For the past few years, diabetes has become a severe public health issue affecting many people globally. This disease is one of the leading causes of early and preventable mortalities. One develops the condition when the body cannot create enough or react effectively to insulin. The improper functioning results in higher or lower glucose levels leading to other metabolic abnormalities. Diabetes is linked to a wide range of health complications and premature deaths, translating into a significant healthcare cost burden and reduced productivity (American Diabetes Association 917). For example, diabetic individuals have a relatively higher risk of developing other chronic diseases such as heart complications, hypertension, or stroke than the general population. Again, the illness has been a primary cause of limb amputation, kidney failure, and impaired vision, especially among adults. Its severity is also more common and worse among people with other poorly controlled conditions. Early detection and management are essential in delaying diabetic complications. Hence, exploring the causes and symptoms of diabetes may facilitate early diagnosis and treatment while allowing individuals to minimize the risk of getting the condition.
Causes
The leading causes of diabetes usually vary by type. If a person has the condition, their body cannot correctly process or use the glucose from their food. The scenario results in various types of diabetes, each with its distinct causes. For example, type 1 diabetes is linked to low insulin production, implying that the affected individuals should have daily insulin administration. Type 2 diabetes is a highly prevalent condition affecting more than 90% of people with diabetes (Garcia et al. 6275). Gestation diabetes occurs in pregnant women and may cause high blood sugar, affecting the mother and baby’s health. Diabetes type 1 may emanate from an autoimmune reaction whereby the body attacks its immune system mistakenly. This attack damages pancreas cells that are responsible for making insulin. Some risk factors for this condition include family history, such as having an immediate family member, including a parent or sibling with type 1. Genetics also play a role in developing the condition, as having some genes may heighten the risk. Although one may get type 1 diabetes irrespective of age, this condition mainly develops in children, adolescents, and young adults.
As mentioned earlier, type 2 is the most common type affecting many people globally. This condition results from many factors, such as lifestyle and genes. For example, overweight and obese individuals are more likely to develop the disease since extra weight sometimes results in insulin resistance. Other risk factors include genes and family history. In the United States, diabetes tends to run in families and is more prevalent in some racial groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, Alaska Natives, and Asian Americans (Caballero 2). Insulin resistance is another cause of the condition whereby various body parts such as the liver, muscles, and fat cells fail to use insulin well, making the body need more insulin to enable glucose to enter the cell. Initially, the pancreases make more insulin to meet this demand but reaches a point where it cannot make enough, and blood glucose levels rise. Hormonal changes during pregnancy are a risk factor for gestational diabetes. During this phase, the woman’s body produces more hormones and encounters significant changes such as weight gain, which may affect body cells’ ability to use insulin effectively. Genes and family history increase the risk and help explain the condition’s higher prevalence in some ethnic groups, such as African Americans, Asians, and Latinos. One is also prone to diabetes if they are physically inactive due to increased ceramide production that may induce insulin resistance.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate and excessive thirst. When the kidneys cannot reabsorb all the sugars effectively, the excess glucose is excreted into the urine. Hence, urinating a lot helps eliminate this glucose from the body. The process also flushes fluids from the body tissues, making a person dehydrated (CDC). Thus, they are forced to drink more fluids to quench their thirst, leaving most diabetic people urinating frequently and thirsty. Individuals with the condition may also lose weight since insufficient insulin prevents the body from absorbing glucose in the cells. Hence, the body begins converting fat and muscles into energy resulting in weight reduction. Blurry vision is another symptom of diabetes. The leaky blood vessels caused by diabetes may swell the macula, reducing its ability to provide sharp straight vision, leading to blurry or distorted vision.
Numb or tingling feet are also common symptoms among diabetic individuals because high blood sugar may injure the nerves, including the legs and feet. Hence, one is prone to encounter numbness in various parts of the body, depending on the affected nerves. One may also experience fatigue and weakness, especially when the cells do not get enough glucose. The affected individuals may also have dry, itchy skin resulting from high blood sugar and poor circulation. Besides, the wounds of people with diabetes may tend to heal more slowly and not wholly (Spampinato et al. 60). The reason is that the body cannot produce or use insulin, making the sugar levels increase which affects one’s ability to heal wounds. Finally, diabetic individuals have a higher risk of infections since elevated glucose levels weaken the immune system. Again, they may also have nerve damage and reduced blood flow, heightening the risk of infection.
