What does this mean for people with diabetes?

• This means that approximately 80% of the people diagnosed with diabetes will die of heart disease or a stroke.

• 71,382 people in America died from diabetes complications in 2007.

• People who have Type 1 diabetes can have their life expectancy shortened by as much as fifteen years. People with Type 2 can have their lives shortened by 5 to 10 years.

• In 2007 alone, $174 billion was spent on diagnosed diabetes cases, $116 billion was spent on direct medical costs and $58 billion on indirect costs.

• If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to die prematurely than someone who doesn’t have it.

• Amputation of limbs is a reality for people who suffer with diabetes. More than 60% of amputations are performed on people diagnosed with the disease. In 2006, 65,700 amputations were performed.

• We all know that there are Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, but there are actually 4 different types of diabetes. Prediabetes is a condition where the blood glucose levels are high but not high enough to be classified as Type 2. The fourth type is gestational diabetes. This can develop when women are pregnant, a time that should be a joyous occasion.

• If you are 40 and over, you are at a higher risk for developing diabetes, and you should be tested every three years to ensure you remain in good health.

• It is important to note that there are many symptoms that can indicate that you have diabetes, sometimes it can have absolutely no symptoms at all so it is important to be tested if you are in a high risk group.

What Causes Diabetes?

The causes for are varied and many which is why it’s important to remain vigilant while watching for symptoms. There are high-risk race groups, obesity, genetics, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,different health complications, giving birth to a baby that weighed over 4 kg, gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, acanthosis nigricans. The list goes on.

There is research being done on diabetes every day and we need to get ourselves informed, educated and donate so we can help eradicate one of the worst afflictions to affect America.

Children, particularly those belonging to the primary age group can be highly vulnerable to the disease which is known as diabetes. Diabetes is basically a disorder whereby the metabolism of a person is affected by unnaturally high levels of blood sugar. Children tend to be as susceptible to diabetes as adults do for both hereditary as well as environmental reasons. Parents who have children suffering from diabetes often face a very difficult time in locating information which is accurate and reliable.

Vital Facts about Diabetes in Children

The diabetes in kids can be of two types. These are diabetes type one and diabetes type two. The first type takes place when the immune system of the child attacks the beta cells which are responsible for the production of insulin. Type 2 is when the cells in the child’s body are not capable of responding to the insulin.

Causes of Diabetes in Kids

Genetic Reasons

The diabetes in kids could take place largely due to genetic reasons. This is more common in the case of children who are diagnosed with the type 2 diabetes. In the case of type 1 diabetes the risk of a child developing such a disease stands at the ratio of one to seventeen if his only his father has type one diabetes. The ratio is one to twenty five if the mother of the child happens to be the only parent having type one. If both the child’s parents suffer from the type 1 diabetes, then his risk of getting this disease ranges in between 1 in 4 to 1 in 10. If the child has one parent who has type 2 diabetes then his risk of getting the disease is 1 in 7. However, this could increase to 1 in 2 if both his parents suffer from type 2 diabetes.

Environmental Reasons

There are some doctors who are of the opinion that environmental factors have a significant role to play in the development of both type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes in kids. The first type of diabetes in kids takes place because of the presence of an unhealthy lifestyle along with very poor eating habits. The imbalance associated with a sedentary lifestyle along with a diet that is high in sugar could result in insulin resistance, imbalance in insulin and obesity. Doctors also believe that the climate also plays a very important role in the occurrence of diabetes in kids. A very cold climate is likely to trigger diabetes in kids, a fact which is demonstrated by the prevalence of this disease among kids living in the cold countries.

Children can be extremely prone to the disease known as diabetes. There are both environmental as well as hereditary reasons behind the development of diabetes in kids, but if you’re aware of reasons, it will be easier for you to avoid it.

Diabetes is a disease which you suffer from when your body is unable to produce the adequate amount of insulin in order to regulate your blood sugar levels. Diabetes can be of two types. Diabetes Type 1 is the disease which develops during your childhood or adolescence. It takes place when your pancreas stops producing hormone insulin. Diabetes Type 2 is the disease which occurs in your adulthood. It is characterized by the inability of your body to process the insulin which is secreted by your pancreas. There are several useful ways of treating diabetes type 1 as well as type 2 which you can consider, depending on which type of diabetes you are suffering from.

Different Treatments for Diabetes

Treatments for Diabetes Type 1

Use the Glucose Monitor

If you suffer from Diabetes Type 1 then you will need to make sure that you monitor your insulin level many times in the day. For this purpose, you should use a device known as the glucose monitor. This will help measure the amount of glucose that is contained in one drop of your blood. You can also use a newer device known as continuous glucose monitor. This is basically a needle which you place under your skin for registering the glucose content in your blood in every few minutes.

