Diabetes

What is Diabetes, and How to Treat it in Atlanta? 

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects 30.3 million Americans or 9.4% of the population. Diabetes affects an even higher number of seniors, accounting for roughly 25.2 percent of those aged 65 and more in the United States. If you have diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance, PCOS etc you must first understand the mechanism of how sugar ( your diet ) and its processing affects your wellbeing.

Diabetes – A Brief Introduction 

Diabetes is a medical condition where blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) levels are high. Your major energy source is blood glucose, which comes from the food you eat. Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that promotes glucose absorption into cells for energy utilization among other things. There are two types of diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes was originally called “juvenile diabetes” since it was most commonly diagnosed in children and young people. Your body does not manufacture insulin if you have type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

This is the most prevalent kind of diabetes, sometimes known as “adult-onset diabetes.” Your body does not generate  ( burn out ) or utilize insulin well  ( Insulin Resistance) if you have type 2 diabetes. If this is not dealt with in a timely manner, then it may lead to more serious issues with  cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, eye damage, kidney failure, neuropathies etc.

What is Prediabetes, and How Does it Affect You?

Prediabetes is nearly always present before type 2 diabetes develops. This occurs when the blood glucose levels are more than normal but not too high to meet diagnostic criteria.

According to new research, some long-term harm to the body, particularly to the heart and circulatory system, can occur even in the early stages of prediabetes.

The fasting glucose test , fasting insulin levels and the oral glucose tolerance test are some of the tests used to assess if you have prediabetes. These tests evaluate if you have a normal metabolism or whether you have prediabetes or diabetes based on your blood glucose levels.

Diagnosing prediabetes early is critical as it helps implement diabetes preventive interventions soon.

Common Symptoms of Diabetes

Some common symptoms reveal that you have diabetes.

Increase in Urination

Diabetes is a condition in which the body’s ability to manage blood sugar (glucose) levels is impaired. When the body is confronted with excessive blood sugar levels, the kidneys are called upon to drain excess glucose from the bloodstream by excreting it through the urine. As a result, urine output rises, as does the desire to pee more frequently.

If you realize that you need to go to the toilet more frequently than usual, this might indicate diabetes. This is especially true if you have to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom one or more times.

Feeling More Thirsty

To deal with high blood sugar levels, the body will take water from cells to dilute the blood. The body dehydrates cells by drawing water from them. Along with the increased production and elimination of urine, the body will require more fluids to hydrate the cells to avoid dehydration. Excessive thirst is a result of these efforts.

You may have a dry mouth, often known as cottonmouth, in addition to feeling thirsty. If you’re continuously thirsty, have a dry mouth, or find yourself going to the toilet more frequently, these might all be signs of diabetes.

Blurred Vision

Increasing blood sugar levels cause the body to seek fluid to maintain blood sugar balance. The eyes are one of the potential sources of fluid for the body. Unfortunately, this causes the eye’s lens to enlarge, creating impaired vision.

Blurred vision in people with diabetes might come and go depending on blood sugar levels. So if your vision is hazy before meals but clears up quickly after that, it might be a clue that you have diabetes.

Increased Appetite

Are you still hungry after you’ve eaten? Because your body isn’t getting the energy it needs from the food you consume( Insulin resistance) , this is a frequent symptom of diabetes. Insulin resistance, which prevents glucose from entering and activating the muscles, prevents energy from reaching the muscles. Consequently, the body is continually hungry, which leads to an increase in appetite and calorie consumption.

Sudden Weight Loss

Increased appetite is a marker of diabetes, but unexplained weight loss is also a red flag. This is because insulin resistance prevents your body from obtaining the energy it requires from food, even if you eat more calories. In addition, insulin resistance causes the body to break down muscles and fat to obtain energy, resulting in unexplained weight loss.

If you’re losing weight while not dieting or exercising more, it might be a sign of diabetes. This is especially important if you’re becoming hungry more frequently and eating more than normal.

Increased Fatigue

You’ll feel exhausted and have less energy than usual if your body isn’t obtaining its energy. It might indicate insulin resistance if you’re feeling exhausted all the time and can’t seem to get your energy levels up.

Simple lifestyle changes have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Treatment for Diabetes

At Ayuh wellness center, we try to intervene with lifestyle changes at the prediabetic level. Making daily, meaningful shifts to your  lifestyle under guidance and supervision is a powerful method to reverse this condition. Knowledge and   understanding of how the human body functions, how it utilizes fuel and how to work with that, is an eyeopener. Everyone is unique, with a system that is psychologically and physically unique to them, one size does not  fit all. So working with a team that understands your unique situation is key to maintaining good health.

Key Takeaway

Diabetes is a disease that leads to harmful side effects to organs. With due diligence and effort this can be reversed and managed , so that one can thrive.