Diabetes is a chronic disease that leads to high blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia. At some point on the spectrum of diabetes, the human body has trouble making enough insulin to regulate the glucose in the blood. If not managed properly, diabetes can lead to serious health problems.
The three main types of diabetes are:
Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Gestational diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 is an autoimmune condition. The immune system mistakenly attacks its pancreas, thinking it’s a threat. That damages a person’s beta cells, which make insulin. The damage is permanent. We don’t know why this happens, but researchers think it’s a combination of things, like genetics and the environment. Lifestyle factors, like what one eats and how much exercise one gets, don’t play a role in type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can cause one to have higher than normal levels of sugar in their blood. Some of the causes may be uncontrollable such as genetics, but there are things that one could do to help prevent type 2 diabetes, such as eating healthy, exercising, and staying at a healthy weight.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes (sometimes referred to as GDM) is a form of diabetes that takes place during pregnancy. This type of diabetes is always related to pregnancy and the increased insulin-blocking hormones produced while forming a fetus.
What Are the Potential Complications?
Complications of diabetes develop gradually. The longer one has diabetes and doesn’t control their blood sugar, the higher the risk of complications. Some complications could be disabling or even life-threatening. Possible complications include:
Vessel disease, leading to heart attack or stroke
Eye problems
Infection or skin conditions
Nerve damage or neuropathy
Kidney damage or nephropathy
Amputations due to neuropathy or vessel disease
Alzheimer’s
What Are the Symptoms?
A few common symptoms of diabetes include:
Heavy thirst
Excessive urination
Frequent hunger
Fatigue
Sugar in urine
Vaginal and skin infections
Nervous or anxious
Sweaty, chilly, or clammy hands
Tingly or numb lips, tongue, or cheeks
Pale skin
Blurred vision
Hyperglycemia
Slow-healing cuts and sores
Blood glucose over 180 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl)
Prevention of Diabetes
There’s no known prevention for type 1 diabetes. However, one could lower their risk of type 2 diabetes if they:
Control their weight and manage their diet
Exercise regularly
Avoid high triglycerides, smoking, and low HDL cholesterol levels
If one has gestational diabetes or prediabetes, these habits can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.
