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Both Type 1
and Type 2 Diabetes cause serious long term health problems
if left untreated or undiagnosed. They both affect the way
the body uses digested food for energy. Here's how it is
supposed to work.
After eating the digestive system breaks food down into
various components one of which is glucose. The blood stream
carries glucose or sugar throughout the body causing blood
sugar levels to rise. In response the hormone insulin is
released to signal the body to metabolize the glucose for
energy causing the blood sugar levels to return to normal.
Glucose the body doesn't need or use goes to the liver or
fat for storage for later use. That is how it normally
works.
Type 1 Diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes because
it usually struck people under 20. It is simply the pancreas
not making enough insulin. Insulin is the key that "unlocks"
cells to glucose and other nutrients allowing them to grow.
Without insulin these cells literally start dying.
The result is Type 1 Diabetics are hungry all the time
trying to make up for the shortfall of insulin. Amazingly
though since the body cannot process the nutrients weight
loss is symptomatic along with extreme thirst and excessive
urination. The kidneys try to process the excess glucose to
balance things out.
Type 1 Diabetes is largely inherited.
Type 2 Diabetes is by far the most common type of the
disease accounting for 90-95% of all cases. The American
Diabetes Association (ADA) estimates that 21 million
Americans have diabetes and that only two thirds of them
even know it. Type 2 starts in middle age or later. It is
growing so rapidly because of the epidemic in obesity not
only in the US but all over the world. There is no cure but
there is plenty you can do to prevent it and then control
it.
Type 2 is a chronic condition that affects the way your body
metabolizes sugar the main source of fuel.
People with Type 2 Diabetes have insulin resistance which
prevents insulin from processing glucose properly. Soon more
and more insulin is produced to overcome the resistance.
During the later stages of the disease as the resistance
increases, the blood glucose increases to above safe levels,
but the body can't use it properly and the body actually
starves for more energy.
If left untreated and again most people don't know they have
it, disastrous results are sure to come. It increases risk
for eye, nerve, blood vessel, heart, and kidney problems.
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