Wellness  

Unveiling The Mystery: Understanding Diabetes And Its Impact

By Chimamanda Santos-Obi

06 June 2023   |   2:30 pm

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I was in elementary school when I first heard of the term diabetes. I learnt that it was a disease caused by excess intake of sugar and it was common in adults. I got to senior secondary school and one day in one of my biology classes my biology teacher taught us about diabetes. The…

[FILES] Cup full of sugar

I was in elementary school when I first heard of the term diabetes. I learnt that it was a disease caused by excess intake of sugar and it was common in adults. I got to senior secondary school and one day in one of my biology classes my biology teacher taught us about diabetes.

The way she spoke about it made me go home and tell my siblings to reduce their sugar intake. Her lectures opened my eyes and made me understand a little about diabetes. On that note, let me tell you what I have learnt about diabetes so far.

Diabetes is a serious metabolic disease characterized by heightened levels of blood glucose, which over time leads to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. This disease is caused by the liver cells’ inability to convert excess glucose in the blood to glucagon. It is also as a result of the failure of the pancreas to produce the hormone called insulin: a hormone that regulates blood glucose.

There are two types of diabetes, and they are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. According to the world health organization (WHO) Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself. It occurs when your immune system, the body’s system for fighting infection, attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas.

The most common type of diabetes is the type 2 diabetes. Until recently, this type of diabetes was seen only in adults but now it is also occurring frequently in children. This type of diabetes affects the way the body processes blood sugar. It is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.

The most common symptoms of this disease are increased thirst, increased urination, feeling tired and losing weight. Other symptoms include having blurry vision, numb or tingling hands or feet, and very dry skin. Diabetes has a lot of negative effects.

Adults with diabetes have increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Combined with reduced blood flow, nerve damage in the feet increases the chances of foot ulcers, infection and eventual need for limb amputation. Diabetes is also among the leading causes of kidney failure. People with diabetes are more likely to have poor outcomes for several infectious diseases.

Diabetes can be prevented by achieving a healthy body weight, being physically active, that is doing at least 30-40 minutes of regular, moderate-intense activity on most days, eating a healthy diet- avoiding sugar and saturated fats, medication and regular screening and avoiding smoking as it increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Treatment of diabetes involves dieting and physical activity along with lowering of blood glucose and the levels of other known risk factors that can damage blood vessels. Diabetic patients can be treated by blood glucose control. People with type 1 diabetes require insulin while people with type 2 diabetes can be treated with oral medications.

They may also require insulin. For people living with diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is critical to their survival. Diabetic patients should also maintain foot hygiene, wear appropriate footwear and seek professional care for ulcer management and regular examination of feet. Patients should also be regularly screened for diabetes related diseases so they can be prevented and cured.

Till date there is no known cure for diabetes, but people with this disease can live healthy and prevent further complications. We could also build awareness on the global epidemic by marking world diabetes day -November 14 and trying our best to support everyone who has the disease.