World Diabetes Day 2019! Know the 3 types of Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and it comes from the food you eat. You need glucose in your body for energy but then, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems.
Different types of diabetes can occur, and managing the condition will depend on the type. There are three major types of diabetes which are; Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes. We often hear diabetes here and there but ignorant of the types and what causes them:
- Type 1 diabetes simply put is when the body fails to produce insulin. As you can have excess insulin in your body which is detrimental to the health, you can also have insufficient insulin. People with this type of diabetes must take artificial insulin daily to stay alive as their body depends on it.
- Type 2 diabetes affects the way the body uses insulin. Unlike type 1 which is insulin deficiency, here the body actually produces insulin but the cells do not respond to it. This is the most common type of diabetes according to National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases. It has strong links with obesity. Check your weight‼
- Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women when the body can become less sensitive to insulin but is resolved after giving birth.
Today we celebrate world diabetes day. This day is usually celebrated in order to create awareness on issues of diabetes. It was created by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation in response to growing concerns about the increasing health threat posed by diabetes. This year’s theme is “Family and Diabetes” and like any chronic condition, diabetes can have an influence on the family of the person who has the illness.
Help and advice is available to those who think their diabetes is affecting their family. In addition, those who have family members with diabetes can also receive help and support.Living with diabetes is not easy, and unfortunately once it has developed diabetes does not go away. In order to successfully manage diabetes, most diabetics need to make some serious lifestyle changes.
Learning how to monitor and control blood sugar levels can take time, and the threat of serious health problems never goes away.
For this reason, a person who has diabetes may need the help and support of their family as well as the family should monitor themselves as it may be hereditary.
Happy World Day of Diabetes Awareness.
Whitney Njabi
#KESAmag
