What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a medical condition relating to your body’s usage of glucose and insulin. There are two forms of diabetes.
· Type 1 Diabetes
It is also known as juvenile diabetes. Some other people refer to it as insulin-dependent diabetes. According to Mayo Clinic, the reason for the condition is little or no insulin production by the pancreas.
Insulin allows glucose to enter your body cells, leading to the production of energy. It is more prevalent in children but can also be evident in adults. Genetics and some virus lead to the development of the condition.
· Type 2 Diabetes
It impairs your body’s ability to control and utilize glucose. It is a chronic condition. It results in excessive circulation of sugar in your bloodstream. Over time it results in cardiovascular, nervous, and defense mechanisms disorders.
There are essentially two issues at play with type 2 diabetes. Either your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or your body cells’ reaction to insulin is poor, resulting in low sugar absorption. It is more prevalent in adults than children. Though it has no cure, exercise, weight loss, and healthy eating can help you manage the condition.
According to the Center for Disease Control, people with diabetes have increased from 26 Million in 2010 to around 29 million. Of these, one in four people is unaware they have the condition.
CDC continues to state that upwards of one in three American adults, or an additional 86 million people, have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels become elevated but not high enough to fall under type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Frequent urination
- Increased thirst
- Fatigue
- Presence of ketones in your urine
- Unexplained weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Frequent infections in the gums, skin, or vagina
Diabetes and Amputation
Inadequate insulin results in the accumulation of sugar in the bloodstream. This leads to your blood vessels becoming rough and inflexible, damaging them. As a result, the building up of sticky plaques on the damaged blood vessels.
The condition is called atherosclerosis and it occludes blood flow. Occlusion mainly affects the tiniest blood vessels in the body. These vessels exist in the extremities. Consistent high blood sugar accumulation in the body mainly affects the most peripheral extremities.
Restricted blood flow to your toes, feet, and legs prevents them from getting sufficient oxygen, nutrients, and healing cells. This condition is peripheral artery disease (PAD). They become more vulnerable to nerve damage, infection, and inadequate wound healing as a result.
Since you have no nerve sensation in the injury, you might not notice the wound for a while. This is neuropathy. Chronic wounds may result in tissue damage or infections. When the tissue damage is too severe, amputation is the only solution.
Preventing Peripheral Artery Disease
Early detection of PAD can help avoid amputations. Controlling your blood sugar levels and adhering to a proper diet can help prevent peripheral artery disease.
Additionally, check your A1C blood sugar levels and take app medicine as your doctor directs. Regular physical activity, abstaining from smoking, and avoiding or controlling other health conditions like blood pressure and high cholesterol are additional ways to prevent PAD.
It is vital to watch out for PAD to avoid amputations. Symptoms of the peripheral artery disease include:
- Leg or pain in the foot which increases during walking or other activities
- Leg numbness and or weakness – one foot, when compared to the other foot and the rest of the body, may feel colder
- Slowed nail and hair growth
- Presence of sores that take long to heal
- Skin discoloring on your feet or your legs
- A weak pulse when you visit your doctor
Other Risks of Diabetes
Atherosclerosis is the hardening of arteries. Previously, scientists believed that too much cholesterol buildup in arteries causes atherosclerosis. Science Daily states that cardiovascular diseases happen when blood vessels are totally blocked.
Today, most people concur that a body’s immune environment causes the threat of heart attacks with respect to fatty accumulation than the buildup itself.Diabetes doubles the risk of a heart attack or stroke because it increases the inflammation associated with atherosclerosis.
Other risks associated with diabetes include:
- Heart diseases
- Stroke
- Vision loss
- Kidney failure
- Premature death
Type 1 diabetes is unpreventable. However, you can prevent prediabetes and type 2 diabetes by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Regularly checking your blood sugar levels allows you to catch diabetes early and manage it.