Treatments
Various treatments may help individuals with diabetes to manage the condition, including medication and insulin therapy, weight loss surgery, regular exercise, blood sugar monitoring, and emotional support. All people are unique and different, creating a need to tailor these treatment interventions based on individual needs. Insulin therapy involves insulin intake to manage sugar levels by injecting themselves or using an insulin pump. Health providers may also prescribe some diabetes medicines to help reduce insulin levels. These include metformin, glinides, DPP-4 inhibitors, and others focused on reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels to prevent heart and blood vessel diseases (Makrilakis 2720). Weight loss surgery is a procedure to the stomach or intestines to help obese individuals to manage their weight. Physical activity is also essential in enabling the affected individuals to maintain a healthy weight. These exercises also contribute significantly to helping them with regulating blood sugar levels. The health providers may also advise the patients on how often to monitor their glucose levels to ensure they are within the acceptable range. Monitoring can be done from home using a device or a meter that determines the portion of sugar in one blood drop. These individuals also require emotional support to cope with the condition and avoid negative feelings, stress, depression, or even burnout.
Detailed Plan to Reduce the Risk of Diabetes
Adopting a healthier lifestyle may help prevent the onset of diabetes. Prevention is always better than dealing with an already existing condition. However, if one has already been diagnosed with the disease, making a few changes in their lifestyle may also enable them to avoid severe health issues linked to the condition, such as nerve and kidney damage. One strategy that may help reduce the risk of this illness includes losing extra weight. Manageable weight has many health benefits and may help prevent the disease’s onset or progression. Hence, one should consider setting weight loss goals depending on their current body weight. An individual may consult a health provider regarding reasonable short-term goals and expectations.
Moreover, people should consider exercising regularly. Being more physically active plays a crucial role in helping people lose weight and lower their blood sugar while boosting their sensitivity to insulin. Such practices contribute to helping one keep their blood sugar within the normal range. Most individuals aim to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Some approaches that may help attain the goal include dedicating at least 30 minutes daily to moderate to vigorous physical activity (Harvard College). These aerobic exercises may consist of but are not limited to walking, jogging, swimming, biking, walking, or running. Other activities, such as yoga and weightlifting, increase one’s strength and ability to maintain an active life.
Another strategy includes making healthier dietary choices. In this case, an individual may consider eating healthy plant foods since they provide vital nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. For example, fiber-rich food may help one to manage their weight while lowering the risk of diabetes. Apart from roughage, one may consider eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. One should avoid bad carbohydrates containing processed sugars, such as white bread, fruit juices, and other processed foods. Eating healthy fats, including olive, canola, sunflower oils, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds, is beneficial in losing and managing weight. Saturated fats such as those found in dairy products and meats should only be in smaller portions. Besides, one should consider regularly screening for diabetes for early detection and treatment.
Conclusion
Diabetes is a prevalent health problem that affects many individuals worldwide. It is a severe condition associated with a substantial burden in societies due to higher health costs, lost productivity, preventable deaths, and reduced quality of life. There exist various types of diabetes, including gestation, type 1, and 2. Differentiating between these conditions may help one to know the treatment approach to adopt and avoid severe health complications. Again, knowing the symptoms ensures that an individual is aware of the signs and seeks treatment as soon as possible. Most importantly, one should always strive to reduce the risk of the condition by exercising regularly, eating healthy diets, and managing weight. Indeed, knowing the causes, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and ways to reduce the risk are essential in enabling the affected individuals to manage the condition and helping healthy people to adopt a healthier lifestyle to minimize the risk of getting the illness.
Works Cited
American Diabetes Association. “Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2017.” Diabetes Care, vol. 41, no. 5, 2018, pp. 917-928, doi:10.2337/dci18-0007.
Caballero, A. E. “The “A to Z” of Managing Type 2 Diabetes in Culturally Diverse Populations.” Frontiers in Endocrinology, vol. 9, no. 479, 2018, pp. 1-15, doi:10.3389/fendo.2018.00479.
CDC. “Diabetes Symptoms.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Mar. 2022, www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/symptoms.html.
Garcia, Unai G., et al. “Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 21, no. 17, 2020, p. 6275, doi:10.3390/ijms21176275.
Harvard College. “Simple Steps to Preventing Diabetes.” The Nutrition Source, 2 Mar. 2021, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/disease-prevention/diabetes-prevention/preventing-diabetes-full-story/.
Makrilakis, Konstantinos. “The Role of DPP-4 Inhibitors in the Treatment Algorithm of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: When to Select, What to Expect.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 16, no. 15, 2019, p. 2720, doi:10.3390/ijerph16152720.
Spampinato, Simona F., et al. “The Treatment of Impaired Wound Healing in Diabetes: Looking among Old Drugs.” Pharmaceuticals, vol. 13, no. 4, 2020, p. 60, doi:10.3390/ph13040060.
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