What is Diabetes? What are the symptoms of diabetes?

What is Diabetes? What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Diabetes, which is at the forefront among the diseases of our age, is a type of disease that plays a leading role in the formation of many fatal diseases and is very common all over the world.

Diabetes , which is at the forefront among the diseases of our age , is a type of disease that plays a leading role in the formation of many fatal diseases and is very common all over the world. The full name of the disease, Diabetes Mellitus, means sugary urine in Greek. In healthy individuals, fasting blood glucose level is between 70-100 mg/dL. An increase in blood sugar levels above this range usually indicates diabetes. The cause of the disease is insufficient or absent insulin hormone production for any reason, or body tissues becoming insensitive to insulin. There are many different types of diabetes. The most common type of diabetes, which usually occurs in individuals over the age of 35-40, is Type 2 diabetes . In Type 2 diabetes, also known as insulin resistance, although insulin production in the pancreas is sufficient, insensitivity to this hormone develops because the receptors that detect the insulin hormone in the cells do not work. In this case, blood sugar cannot be transported to the tissues by insulin and the blood glucose level rises above normal. This condition manifests itself with symptoms such as dry mouth, weight loss, drinking too much water and eating too much.

It is of great importance to fully comply with the treatment principles in Type 2 diabetes, which is the primary cause of many different important diseases. Blood sugar that remains high for a long time; Since it causes permanent damage to the entire body, especially the cardiovascular system, kidneys and eyes, individuals diagnosed with diabetes should immediately receive diabetes education and fully comply with the nutrition program approved by the dietitian.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes Mellitus, which is generally referred to as diabetes among the public , is generally when the glucose (sugar) level in the blood rises above normal, resulting in the presence of sugar in the urine, which normally should not contain sugar. Diabetes, which has different variants, is among the most common diseases in our country and in the world. According to statistical data provided by the International Diabetes Federation, one in every 11 adults has diabetes, and every 6 seconds, one individual dies due to diabetes-related problems.

What are the symptoms of Diabetes?

Diabetes disease manifests itself with three basic symptoms in individuals. These can be listed as eating more than normal and feeling unsatisfied, frequent urination, a feeling of dryness and sweetness in the mouth and, accordingly, the desire to drink excessive water. Apart from this, other symptoms of diabetes that may be seen in people can be listed as follows:

  • Feeling of weakness and fatigue
  • Rapid and unintentional weight loss
  • Blurred vision
  • Discomfort in the form of numbness and tingling in the feet
  • Wounds healing slower than normal
  • Skin dryness and itching
  • Acetone-like odor in the mouth

What are the causes of Diabetes?

As a result of many studies on the causes of diabetes , it has been concluded that genetic and environmental causes play a role together in diabetes. There are basically two types of diabetes : Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. The factors that cause the disease vary depending on these types. Although genetic factors play a major role in the causes of Type 1 Diabetes, viruses that damage the pancreas organ, which produces the insulin hormone involved in regulating blood sugar, and malfunctions in the functioning of the body defense system are also among the factors that cause the disease. In addition, the causes of Type 2 diabetes, which is the more common type of diabetes, can be listed as follows:

  • Obesity (overweight)
  • Having a history of diabetes in the parents
  • Advanced age
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Stress
  • Gestational diabetes during pregnancy and giving birth to a baby with a higher birth weight than normal

What are the types of Diabetes?

The types of diabetes are listed as follows:

  • Type 1 Diabetes (Insulin-dependent diabetes): A type of diabetes that usually occurs in childhood, is caused by insufficient or no insulin production in the pancreas, and requires external insulin intake.
  • Type 2 Diabetes: A type of diabetes that occurs as a result of cells becoming insensitive to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar.
  • Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA): A type of insulin-dependent diabetes disease similar to Type 1 diabetes, which is seen in older ages and is caused by autoimmune (the body harms itself due to malfunction in the immune system).
  • Maturity Onset Diabetes (MODY): A type of diabetes similar to Type 2 diabetes seen at an early age.
  • Gestational Diabetes: A type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy

Apart from the types of diabetes mentioned above , the pre-diabetes period, which is popularly called latent diabetes , is the period before the formation of Type 2 diabetes, when blood sugar tends to be slightly elevated without being high enough to diagnose diabetes, and the formation of diabetes can be prevented or slowed down with the right treatment and diet. is the given name. The two most common types of diabetes are Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes .

How is Diabetes diagnosed?

