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Diabetes - a growing issue

Diabetes is a hormone disorder that, if left untreated, can lead to kidney failure, gangrene and amputation, blindness or stroke.   Diabetes is on the increase, probably because people are living longer, getting fatter and leading increasingly inactive lifestyles.

Type 1 Diabetes is a disease that destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin.  Type 1 sufferers are usually unable to produce any insulin and need to boost their insulin levels, either by regular injections or by a hormone pump under the skin. 

The cause of the disease is unknown, although it is thought it might be inherited.   Other environmental factors and illnesses seem to trigger the disease.  Sufferers can live happy, healthy lives provided they follow a diabetes treatment plan.   Blood and urine tests show if the disease is under control.

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of the disease. It usually occurs in people over the age of 45 and overweight.   Sufferers do not make enough insulin, or are unable to make proper use of it.   Sugar builds up in the bloodstream and causes health problems.

Again the cause of the disease is unknown, but is probably inherited. As with type 1 diabetes, other factors appear to trigger the disease such as obesity.

Type 2 diabetes often develops slowly. The symptoms can be so mild that they go unnoticed.  It is thought that millions of people worldwide suffer from type 2 diabetes without realising it.  It can be controlled by regular exercise and diet control. 

Pre-Diabetes is characterised by the presence of higher than normal blood glucose levels and is almost always a precursor to the development of Type 2 diabetes. The scale of the problem is growing, as Western society and diet becomes more pervasive. In the USA alone there are over 40 million people suffering from it.

Pre-diabetes is also a critical stage, for sufferers still have the opportunity to turn their condition around. Early, decisive action can slow down or even halt the development of type 2 diabetes. However, very often the sufferer doesn’t know they have the condition until type 2 diabetes has developed, the reason being that there may be no symptoms.

There are several factors that are generally present in pre-diabetics. If you are overweight and over 45 you should be tested.  If your family has a history of diabetes or you have given birth to a baby who weighed over 9lbs you may also be more at risk.

The way to establish if you have the condition is to ask your GP for a Fasting Blood Test for glucose.  If found positive, your GP should then inform you what you need to do to lessen your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The good news is that, if you have become aware of the disease early, your condition may be curable. The Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range.

If you are concerned, come and see us.