The Importance Of Insulin
Diabetes is a disease in which your body either can’t produce insulin or can’t properly use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas.
Insulin’s role is to regulate the amount of glucose in the blood. Blood sugar must be carefully regulated to ensure that the body functions properly. Too much blood sugar can cause damage to organs, blood vessels, and nerves. Your body also needs insulin in order to use sugar for energy.
Eleven million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes. Chances are, diabetes affects you or someone you know.
How To Prevent It
The road to diabetes is paved by many contributing factors, some out of your control, but many within. In terms of the most common form of diabetes, type 2, there’s a lot you can do to prevent the disease.
Move your body. A sedentary lifestyle is now seen as a significant health risk. Walk. Dance. Do something you enjoy, just make sure you move.
Eat well. You’ve heard it before, you’ll hear it again: you are what you eat. A carb-heavy diet is more likely to spike your blood sugar, so go easy on the bread, pasta, beer, rice, and potatoes. A rule of thumb from our friends at Eat This, Not That! : Eat your colors. Orange . Red . Green . Blue .
Keep your weight in normal range. If you are struggling with losing weight, see your doctor and ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Together, you can come up with a plan that you can live happily with.
Main Causes Of Diabetes
#1 Sugary Foods
The most common cause of insulin resistance and diabetes is consuming sugary foods such as soda drinks, sweets, sauces and junk foods. These foods cause your blood sugars to spike, signalling your pancreas to release more insulin. Over time the high insulin levels trigger insulin resistance in your cells, because they cant handle any more.
#2 Frequent Eating
Every time you eat, you stimulate insulin in the body. So if you are eating 3 meals a day, with snacks in between you never give your body the opportunity to rest. Grazing as opposed to feasting keeps your insulin levels high all day long, leading to insulin resistance and diabetes.
#3 Refined Grains
Did you know that grains like bread, cereal, biscuits, popcorn, crackers and pastries are all made from long chains of sugar? These carbohydrate rich foods quickly turn into sugar in your blood, which raises insulin very quickly. If you eat these frequently, again you arent giving your body chance to rest and digest.
#4 Hydrogenated Oils
The most common vegetable oils, like soy, cottonseed, rapeseed, corn and canola oils are very harmful to the human body. These are inflammatory oils which cause damage to the beta cells in your pancreas, the cells that make and release insulin. These oils are commonly used for cooking fast food and takeout meals.
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What Kind Of Doctor Treats Diabetes
Endocrinology is the specialty of medicine that deals with hormone disturbances, and both endocrinologists and pediatric endocrinologists manage patients with diabetes. People with diabetes may also be treated by family medicine or internal medicine specialists. When complications arise, people with diabetes may be treated by other specialists, including neurologists, gastroenterologists, ophthalmologists, surgeons, cardiologists, or others.
When Should I Call My Doctor
If you havent been diagnosed with diabetes, you should see your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms of diabetes. If you already have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should contact your provider if your blood glucose levels are outside of your target range, if current symptoms worsen or if you develop any new symptoms.
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My Final Opinion: What Is The Main Cause Of Diabetes Type 2
Finally, I want to say If you really want to use health then you have obeyed the scientific rules. You cant get overnight results but you must get results. So, guys thanks for reading this article. Stay tuned to this blog for getting more and more health tips.
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Continue Reading What Is The Main Cause Of Diabetes Type 2
Insulin resistance leads to diabetes over time, and is actually the leading cause of disease and sickness in the human body.
In response to this, the beta cells in your pancreas make more and more insulin to try and help control your blood sugars. Eventually, the pancreas can become burnt out, leading to a dangerous condition called type 1 diabetes, where you need to take insulin shots to survive.
With this in mind, today Im going to share with you the top 12 causes of insulin resistance and diabetes. This will make you aware of some of the lifestyle choices that cause harm to your cells, so that you can avoid or change them.
I will also share some simple remedies and nutrition tips to help reduce diabetes symptoms and prevent the situation from getting worse.
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Can Diabetes Kill You
Yes, its possible that if diabetes remains undiagnosed and uncontrolled it can cause devastating harm to your body. Diabetes can cause heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and coma. These complications can lead to your death. Cardiovascular disease in particular is the leading cause of death in adults with diabetes.
Are There Other Treatment Options For Diabetes
Yes. There are two types of transplantations that might be an option for a select number of patients who have Type 1 diabetes. A pancreas transplant is possible. However, getting an organ transplant requires taking immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of your life and dealing with the side effects of these drugs. However, if the transplant is successful, youll likely be able to stop taking insulin.
Another type of transplant is a pancreatic islet transplant. In this transplant, clusters of islet cells are transplanted from an organ donor into your pancreas to replace those that have been destroyed.
Another treatment under research for Type 1 diabetes is immunotherapy. Since Type 1 is an immune system disease, immunotherapy holds promise as a way to use medication to turn off the parts of the immune system that cause Type 1 disease.
