There is a frightening statistics that approximately 40% of all adults will develop diabetes during their life. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas in the body does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Raised blood sugar is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and leads to serious damage of organs in the body.
Diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels eyes, kidneys and nerves. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. According to research, 50% of people with diabetes die of heart disease and stroke.
Diabetes causes reduced blood flow, damage to nerves in the feet and increases the chance of sores, infections and eventual need for amputation of leg.
Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, which occurs as a result of long term accumulated damage to the small blood vessels in the part of the eyes called retina. It is one of the leading causes of kidney failure and people who suffer from diabetes usually look 15-20 years older than their age mates and their internal organs are actually older as a result of damages from the disease.
Diabetes Symptoms
Some individual can The following symptoms of diabetes are typical. However, some people with type 2 diabetes have symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed.
- Urinating often
- Feeling very thirsty
- Feeling very hungry - even though you are eating
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
- Weight loss - even though you are eating more (type 1)
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)
- Frequent infection
- Vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu)
In order to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 40%, you need to:
- Eat healthy (balanced and nutritious diet)
- Engage yourself in 30 mins a day physical exercises like: swimming, brisk walking, cycling and dancing.
- Avoid anything that will give you stress.
- Quit smoking.
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You n Health