Diabetes Mellitus
Did you know that cases of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) have been steadily increasing over the past couple decades in the United States? Diabetes is becoming a major epidemic in our country that is mainly caused by lack of exercise, nutrition misinformation, overconsumption of unhealthy foods, and stress, just to name a few. Common risk factors of diabetes are family history, recent weight gain, medications, and even pregnancy. Prevention is the number one way to decrease the chances of developing Type 2 DM, which is why it is so important to educate yourself on what diabetes is, proper nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle factors that may prevent you from developing it. Keep reading!
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body handles glucose in response to insulin levels. Glucose (aka sugar), is the body’s main energy source. It is mostly derived from the carbohydrates that we eat, then stored in the liver, and released into the blood to be used throughout the day. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, which allows glucose to enter our cells. Without insulin, glucose pools in the blood and causes high blood glucose levels. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood stream can cause serious health problems such as heart failure, kidney disease, vision loss, and more.
Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus are commonly confused.
Type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks the beta cells of your pancreas, so it produces very little insulin or none at all. Few beta cells means less insulin is being secreted into the body, which means that glucose cannot tenter the cells and stays trapped in the bloodstream. Type 1 DM is typically diagnosed very early on in life and patients with this disease need lifelong treatment of daily insulin injections in order to keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. People with Type 1 DM also need to learn to watch what they eat so as to not cause spikes in their blood glucose levels. Talking to a nutritionist or doctor is very beneficial at this time so they learn how to read nutrition labels and how to count how many carbohydrates they are consuming at each meal. Ideally, they should eat approximately the same amount of carbohydrates during each meal to keep blood sugar levels stable. Type 1 DM can unfortunately not be solely controlled with diet, which is why Type 1 DM is classified as insulin-dependent.
Type 2 diabetes is typically diagnosed over the age of 40, although a lot of young adults have started getting diagnosed with it over the years as well. Common risk factors of developing it are family history, recent weight gain, lack of exercise, and overconsumption of unhealthy foods. All of these risk factors lead to insulin resistance, which is basically what type 2 DM is. Beta cells of the pancreas are still producing insulin, but our body’s cells aren’t responding to it. If insulin can’t enter, glucose can’t either, and so, again, we have an increase in glucose levels in the blood. Signs and symptoms of early stage diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, dry mouth, hunger, fatigue, headache, and blurry vision. Depending on how serious the patient’s presenting condition is, the health practitioner may put them on medication or tell them to do daily insulin injections, too. However, since type 2 DM is not autoimmune, it doesn’t have to be a life-long disease and it may be reversed through diet, exercise, medications and supplements with the help of a health practitioner.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes seen in pregnant women who did not have diabetes prior to pregnancy. About 2-10% of pregnancies each year are affected by gestational diabetes. Doctors check blood glucose levels of pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, as this is when it most often arises. Gestational diabetes occurs due to the pancreas’s inability to produce enough insulin during pregnancy, again causing insulin resistance. There typically aren’t many symptoms of gestational diabetes although lifestyle and medical history may suggest that a woman might have it.
Having gestational diabetes during pregnancy can increase the chances of having high blood pressure, as well. Gestational diabetes also increases the chances that the baby might be born early, be very large (9+ pounds), and may need to be delivered via C-section. Approximately half of women with gestational diabetes go on to have normal blood glucose levels after delivering the baby, but the other half of women go on to having type 2 diabetes. Prevention is once again the best way to increase your chances of not developing this disease during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about proper diet and lifestyle adjustments to make before conceiving and while pregnant.