your blood glucose every three hours. If blood glucose and ketone levels are not going down after 2-3 tests, call your doctor.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that can be managed, but not cured. The goal of treatment is to lower blood glucose levels and improve the body’s use of insulin. The recommended ways to do this include:
