Disorder of Metabolism called Diabetes
Diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism caused as a result of the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. To maintain our energy levels glucose is moved around the blood stream to the cells and muscles etc. As the main source of fuel for the body, glucose must get to where it is needed but diabetes stops this process from happening. If this situation remains unchecked, levels of glucose in the blood increase to dangerous levels.
Two main types occur; information on both is looked at briefly here. Mainly affecting children and young adults, type 1 or juvenile onset diabetes occurs when insulin production stops completely; this means insulin must be given to the diabetic on a daily basis for them to live. Insulin works like a catalyst, enabling the glucose produced by food to be absorbed by the cells and used as energy. The second form of diabetes usually affects people when they are of mature years; this can be controlled by diet but is caused by problems with the insulin production or its function.
Many of the foods we eat such as bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and fruit are converted into sugar and give us the energy we need to maintain life. Many health conditions can be caused by long term high blood sugar levels including: leg swelling and diabetes,poor vision, heart complaints, problems with the kidneys and in some cases even limb amputation. However, it is possible to manage diabetes by maintaining a strict health regime; these conditions will vary form person to person but most should see improvements with some complaints halted altogether. It is possible to live a relatively normal life provided you stick to the plan laid out by your doctor; it is very important that you don’t smoke and maintain your blood glucose levels, cholesterol and other blood fats within your target range.
Your weight and blood pressure also need to be checked regularly and kept within the acceptable limits set by your doctor. Diabetes cannot be cured and once diagnosed it is a lifelong complaint; the USA is particularly badly hit with over 5.5 million sufferers. Studies suggest that it is not the whole story as experts believe there are as many people again that have the disease that have not yet been diagnosed; over 600,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The number of Americans who have diabetes and die each year is approximately 320,000 but only 34,000 die as a direct result of having the condition.
