What are the reasons,causes and signs of diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which there is a excess of glucose [sugar] in blood. In diabetes blood sugar levels go haywire. It is one of the leading major causes of blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, amputations and digestive disorders. The major causes are heredity, immune system dysfunction and viruses. Among the
contributory causes are obesity, lack of exercise and improper nutrition diet. You don't get the proper nutrients needed, if you over consume processed, chemically treated, overcooked, high fat,high glycemic, packaged and nutrient deficient food.
Normally, sugar and starch in food are absorbed as glucose, produced by liver, into  our blood. insulin, the hormone produced by pancreas, cleans up the glucose from blood by directing it into the cells. In diabetes, the body doesn't make, or properly use insulin. This causes the blood sugar levels to go high and glucose not able to
enter the cells. In this condition, the body cannot make the energy it needs from
the food you eat. Eating food high in sugar and starch complicates the condition.
Eating the right food in the right amount at the right time is important to maintain blood sugar levels throughout the day. This will help to feel better and be mentally sharp. You will have better moods, less depression and less fatigue
than those who don't. By being so, it will reduce the risk of complications such as high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
Body needs energy. Energy is produced from glucose which in turn is got from the food we eat.If we are not eating properly, we can not produce efficient energy,that body needs. Any time if one of our basic need is out of balance, the body is under stress and cannot function properly.


Types of diabetes:
A: Type 1 diabetes mellitus: In this type of diabetes, the pancreas produces little
or no insulin. This type of diabetes generally develops at young age, has symptoms
abd blood glucose is high. These patients need insulin treatment lifelong.
B: Type 2 diabetes mellitus: In this type of diabetes, the pancreas produces less
insulin than required to maintain normal blood glucose. It generally develops after
40-45 tears of age and progresses slowly. Several years may pass before the the
diagnosis is actually made. All patients need diet control, tablets or insulin to 
keep their diabetes under control.
C: Secondary diabetes mellitus: This includes diabetes due to genetic defects in
insulin secreation and action, drugs [steroids,contraceptive pills, ACTH,etc.,]and diabetes in association with ebdocrine disorders. Most of them require insulin for diabetes control.
D: Gestational diabetes mellitus: This includes dignosis of diabetes made for the first time during pregnancy.The diagnosis is done when fasing blood glucose is in excess  of 95 mg/dl and if it is higher than 180 mg/dl at 1hr,155 mg/dl at 2hr or 140 mg/dl at 3hr after 100g oral glucose intake. These patients need very strict pregnancy control through diet modifications and insulin treatment to prevent pregnancy loss and high birth weight[more than 3.8kgs] of their babies. In most cases blood glucose becomes normal after delivery. A repeat blood glucose test after 6 weeks of delivery is necessary for assessing diabetes.


Reasons for developing diabetes:
Though it can not be answered easely the following causes might answer this.
1]Heredity is considered as an important cause. children of parents with no diabetes are less likely to develop diabetes than children of parents with diabetes.
2]Obesity and sendentary lifestyle are major contributing causes.
3]Alcoholic beverages when taken in excess, damage the pancreas and cause diabetes.
4]Higher consumption of bitter tapioca,maize, sugar,salt and low protein diet during childhood increases the risk.
5]Those with low[1.5kg and lower] high[3.8kg] birth weight, stress, high blood sugar,diabetes during pregnancy are at gigh risk of developing diabetes.
6]Viral gastroenteritis, mumps and chickenpox may precede development of type 1 diabetes. 


SYMPTOMS:-

Diabetes is an isidious disease. In fact, moderately high levels of blood glucose

[180-200 mg/dl] produce no symptoms for many months or even years.

Most patients with type 1 diabetes pass large volumes of urine, experience an 

increase in the frequency of urination, undue thirst and hunger, and rapid weight 

loss. These provide clues for diagnosis of diabetes.

men and women with type 2 diabetes may not have the above symptoms. Some of them 

experience an increase in the frequency of urination and abnormal thirst.They may 

however feel tired, irritable, lack of concentration at work, proneness to 

infection, delay in wound healing, intense itching and need for frequent change of 

eye glasses.

Raghu Natrajan

Technorati Tags: Diabetes,Diabetes symptoms