World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day

Nov 13th, 2020

Archive for the ‘ Diabetes ’ Category

World Diabetes Day

Friday, November 13th, 2020

Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycaemia). As per a report by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the prevalence of diabetes in India has been recorded at 11.8%. India is home to an estimated 72.96 million diabetic adults. Also called the diabetes capital of the world, this sugar disease is posing an enormous health challenge for our country. Medical experts suggest that awareness, timely detection, and right management can help patients lead a normal life.

Types of Diabetes

There are mainly three types of diabetes:

  • Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Certain uncontrollable factors like genetics and some viruses may contribute to type 1 diabetes. Although type 1 diabetes usually appears during childhood or adolescence, it can develop in adults too.
  • Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin. It often results from excess body weight and physical inactivity. This is the most common form of diabetes and is largely preventable. 9 in 10 cases of type 2 diabetes could be avoided by following simple lifestyle changes. Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can lead to chronically high blood glucose levels, causing several symptoms and potentially leading to serious complications.
  • Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia that is first recognized during pregnancy. It can lead to serious health risks for both the mother and child and needs close monitoring by a health expert.

Symptoms of Diabetes
The most common symptoms used to identify diabetes include:

  • Increased thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Excessive hunger
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Blurred vision
  • Dry mouth

If you see any of the above symptoms, get your blood sugar levels checked or consult a doctor for further assessment.

Diabetes complications
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels may lead to serious long-term problems affecting the eyes, kidneys, heart, brain, feet, and nerves. These include:

  • Eyes – It is recommended that people with diabetes see an eye doctor every year for an eye exam. Eye problems that can occur with diabetes include cataract, glaucoma, retinopathy. Left untreated it may also lead to vision loss.
  • Kidneys – It is important to get your urine tested for protein at least once a year. Protein in the urine is a sign of kidney disease. Prompt treatment may slow the changes with kidney disease.
  • Heart and brain – All people with diabetes have an increased chance of heart disease and strokes. Heart disease is the major cause of death in people with diabetes. It is important to control other risks such as high blood pressure and high fats (cholesterol), as well as blood sugar.
  • Feet – High blood sugar levels can cause skin infections in the foot and leads to slow healing of sores. You can experience severe pain, itching, or experience numbness too. Left untreated, diabetic foot infections may lead to amputation of the toes, foot, or leg.
  • Neuropathy – Diabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes that results in damage to the nervous system. It is a progressive disease, and symptoms get worse over time.

Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

Healthy eating and physical activity could help prevent 90% of Type 2 Diabetes cases. Here is what you can do to reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes:

  • Cut sugar and refined carbohydrates
  • Watch your portion size
  • Include fibre in your diet
  • Exercise regularly
  • Drink enough water
  • Quit smoking
  • Sleep well
  • Manage stress levels
  • Be regular with health checkups

Diabetes care at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital

Worried about your fluctuating blood sugar levels? Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are the most important risk factors responsible for diabetes. It is possible to reduce the burden of type 2 diabetes by lifestyle changes that favour a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Specialists from our Department of Nutrition Therapy can help you with a personalised diet plan. However, certain medical conditions make weight loss difficult and require further intervention.

The Centre for Diabetes and Obesity is equipped with advanced technology and a talented team of experts to help fight obesity and manage diabetes better. For more information, please visit:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_diabetesbariatricsurgery.html

Diabetes, the New Epidemic

Friday, November 10th, 2017
What is Diabetes?

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a condition where the body is unable to break down sugar (glucose) in the blood. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or when we cannot use the insulin made by the pancreas properly.  This leads to an increase in blood glucose levels and causes diabetes.

There are Three Different Types of Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes:

This type occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, typically due to death of the beta cells in the pancreas from an autoimmune reaction. Type 1 Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and adolescents. This can cause people to have too much glucose in the blood or hyperglycaemia. This affects 10% of the people.

Type 2 Diabetes:

This type occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body does not effectively use the insulin produced. It develops in adulthood, although levels are increasing in children due to obesity, which is a risk factor for diabetes. Approximately 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes:

Gestational Diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. This type may increase future risk of developing diabetes for both the mother and child.

