#HealthBytes: Worried about diabetes? Here's everything you should know
What's the story
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar.
The hormone insulin is responsible for moving blood sugar into the cells for storage or energy.
But when you have diabetes, your body either doesn't produce enough insulin or fails to effectively use the insulin it produces.
Here are some of the types, symptoms, and healthy lifestyle changes you should look at.
Types
Diabetes mellitus can be broadly classified into four types
Type 1 diabetes is a rare form of diabetes where the pancreas produces little or no insulin.
The second and more common type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin.
Prediabetes is a condition where the blood sugar is high but not high enough to be termed type 2 diabetes.
Lastly, gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women.
Symptoms
There are a few common symptoms associated with diabetes
An increase in blood sugar levels can give way to symptoms such as an increased appetite, weight loss, frequent urination, fatigue, and a longer healing time for wounds.
You may also experience blurry vision that lasts temporarily when the sugar levels spike.
Urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and dry, itchy skin are a few additional symptoms that are common in women.
Diagnosis
Clinical diagnosis of diabetes
Your doctor may suggest an RBS test to understand if you are likely to have diabetes.
An RBS test result higher than 200 mg/dL may indicate diabetes.
Your doctor will then suggest a fasting blood sugar test and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for confirmation.
Fasting values higher than 126 mg/dL and OGTT values higher than 200 mg/dL indicate diabetes.
Lifestyle
Steps to embrace a healthy lifestyle with diabetes
If diagnosed on time, diabetes is a condition that can be regulated with medication and healthy lifestyle changes.
The first and most crucial step is to avoid sugary drinks, desserts, and fried foods.
Next, opt for whole foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, and nuts.
Lastly, engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity to maintain an active lifestyle.