Diabetes is a condition when the pancreas is no longer able to make the hormone insulin, or when the body can’t effectively use the insulin it produces. When we eat foods containing carbohydrates they are broken down into glucose (sugar) in the blood. Insulin transfers glucose from the blood into the liver and muscle cells for energy. As long as your body can keep up with the amount of insulin it needs, blood sugar levels stay in the healthy range. When insulin isn’t produced or isn’t controlled properly, it leads to raised glucose levels in the blood, also known as hypoglycemia. Over time, this can cause complications throughout the body, such as blindness, kidney damage, gum disease, and heart disease. Because diabetes is a serious condition, it can have a significant impact on the quality of life and can reduce life expectancy. While Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent, it’s worth knowing about all the different variations of the disease.
TYPE 1 DIABETES
This is a condition in which the immune system is activated to destroy the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, it’s estimated that Type 1 diabetes makes up 10 percent of diabetes cases, and it most often present in kids aged seven to 12. Experts don’t know what causes this auto-immune reaction and it’s not linked to lifestyle factors.
TYPE 2 DIABETES
Known as a lifestyle disease, Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to the normal effects of insulin and/or gradually loses the capacity to produce enough insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels. It is most often diagnosed in adulthood, in your 30s or 40s, but there're increasing numbers of younger people are developing it, too.
GESTATIONAL DIABETES
This story is from the November 2019 edition of The Singapore Women's Weekly.
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This story is from the November 2019 edition of The Singapore Women's Weekly.
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