Bariatric surgery is another treatment option thats an indirect treatment for diabetes. Bariatric surgery is an option if you have Type 2 diabetes, are obese and considered a good candidate for this type of surgery. Much improved blood glucose levels are seen in people who have lost a significant amount of weight.
Of course other medications are prescribed to treat any existing health problems that contribute to increasing your risk of developing diabetes. These conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other heart-related diseases.
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What Does It Mean If Test Results Show I Have Protein In My Urine
This means your kidneys are allowing protein to be filtered through and now appear in your urine. This condition is called proteinuria. The continued presence of protein in your urine is a sign of kidney damage.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Theres much you can do to prevent the development of diabetes . However, if you or your child or adolescent develop symptoms of diabetes, see your healthcare provider. The earlier diabetes is diagnosed, the sooner steps can be taken to treat and control it. The better you are able to control your blood sugar level, the more likely you are to live a long, healthy life.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 03/28/2021.
References
What Happens With Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops over a long period of time . During this period of time insulin resistance starts, this is where the insulin is increasingly ineffective at managing the blood glucose levels. As a result of this insulin resistance, the pancreas responds by producing greater and greater amounts of insulin, to try and achieve some degree of management of the blood glucose levels.
As insulin overproduction occurs over a very long period of time, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas wear themselves out, so that by the time someone is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, they have lost 50 70% of their insulin-producing cells. This means type 2 diabetes is a combination of ineffective insulin and not enough insulin. Lifestyle changes may be able to slow this process in some people.
Initially, type 2 diabetes can often be managed with healthy eating and regular physical activity. Over time many people with type 2 diabetes will also need tablets and some may eventually require insulin. It is important to note that this is normal, and taking tablets or insulin as soon as they are required can result in fewer long-term complications.
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Can Diabetes Be Cured Or Reversed
Although these seem like simple questions, the answers are not so simple. Depending on the type of your diabetes and its specific cause, it may or may not be possible to reverse your diabetes. Successfully reversing diabetes is more commonly called achieving remission.
Type 1 diabetes is an immune system disease with some genetic component. This type of diabetes cant be reversed with traditional treatments. You need lifelong insulin to survive. Providing insulin through an artificial pancreas is the most advanced way of keeping glucose within a tight range at all times most closely mimicking the body. The closest thing toward a cure for Type 1 is a pancreas transplant or a pancreas islet transplant. Transplant candidates must meet strict criteria to be eligible. Its not an option for everyone and it requires taking immunosuppressant medications for life and dealing with the side effects of these drugs.
Its possible to reverse prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes with a lot of effort and motivation. Youd have to reverse all your risk factors for disease. To do this means a combination of losing weight, exercising regularly and eating healthy . These efforts should also lower your cholesterol numbers and blood pressure to within their normal range. Bariatric surgery has been shown to achieve remission in some people with Type 2 diabetes. This is a significant surgery that has its own risks and complications.
How Is Diabetes Diagnosed
The fasting blood glucose test is the preferred way to diagnose diabetes. It is easy to perform and convenient. After the person has fasted overnight , a single sample of blood is drawn and sent to the laboratory for analysis. This can also be done accurately in a doctor’s office using a glucose meter.
- Normal fasting plasma glucose levels are less than 100 milligrams per deciliter .
- Fasting plasma glucose levels of more than 126 mg/dl on two or more tests on different days indicate diabetes.
- A random blood glucose test can also be used to diagnose diabetes. A blood glucose level of 200 mg/dl or higher indicates diabetes.
When fasting blood glucose stays above 100mg/dl, but in the range of 100-126mg/dl, this is known as impaired fasting glucose . While patients with IFG or prediabetes do not have the diagnosis of diabetes, this condition carries with it its own risks and concerns, and is addressed elsewhere.
The oral glucose tolerance test
For the test to give reliable results:
- The person must be in good health .
- The person should be normally active , and
- The person should not be taking medicines that could affect the blood glucose.
- The morning of the test, the person should not smoke or drink coffee.
Evaluating the results of the oral glucose tolerance test
Glucose tolerance tests may lead to one of the following diagnoses:
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Type 2 Diabetes Insulin Resistance
In Type 2 diabetes, one of the causes of diabetes is that, while the pancreas does make insulin, the body does not respond to it like it should, and the glucose levels remain high in the blood. At this point, the pancreas makes even more insulin to lower the blood sugars, but eventually, the organ fails and wears out. The individual will then have too much glucose in the blood, a condition known as prediabetes.
In prediabetes, the levels of glucose are high but not high enough to make the diagnosis of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin production increases, but there is resistance to insulin and the individual will present with signs and symptoms of diabetes. When blood sugars stay at elevated levels for too long, it can lead to several physical complications, including atherosclerosis, as well as causing your pancreas to fail.
