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Diabetes is a lifestyle disease and its treatment involves medication, weight loss and exercise and DIABCARE is involved in management of disease at all these levels.

What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition in which body cannot use or does not produce enough insulin and alters blood glucose levels as a result. Insulin is a hormone secreted by pancreas that is responsible for transporting glucose from the blood into the cells, where the glucose is metabolized for energy. Without insulin bloody cannot metabolize blood glucose.

What are types of Diabetes?

• Type 1 – occurs usually in children and young adults. In TYPE 1 DIABETES body fails to produce insulin and therefore INSULIN is required for controlling Diabetes.
• Type 2 – It may occur at any age in young adults as well as older adults. Insulin insensitivity or insulin resistance and low insulin production is observed in this condition. Oral Hypoglycemic agents (OHA) or Insulin can be used to manage this condition.
• Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)– GDM is a condition in which women who were not previously diagnosed with Diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during or in later stages of pregnancy. Pregnancy puts an extra stress on women’s body that causes some women to develop Diabetes. Blood sugar levels often return to normal after child birth but usually there is an increased risk of developing diabetes at later stages of life if care not taken.

What are causes of diabetes?

• Genetics- Person having family history of diabetes
• Being overweight (Abdominal obesity- huge belly)
• Age ( Chances increase with age)
• Steroids

How does one know if He/ She have Diabetes?

Getting your blood tested to see if you have Diabetes. Normal fasting blood sugar levels are between 70-100 mg/dl. The standard diagnosis of Diabetes is made when a person has 2 readings of Blood sugar levels that are higher than this value i.e Fasting blood sugar level ( empty stomach) > 126  and Post Prandial PP (2hrs post meal) and >200.

Glycosylated hemoglobin test (HbA1c) – Sugar builds up in your blood and combines with your hemoglobin, becoming “Glycosylated”.  Therefore, the average amount of sugar in your blood can be determined by measuring a hemoglobin A1c level. If your glucose levels have been high over recent weeks, your hemoglobin A1c test will be higher. The amount of hemoglobin A1c will reflect the last 3 months of blood sugar levels.

• Normal: Less than 5.7%
• Pre-diabetes: 5.7% to 6.4%
• Diabetes: 6.5% or higher

 What are symptoms of Diabetes?

• Excessive thirst.
• Frequent urination.
• Fatigue ( feeling tired)
• Unusual weightloss.
• Blurred vision.
• Sexual Dysfunction.
• Slow healing of wounds.

What are complications of Diabetes?

Poor control of diabetes may lead to further complications of Diabetes which involves-

1.       Diabetic Retinopathy

Uncontrolled blood sugar can cause minute vessels in eye to become fragile or blocked, resulting in damage to retina of the eye which can cause Blurred or Impaired vision, Blindness and Cataract. If u are Diabetic it is extremely important to get your eye checkup done annually.

2.       Neuropathy

Nerve Damage is called Neuropathy. Uncontrolled blood sugars can cause damage and scaring of nerves which affects their ability to perform their function of sending nerve signals. This leads to-

• Numbness, Burning Or Tingling sensation in hands and feet ( Peripheral Neuropathy)
• Loss of Sensation and Pain
• Changes in Stomach and bowel function.
• Sexual dysfunction.

3.     Nephropathy (Kidney Disease)

Uncontrolled blood sugars can also damage blood vessels in the Kidney Leading to Kidney Disease.

  4.    Diabetic Foot Disease

Uncontrolled Diabetes can lead to Peripheral neuropathy which leads to diabetic foot.

• Poor sensation
• Poor recovery of cuts and wounds
• Dry scaly skin
• Ulcerations
• Infections
• Gangrene- delayed healing of wound can cause infection in the diseased area which can lead to surgical amputation of whole or part of leg.

5.   Heart Disease

There is an increased risk of Heart Disease in people with Diabetes compared to people who are not diabetic. Controlling your blood sugars and blood pressure is the key to prevent Heart Disease.

EXCELLENT CONTROL OF DIABETES SINCE THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS CAN PREVENT FURTHUR COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES.