Diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus? There is Hope!!
November 25, 2007 by Greg
Filed under Living with Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is the master of illnesses resulting from high levels of sugar accumulating in the blood. Normally, the pancreas produce insulin that help the sugar that enters the blood stream from the food we eat get absorbed efficiently into the cells of the body that require the sugar for energy. However, if that insulin production is vanquished in some way, the sugar cannot leave the bloodstream to get where it needs to go, and the result is diabetes mellitus . There are numerous reasons why this process may not work as it is supposed to, and the reason determines the type of diabetes a person is diagnosed with.
Type 1 Diabetes:
The first type of diabetes mellitus is called type 1 diabetes. This diabetes cannot be prevented, and it is not known for sure why it develops in some people in the first place. It could be a result of heredity, since the risk of developing this type of diabetes mellitus is higher if you have a family member who has been diagnosed with this disease. It is also possible that a viral infection early in life could cause the immune system to turn on the pancreas, limiting the amount of insulin that can be produced by the body. There is as such no known cure for diabetes mellitus, but many advancement have been made in the area of disease management so that who suffer with type 1 diabetes can live long and healthy lives.
Type 2 Diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes is where the body stops producing the necessary insulin, however, type 2 diabetes is characterized by the body becoming resistant to the insulin that is produced. This type of diabetes mellitus is often diagnosed later in life, since the aging process can contribute to the intolerance of sugars. This is the more common type of diabetes mellitus , affecting 90-95% of all of the patients who are diagnosed with diabetes. Risk factors include obesity, a history of gestational diabetes, a family history of type 2 diabetes or people who have had cholesterol or blood pressure issues. This type of diabetes has similar type of symptoms as type 1 diabetes, but the treatment plan differs, and includes diet, exercise and medications in some cases.
Diabetes mellitus is an incurable chronic illness, but can be effectively managed. If you think that you might be suffering from the symptoms of diabetes mellitus, it is essential to talk to your doctor so that you can begin managing your disease as soon as possible.
[tags]diabetes mellitus, diabetes, diabetic[/tags]
