Diabetes: everything you need to know

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is an increasingly common chronic disease in our society, and its prevalence increases greatly with age, affecting both sexes and all ages.

 Diabetes is characterized by increased levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood, hyperglycemia.

What is hyperglycemia due to?

The hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) that occurs in diabetes is due in some cases to insufficient insulin production, in others to insufficient insulin action and often to a combination of these two factors.

There are 3 types of diabetes:

1. Type I diabetes: arises when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin and the only way to control the disease is to administer insulin.
   It typically appears at a young age.
   There is no known cure and it has a genetic origin;

2. Type II diabetes: this is the most common and can appear throughout life, typically in adulthood.
   In this case, the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
   It can be controlled with medication and a healthy lifestyle and in many cases can be reversed and cured;

3. Gestational diabetes: can occur in pregnant women due to hormonal changes.
   It is specific to this stage of life (pregnancy) and is temporary.

How to control diabetes?

 The best way to know if a person with diabetes has the disease under control is to carry out capillary blood glucose tests (by pricking the finger to measure “blood sugar”) daily and several times a day, before and after meals.

 People with type 1 diabetes can lead healthy, fulfilling lives without major limitations.
This requires appropriate treatment.
Treatment includes:

• Insulin;

• Food;

• Physical exercise.

Education for people with diabetes, which includes self-monitoring and self-monitoring of diabetes through daily blood glucose checks that allow insulin doses, diet and physical activity to be adjusted.

When diabetes cannot be controlled, despite dietary adjustments and increased physical activity, it is necessary to treat it with pills and, in some cases, insulin

How to prevent diabetes?

Controlling your weight regularly, eating a healthy diet and avoiding fast-absorbing sugars are some of the best ways to prevent the disease from developing.

• Understanding diabetes;

• Exercise regularly;

• Eat a balanced diet;

• Periodically monitor blood glucose levels;

• Reinforce your water intake;

• Control your weight and try to keep it at a healthy level.

In practical terms, food increases blood sugar (glycemia), while insulin and exercise decrease it.
Good control of diabetes thus results from the balance between these three factors.