April 26, 2008
Food for Energy and Growth
Our bodies use food for energy and growth which is a problem when you have signs of diabetes as the condition stops this from happening properly. We must all have glucose to provide us with sufficient energy to carry out everyday tasks. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body but diabetes causes glucose to back up in the bloodstream. As more and more glucose remains in the bloodstream blood glucose or blood sugar levels can rise too high.
Information in this article is regarding the two major types of the condition. Mainly affecting children and young adults, type 1 or juvenile onset diabetes occurs when insulin production stops completely; daily injections of insulin are needed if the diabetic patient does not want to die. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that enables the body to use glucose to produce energy as it gets sugar into the cells. Type 2 is also called adult onset or non-insulin dependent diabetes; the body is still producing insulin but there is a problem with its production or use, but fortunately this type can be treated with a special diet.
Our body needs energy which it obtains from food that it converts into sugar like bread, potatoes, rice and pasta etc. Prolonged periods of high blood glucose levels can lead to problems like heart disease, kidney complaints, blindness and even limb amputations. Specialists in diabetes will tell you that provided you do exactly what your care and management program tells you to do, your condition will start to improve; some of the possible conditions will be halted completely whilst others will be delayed. To manage your condition well, ensure you take your medication; this means maintaining the correct level of blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fat along with giving up cigarettes.
You will also need to maintain your weight, and maintain your blood pressure to within the guidelines set by your doctor. Diabetes cannot be cured and once diagnosed it is a lifelong complaint; the USA is particularly badly hit with over 5.5 million sufferers. Studies suggest that it is not the whole story as experts believe there are as many people again that have the disease that have not yet been diagnosed; over 600,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The number of Americans who have diabetes and die each year is approximately 320,000 but only 34,000 die as a direct result of having the condition.
