What is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus, commonly called diabetes, is a chronic disorder where the body has difficulty using sugar for fuel, which causes it to build up in the blood. When the stomach digests carbohydrates like grains, starches, and fiber, it breaks them down into a sugar called glucose, which the body uses for fuel.
To do this, glucose goes through a process that’s like checking into a hotel. From the stomach, the glucose enters into the small intestine. From there, it checks into the bloodstream, which is the inside of the hotel. Then it has to get into its rooms, which are the body’s cells, to be used to make energy. But there’s a problem: the doors to the rooms are locked, and glucose can’t get inside by itself. To fix this problem, the pancreas releases insulin, which is a chemical that unlocks the doors to let glucose through.
There are two types of diabetes that disrupt this process in two different ways, which we call type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas loses the ability to make insulin. This means that many of the doors stay locked, and less glucose can get into the cells. Type 1 diabetes makes up 5% of cases. It is a genetic condition in which the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. People with this condition need extra insulin in order to survive.
Type 2 diabetes
In type 2 diabetes, the doors become stuck. Insulin can still unlock the doors, but it has a much harder time opening them, so less glucose can get into the cells. The pancreas tries to make more insulin to help open the doors, but over time it’s able to produce less and less.
Type 2 diabetes happens as the doors get harder to open gradually over decades, with a diagnosis typically made in middle age. Obesity, inactivity, smoking, and having a relative with the condition all cause the doors to become stuck more easily.
What happens when I have diabetes?
In both types of diabetes, because not all the glucose can get into the cells, it builds up in the blood. The kidneys, which filter the blood, try to get rid of the excess glucose in the urine. This results in excessive urination, and consequently, excessive thirst. However, glucose continues to build up in the blood. High levels of glucose in the blood damage many of the body’s organs over time, including the kidneys and pancreas, which makes the body less able to reduce blood glucose levels. Additionally, the body can’t get all the fuel it needs, which results in tiredness, lack of concentration, and possibly more extreme symptoms.
What’s the best treatment for diabetes?
Although diabetes has no cure, treatment is very effective. However, it requires commitment. Glucose-regulating medications may be necessary. Blood sugar must be checked multiple times a day to keep it from getting too high or too low. Staying fit and active, not smoking, and keeping a good diet all increase resilience to diabetes, both physically and mentally.
Above all, the best treatment for diabetes is education. Whether someone has diabetes or is at risk, diabetes education increases health, confidence, and the ability to take care of oneself, and it paves the way for a long, happy life.
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