What Is The Main Cause Of Gestational Diabetes
CircleCare
Gestational diabetes is caused by the hormonal changes and metabolic demands of pregnancy together with genetic and environmental factors. This type of diabetes only happens when you are pregnant and usually disappears after the birth of the baby.
What happens in Gestational Diabetes?
Placenta releases hormones during pregnancy that help your baby grow. Some of these hormones interfere with your body to make or use insulin. This is called insulin resistance.
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What Types Of Healthcare Professionals Might Be Part Of My Diabetes Treatment Team
Most people with diabetes see their primary healthcare provider first. Your provider might refer you to an endocrinologist/pediatric endocrinologist, a physician who specializes in diabetes care. Other members of your healthcare team may include an ophthalmologist , nephrologist , cardiologist , podiatrist , neurologist , gastroenterologist , registered dietician, nurse practitioners/physician assistants, diabetes educator, pharmacist, personal trainer, social worker, mental health professional, transplant team and others.
How Do I Know I Have It
Symptoms vary from person to person, and also by how much your blood sugar is elevated. According to the NIH, type 1 diabetes symptoms can start quickly, sometimes over just a few weeks. With type 2 diabetes, symptoms often develop more slowly, over several years, and for some may be so mild that they’re not noticeable. In fact, many people with type 2 diabetes actually have no symptoms, and only find out they have the disease when they develop diabetes-related health problems like increased thirst and urination or heart trouble.
It’s key to pay attention to what’s happening in your bodyif something feels off, don’t ignore it: go see your doctor and get checked out.
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What Are The Other Types Of Diabetes
Gestational diabetes
Diabetes can occur temporarily during pregnancy, and reports suggest that it occurs in 2% to 10% of all pregnancies. Significant hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to blood sugar elevation in genetically predisposed individuals. Blood sugar elevation during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually resolves once the baby is born. However, 35% to 60% of women with gestational diabetes will eventually develop type 2 diabetes over the next 10 to 20 years, especially in those who require insulin during pregnancy and those who remain overweight after their delivery. Women with gestational diabetes are usually asked to undergo an oral glucose tolerance test about six weeks after giving birth to determine if their diabetes has persisted beyond the pregnancy, or if any evidence is present that may be a clue to a risk for developing diabetes.
Secondary diabetes
“Secondary” diabetes refers to elevated blood sugar levels from another medical condition. Secondary diabetes may develop when the pancreatic tissue responsible for the production of insulin is destroyed by disease, such as chronic pancreatitis , trauma, or surgical removal of the pancreas.
Hormonal disturbances
Medications
Certain medications may worsen diabetes control, or “unmask” latent diabetes. This is seen most commonly when steroid medications are taken and also with medications used in the treatment of HIV infection .
How To Reduce Insulin Resistance
Start with a low-glycemic, macronutrient-balanced diabetic diet to reduce your insulin levels.
Since excess insulin is the primary root cause thats fueling your diabetes, this step is critical to getting your blood sugar and diabetes under control.
Once you are able to lower your insulin levels and stop your pancreas from secreting extra insulin, your body will be able to burn fat, which promotes weight loss.
And, when you start to lose weight, this reduces inflammation, which fuels insulin resistance.
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What Causes Type 2 Diabetes
You can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes with proven, achievable lifestyle changessuch as losing a small amount of weight and being more physically activeeven if youre at high risk.
Theres more to why people get type 2 diabetes than you may know. Although lifestyle is a big part, so are family history, age, and race. Learn about what causes type 2 diabetes and how you can help lower your risk.
Youve probably heard the expression, you cant judge a book by its cover. In the same way we cant tell whats inside a book without reading it, we cant look at a person and know if theyre at risk of type 2 diabetes.
Its true that being overweight is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, but your family history, age, and race are risk factors too.
Learn about what causes type 2 diabetes, and how you can help lower your risk.
Factors That Lead To Diabetes
In the report on global diabetes prevalence it id found that urban people have more diabetes than rural areas . The main factor contributing to the rise in the urban area is an improper lifestyle, improper diet, stress, and less physical activities.
A person is more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes if he/she has:
- Insulin resistance â With insulin resistance, the body cells donât respond to insulin effectively. Due to this, glucose canât move to cells and starts building up in the blood.
- Sedentary lifestyle â Inactive lifestyle without enough exercise leads to weight gain and health risks like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
- Age â As age increases the risk of diabetes increases. It is mainly common after 45 years.
- Ethnic background â Ethnic groups like Hispanic/Latino Americans, Asian-Americans, and Pacific Islanders are more prone to diabetes.
Thus, to remain healthy and to manage diabetes appropriately it is essential that you follow the proper diet plan, maintain a healthy lifestyle, manage weight and follow proper medication on time.
Summary:
Lifestyle, weight, age, and ethnic background are key factors that pose risk to the cause of diabetes.
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