Some common diabetes symptoms:

Frequent urination, frequent thirst, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, weakness, increased hunger, headaches, skin infections, slow healing, and numbness in feet.

Some Diabetes Risk factors:
WHAT YOU CAN’T CHANGE WHAT YOU CAN CHANGE
  • Family history of diabetes
  • Ethnicity
  • Have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
  • Had gestational diabetes
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Having an unbalanced diet high in fat, refined and processed foods.
  • Living a sedentary lifestyle
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Smoking
Prediabetes

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as full-blown diabetes. If you have pre-diabetes, you are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and also are at increased risk of developing heart disease. Those with pre-diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes within a decade unless they adopt a healthier lifestyle that includes weight loss and more physical activity.

Some Diabetes facts:
  1. About one third of all people with diabetes do not know they have the disease.
  2. A meal plan for a person with diabetes isn’t very different than that which is recommended for people without diabetes.
  3. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.
  4. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease than someone without diabetes.
  5. Good control of diabetes significantly reduces the risk of developing complications and prevents complications from getting worse.
  6. There is an emerging global epidemic of diabetes that can be traced back to rapid increases in overweight, obesity and physical inactivity.
  7. Total deaths from diabetes are projected to rise by more than 50% in the next 10 years. Most notably, they are projected to increase by over 80% in upper-middle income countries.
  8. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin production and type 2 diabetes results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin.
  9. Lack of awareness about diabetes, combined with insufficient access to health services, can lead to complications such as blindness, amputation and kidney failure.
  10. Reports of type 2 diabetes in children – previously rare – have increased globally.

Some tips for living healthy with diabetes:

  • When you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you need to be very aware of not only what you eat, but also when and how much you eat. Following a healthy meal plan is essential.
  • Controlling intake of saturated and trans fat is also important. Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, so controlling and maintaining a healthy weight is vital for diabetes control.
  • Keep your blood sugar meter handy and accessible. It is important to keep it with you at all times to measure blood sugar levels periodically.
  • It’s essential to keep fast acting carbs close and nearby like honey, parle G biscuit or a candy. It will be helpful when your sugar levels go low.
  • Physical activity is an important part of controlling diabetes and preventing complications such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Try for 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like brisk walking, on most days.
  • Your doctor may give you oral medication to help control your blood glucose levels. For people with type 1 diabetes (and some people with type 2 diabetes) this means taking insulin.

Diabetes is a challenging disease. No matter if you have the same exact blood sugar, eat the same exact number of carbs and participate in the same amount of activity, you will still have a different blood sugar number when it’s all said and done. Try your best to lead a healthy lifestyle. Do consult our health experts for all your diabetes queries, please find link below:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/endocrinologydiabetes/diabeticclinic.html

A Guide to Healthy Living

Thursday, January 2nd, 2014

There are around 33 million people with diabetes – mostly type 2. However, only 12-14% of all the patients get treated. Therefore, it is very important to create awareness as only correct information will help in better control and management of diabetes.

PEOPLE AT RISK

  • Obesity
  • Sedentary Lifestyle
  • Unhealthy Eating Habits
  • Family History and Genetics
  • Increased Age
  • High Blood Pressure
  • High Cholesterol
  • History of Gestational Diabetes

Managing Diabetes

 While highly manageable, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes may cause severe damage to health of an individual if not managed properly. People with either type of diabetes are at risk of damage to their eyes, kidneys and feet with advancing age. However, the risk of developing these complications can be greatly reduced with good control of blood glucose.

For most people, type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. When first diagnosed, many people with type 2 diabetes can keep their blood glucose at a healthy level with oral medications. But over time, the body gradually produces less and less of its own insulin, and eventually oral medications may not be enough to keep blood glucose levels normal. Due to the natural development of the condition, many people with type 2 diabetes eventually require insulin treatment. If insulin is started early enough, many of the serious complications may be avoided.

Besides medications, a well charted diet and planned exercise regime plays a significant role in normalisation of the blood glucose levels. Also, people with diabetes should have regular checks of their blood glucose levels, blood pressure, eyes, feet, kidneys and heart so that any change can be detected and treated well in time.

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