What is diabetes? What are symptoms of diabetes? How it is diagnosed and what is the trearment?

Diabetes mellitus

Overview

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition that is diagnosed when you have raised blood sugar levels. The main cause of diabetes is an absolute or relative deficiency of insulin in your body. Most of your food turns into sugar(glucose) in your body. Whenever you eat your blood sugar level rises which signal the pancreas to release insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that helps in regulating blood sugar levels. Insulin helps your body in consuming sugar. When there is a deficiency of insulin blood sugar level rises. There are different types of diabetes mellitus such as type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and some rare types(MODY and LADA). 

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes: 

Type 1 diabetes(previously known as insulin-dependent) is a disease of childhood. Your body's defence mechanism turns against your own pancreatic cells resulting in the destruction of insulin-secreting tissue. There is no insulin to process your blood sugar. This is called absolute deficiency of insulin. As a result blood sugar level rises.

Type 2 diabetes: 

Type 2 diabetes(previously called insulin-independent) is basically diabetes in adulthood and is usually diagnosed by the age of 35 years old. It runs in families because it has a strong genetic preponderance. It is caused by a relative deficiency of insulin which means your cells don't respond to insulin or there is resistance to the effects of inulin. As a result, cells are unable to process blood sugar and blood sugar level rises. It is also strongly associated with Obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Gestational diabetes:

It is defined as high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. It can happen at any stage of pregnancy but it is more common in second and third trimesters. 

Some hormones produced by the placenta have insulin-blocking effects. Women suffering from this condition may experience complications during pregnancy and delivery. Both mother and child have an increased risk of developing diabetes in the future. It is diagnosed by prenatal screening rather than symptoms.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

There is a long list of symptoms because there are several types of diabetes.

Symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes

• Failure to thrive
• Increased urination(polyuria)
• Increased thirst(polydipsia)
• Constant hunger(polyphagia)
• Fatigue
• Weight loss 
• Vision problems
• Loss of muscle bulk
• Losing weight without trying
• Body aches and fatigue
• Sores that heal very slow
• Getting a lot of infections such as vaginal, gum, and skin infections

Symptoms of gestational diabetes

There are no specific symptoms of gestational diabetes. Some women may experience symptoms the same as described for diabetes type 1 and type 2. This is usually diagnosed on prenatal screening. It happens to millions of pregnant females who experience this condition during their pregnancy.

How to diagnose diabetes?

It is diagnosed by taking a blood sample. A fasting blood sugar level is required to diagnose type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But if your random blood sugar levels are off the charts then a fasting sample is not required. WHO also recommends testing for HbA1c levels for diagnosis. 

To diagnose gestational diabetes, a screening test is done at 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. OGTT is the screening test for this condition which takes two hours.

What are the treatment options for diabetes?

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes:

Insulin is the primary drug of choice for type 1 diabetes as there is an absolute deficiency of insulin. 

There are multiple options to treat type 2 diabetes. Your doctor may advise you to reduce your weight, exercise regularly and cut down your carbs to control your blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. Some patients can maintain a normal blood sugar level by modifying their diet and lifestyle. If these measures fail to control blood sugar levels then your doctor may start oral hypoglycemic drugs with or without insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Insulin and some oral hypoglycemic drugs can be used to treat gestational diabetes.

Following advice is given to every diabetic patient,

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Follow a diet plan
• Exercise regularly
• Eat healthy and fresh food
• Cut down your carbohydrate intake
• keep a record of your blood sugar levels

Do I have diabetes?

If you have any doubts or questions please let us know. It is always advised to consult your local healthcare provider for further information and assessment.

How to lose belly fat? What is obesity? What are the causes of weight gain?

 

What is obesity?

Definition: According to the WHO, Obesity or overweight is defined as having an excessive or abnormal accumulation of fat in your body that impairs your normal health.

Obesity is measured by the BMI calculator. Online calculators are available to help you in keeping track of your weight. BMI=weight in kg/height in meter square.

·       Being overweight is defined as having BMI more than or equal to 25, and

Obesity is defined as having BMI more than or equal to 30.

In 2016 more than 2 billion people were overweight. Now, this value has doubled.

What are the causes of obesity or weight gain?

All causes of obesity and overweight are preventable and modifiable. It is the imbalance of calories consumed and calories burned. Overeating and consumption of junk food is the major cause of obesity. Whenever you eat more than your body requires for daily life, extra calories are stored in the shape of fat cells. Some important causes are

Eating more than the required calories: Eating food that is high in sugar and fat content.

Sedentary lifestyle: Moving less and eating more.

Lack of exercise: Lack of exercise results in the accumulation of extra calories in the shape of fat cells in your belly.

Eating junk food: Eating out a lot and ordering starter desserts can be high in sugar and fat content.

Poor eating habits: Packed junk food and soft drinks also contain high amounts of sugar.

Genetics: Genetics also play a role in obesity but it is rare.

Drugs: Certain drugs may result in increasing your weight. Drugs such as steroids are drugs used to treat epilepsy, diabetes mellitus, depression, and, schizophrenia. Always consult your local healthcare provider for further information and assessment.

Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions may result in gaining extra weight such as Hypothyroidism and Cushing’s syndrome. Consult your doctor if you have any doubts.

What are the complications of obesity?

Obesity has a direct link with heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, and osteoarthritis. In recent clinical and research trials obesity is also associated with an increased risk of developing cancers.

In females, obesity is associated development of subfertility,

hormonal imbalance, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

16 ways to lose weight without dieting or fasting.

1.       Make your plate green with fresh vegetables and fruits.

2.       Never miss your breakfast.

3.       Use less alcohol.

4.       Avoid soft drinks, replace them with diet soda.

5.       Drink more water.

6.       Exercise regularly, at least 150mins per week.

7.       Avoid junk food and replace them with meat fish and whole grain bakery items.

8.       Do yoga and meditation, it is a proven fact that it helps you lose weight.

9.       Keep a track of your weight.

10.   Keep a calorie diary to maintain a healthy food intake.

11.   Keeping a record of your progress makes it easy to see changes and keep on motivated.

12.   Never give up, losing weight takes a lot of time and patience.

13.   Increase your fiber diet intake, it also protects you from certain diseases and cancers.

14.   Watch less television.

15.   Stay active during your work hours.

16.   Go green with green tea.

Is there any medical or surgical treatment for obesity?

There are some medical drugs such as orlistat and liraglutide. It is always advised to consult your local healthcare provider for assistance.

There are some surgical options to help such as bariatric surgeries which help you in losing your weight. There are criteria based on your BMI for decision-making and choosing an appropriate surgical procedure for you. Your local healthcare provider will help you with further assessment and procedure.