The two most basic tests used in the diagnosis of diabetes are fasting blood sugar measurement and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), also known as sugar load test. In healthy individuals, fasting blood sugar levels vary between 70-100 mg/Dl on average. A fasting blood sugar level above 126 mg/Dl is sufficient to diagnose diabetes. If this value is between 100-126 mg/Dl, postprandial blood sugar is investigated by applying OGTT to the individual. As a result of measuring blood sugar 2 hours after the beginning of the meal, a blood glucose level above 200 mg/Dl is an indicator of diabetes, and a blood glucose level between 140-199 mg/Dl is an indicator of pre-diabetes period, called pre-diabetes. In addition, HbA1C test, which reflects the blood sugar level of approximately the last 3 months, being higher than 7% indicates the diagnosis of diabetes.

How should diabetics eat?

Diabetics often follow a special diet. Diabetes diet or diabetes nutrition means eating the healthiest foods in moderate amounts and sticking to regular meal times. A healthy diet that is naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories should be preferred in the diet of diabetic patients. The staples are fruits and vegetables and whole grains. In fact, diabetes nutrition may be one of the best nutrition plans for many people. If you have diabetes or prediabetes, your doctor will likely recommend that you see a dietitian to help you develop a healthy eating plan. This diet can help you control your blood sugar (glucose), manage your weight, and control heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and high blood fats. Regular control is essential in diabetes. Sugar requires regular health screening as it can trigger many other diseases. Not only the diet but also the regular check-up will be of vital importance for diabetic patients, as stated in the answer to the question of how to do a check-up.

Why is the diet important for diabetic patients?

When you consume extra calories and fat, that is, more than your daily calorie needs, your body creates an undesirable rise in blood sugar. If blood sugar is not kept under control, it can lead to serious problems such as high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), and if this continues, it can cause long-term complications such as nerve, kidney and heart damage. You can help keep your blood sugar levels within a safe range by making healthy food choices and monitoring your eating habits. For many people with type 2 diabetes, losing weight can make it easier to control blood sugar and provides a number of other health benefits. For this reason, it may be necessary to get help from obesity surgery and resort to methods such as swallowable gastric balloon and gastric sleeve if the doctor deems it necessary.

What is Hidden Sugar?

Hidden sugar is a popular term among the public. A persons blood sugar levels are higher than they should be, but they are not within the high range that would be considered diabetic. The values ​​obtained as a result of the analysis performed in such patients are not within the normal range. However, it is not high enough to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. In these cases, a medical diagnosis of latent diabetes is made. Even though latent diabetics are not considered diabetics, they are actually candidates for diabetes. It is very important to take the necessary precautions for patients diagnosed with prediabetes as they are in the high risk group.

What are the symptoms of Latent Diabetes?

Although the diagnosis of latent diabetes is evaluated by looking at hunger and satiety values, there are certain reasons that bring patients to this stage. The differences in how a person feels may raise the question of whether there is hidden diabetes. The most common of these differences is hunger and fast eating. It is observed that latent diabetics actually show diabetic symptoms partly due to their predisposition to diabetes. Especially hunger intolerance and tension occur in patients with diabetes. As can be seen from the difference in fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels, imbalance in blood sugar can occur with sweet eating crises. Even though we do not notice these crises in our daily lives, they can give us small signals. Again, situations such as sleepiness, fatigue and weakness after eating are details that can happen to anyone. But if its due to hidden sugar, youll definitely feel a little different. If you are experiencing this uncertainty or are not sure, you should definitely see a doctor. One of the surest symptoms of prediabetes is this weakness and sleepiness. After meals, fatigue is suddenly felt and sleep begins.

What are the treatment methods for diabetes?

Diabetes treatment methods vary depending on the type of disease. In type 1 diabetes, medical nutrition therapy should be applied meticulously along with insulin therapy. The patients diet is planned by the dietitian according to the insulin dose and plan recommended by the doctor. The life of individuals with Type 1 diabetes can be made much easier with the carbohydrate counting application, in which the insulin dose can be adjusted according to the amount of carbohydrates contained in the food. In individuals with type 2 diabetes, treatment generally includes the use of oral antidiabetic drugs to increase the sensitivity of cells to the insulin hormone or directly increase the release of insulin hormone, in addition to ensuring the nutritional regime.

If the things to consider in diabetes and the recommended treatment principles are not followed, high blood sugar levels lead to many health problems, especially neuropathy (nerve damage), nephropathy (damage to the kidneys) and retinopathy (damage to the eye retina). Therefore, if you are an individual with diabetes, do not forget to have regular check-ups.