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What is diabetes?




What is diabetes?


Diabetes is when someone has too much sugar in their blood. There are two main kinds:


Type 1 diabetes is when the body's own defenses attack and destroy the cells that make insulin, a hormone needed to control blood sugar.


Type 2 diabetes happens when the body doesn't make enough insulin or when the cells don't use it properly. It's much more common than Type 1, with over 90% of adult cases in the UK being Type 2.


During pregnancy, high blood sugar is called gestational diabetes. It usually goes away after the baby is born..


Symptoms


- Increased thirst

- Frequent urination

- Extreme hunger

- Unexplained weight loss

- Fatigue

- Blurred vision

- Slow wound healing

- Frequent infections.


Treatment


Diabetes treatment involves:

- Lifestyle changes: Eating well, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight.

- Medication: Taking prescribed drugs like insulin or metformin.

- Checking blood sugar levels regularly.

- Managing other health problems like heart disease.

- Regular medical check-ups for monitoring and adjustments.


Causes


Diabetes can be caused by various factors, including:

- Genetics: Family history can predispose individuals to diabetes.

- Lifestyle: Unhealthy habits like poor diet, lack of physical activity, and obesity can increase the risk.

- Autoimmune response: In type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly attacks insulin-producing cells.

- Insulin resistance: In type 2 diabetes, the body's cells don't respond properly to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels..


Sources:


@medyouthalliance

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