Use the Insulin Pumps

One of the best ways of treating diabetes type 1 which you can opt for is the use of the insulin pumps. This is a device which you will need to wear over your skin. The pump will administer insulin to your body via a catheter. Before taking your meals, you will need to input the dosage information into this machine. The machine will then dispense the adequate insulin amount to your body automatically.

Treatments for Diabetes Type 2

Exercise Regularly

Exercise is one of the most important ways of treating diabetes type 2 that you can consider opting for. By exercising on a regular basis you will be able to regulate the level of blood sugar in your body. You can avail of various individualized exercise programs that involve aerobic exercise. You will have to carry out these programs under the supervision of a doctor.

Follow a Healthy Eating Plan

A healthy diet is also one of the most effective ways of treating diabetes type 2 which you could consider. For this purpose you should consult a dietician who will develop a sound eating plan for you. Your diet should ideally comprise of whole grains, lean meats, vegetables and fruits if you suffer from diabetes type 2. These foods will keep the blood sugar in your body at the correct and safe levels.

These are several effective means of treating diabetes type 1 as well as type 2 that you could avail of one basis of the type of diabetes you happen to be ailing from.

So what are the symptoms of diabetes?

Actually, most of the signs and symptoms of diabetes don’t appear to be very critical and are often incredibly subtle. This is why it may sometimes be hard to notice it in yourselves. Similar to what causes diabetes, the symptoms for diabetes can be split into two sections; symptoms of diabetes type 1 and symptoms of diabetes type 2.

Symptom Of Diabetes Type 1

• For this type, one of the symptom of diabetes is frequent urination. This may be hard to pick up on, but if you do happen to notice going to the toilet an unusual amount, you should look out for other symptoms.
• Another sign of diabetes type 1 is if you are frequently feeling thirsty and hungry. This is because your body has used up a lot of it’s available energy.
• A few more signs and symptoms of diabetes include rapid weight loss for no reason, frequent tiredness and lastly you may notice some differences in your personality, more notably you may become more irritable at random things.

Symptoms Of Diabetes Type 2

• People that suffer from type 2 diabetes can also show any of the signs and symptoms of diabetes type 1, so have another read of the list above.
• In addition, you may find that you are more susceptible to infections. This is because suffering from diabetes will probably take a toll on your immune system.
• Another symptom that may be more notable is occasional blurred vision which is due to dried eyes.
• A fourth symptom is itchiness in the genitalia area, as well as general tingling in the hands and feet.
• Lastly if you cut yourself, you may find that it takes longer to heal itself. Once again this is due to a weaker immune system so you need to look out for that as well.

It is worth noting that people that suffer from diabetes often don’t notice the signs and symptoms of diabetes for years because the signs are just too subtle or in some cases even non existent.

There may be other symptoms related to diabetes so it is extremely important to visit the doctors if you do notice any of these signs as it could be a big problem with further complications if you leave it.

To find the causes of diabetes, I do suggest you read this post on the causes of diabetes

Causes Of Diabetes Type 1

Type 1 diabetes originates from the pancreas, and more specifically, the cells there. You see, these cells there are in charge of creating the insulin that helps to regulate the blood sugar levels. Now when someone suffers from type 1 diabetes, it means these cells are damaged and cannot make enough insulin to normalize the blood. There can be different reasons for the damaged cells, but it is normally a problem with the immune system where the body starts attacking its own cells. We don’t know exactly what causes diabetes sufferer’s immune systems to act this way but there are several theories.

Generally, it is widely believed that the cause of diabetes type 1 is due to genetics, and in fact, this type of diabetes can often run in the family.

In addition, type 1 diabetes can be caused by a range of different things that damage the cells, which can include injury or tumors.

Causes Of Diabetes Type 2

So what causes diabetes type 2? Instead of the cells producing the insulin being damaged, it is the cells that are supposed to be regulated by the insulin not responding to it’s effects. For this type, the main cause of diabetes is definitely due to genetics, and there is roughly a third chance that you would be diabetic if your parents are. It is also the more common of the two types of diabetes, affecting about 9/10 of diabetes sufferers.

There can be a lot of more other reasons for type 2 diabetes other than genetics, and often it’s a mixture of different things that cause this problem. Being overweight or obese puts you at a much greater risk of developing diabetes type 2. And generally, people living healthy lifestyles are at a 90 percent lower risk than people that don’t. Age can also be a big cause of diabetes type 2, and generally the older you are, the more at risk you are of being diabetic.

Common Misconceptions Of What Causes Diabetes

Many people think stress can be the sole cause of diabetes, but this is not entirely correct. For diabetes to develop, there needs to be other underlying problems like obesity, and it is these factors that are what causes diabetes. Saying that, stress can be a trigger of it all, and due to other problems it causes, it is best to avoid it anyway.

Despite what many people think, having a diet with too much sugar in it doesn’t actually directly cause diabetes. People get this idea because generally, people that intake a lot of sugar generally are overweight and possibly live an unhealthy lifestyle and therefore are more likely to be diabetic.