Are you aware of the risks associated with diabetes? Diabetes is a serious condition that can have a huge impact on your life. It is important to understand why diabetes is bad, so you can take the necessary steps to prevent it. In this write-up, we will explore the reasons why diabetes is bad, including its effects on your physical health, emotional well-being, and financial stability.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus, which is often just called diabetes, is a disease in which the blood has too much glucose. Either the body doesn’t make enough insulin or it doesn’t use the insulin it does make well enough. High glucose levels can damage blood vessels and nerves over time, leading to long-term health concerns such as heart, kidney, eye, and foot damage.
Diabetes is a dangerous, degenerative condition that may damage the entire body. While there is no treatment, you may live a happy life by learning about the illness and treating it appropriately.
There are three basic types of diabetes:
- Type 1
- Type 2
- Gestational Diabetes
Pre-diabetes can be detected before it develops into type 2 diabetes.
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes are typically abrupt and life-threatening, so it is usually diagnosed within a few hours or days.
Many people with type 2 diabetes don’t have any symptoms, and other warning signs may go unnoticed because they are thought to be part of getting older. Diabetes problems may have occurred by the time symptoms are identified.
These are the most common symptoms of diabetes:
- Headaches
- Unexplained weight loss (type 1 or type 2 diabetes)
- Blurred vision
- Feeling tired and lethargic
- Urinary tract or fungal infections
- Mood swings
- Being more thirsty than usual
- Passing more urine
- Feeling dizzy
- Leg cramps
- Itching, skin infections
- Always feeling hungry
- Gradually putting on weight (type 2 diabetes)
- Having cuts that heal slowly
Please never forget that this is just general information and shouldn’t be used to replace or change medical advice or care. It does not take the place of discussions with experienced healthcare specialists to address your specific medical requirements.
How Much Diabetes Is Normal
Insulin, a hormone generated in the pancreas that assists your body to absorb sugar and use it in your cells, regulates the body’s blood glucose level. When your blood glucose level rises, your pancreas generates more insulin to adjust. This contributes to your average blood glucose level remaining within a safe range.
Diabetes occurs when the body does not create enough insulin or does not utilize insulin appropriately (a condition called insulin resistance). This means that your body can’t respond well to changes in blood sugar, so your pancreas can’t stop sudden spikes in blood sugar and your average blood sugar level goes up over time.
Everyone’s blood sugar goes up, especially after they eat or drink, but it can also happen if they skip breakfast, are thirsty, or get a sunburn, among other things. They are especially bad for people with diabetes because their bodies can’t control or balance out the rises.
A person’s blood sugar levels can be low, normal, or high, depending on how much glucose is present in their system. Glucose, a basic sugar, is continually present in the bloodstream. Blood glucose levels can be examined at any time, including when someone is fasting (first thing in the morning), before or after eating. When fasting for at least eight hours, those who do not have diabetes should have blood glucose levels of less than 100 mg/dL. Blood glucose levels in people who do not have diabetes should be between 90 and 110 mg/dL two hours after eating.
How Does Diabetes Affect The Body?
Blood glucose levels are abnormally high in diabetics. Glucose is a kind of sugar that serves as our bodies’ primary source of energy. High blood glucose levels can cause both long-term and short-term health problems.
Everything our bodies do necessitates the expenditure of energy. To function effectively, our bodies must convert carbohydrates in meals, such as starch and sugar, into glucose, which enters the circulation and is carried to the body’s cells. When we do not consume enough carbs, our bodies will produce glucose from fat and protein.
The pancreas produces a hormone known as insulin. It serves as a “key” in the ‘lock’ of our cell’s ‘doors,’ allowing glucose to enter and generate energy.
Depending on the type of diabetes, insulin is either no longer created, is insufficiently produced, or the body does not utilize it as well as it used to. When diabetics consume carbs, glucose cannot enter the body’s cells because the cell ‘doors’ do not open. High blood glucose levels result from the glucose remaining in the blood.
In the short term, high amounts of glucose in your blood make you fatigued; the kidneys work hard to excrete part of the extra glucose through the urine, so you may go to the bathroom more frequently, which can contribute to dehydration and thirst.
Long-term high blood glucose levels can damage tiny and major blood vessels and nerves, causing damage to your heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, and feet.
To check how much glucose is in the blood, you can use a blood glucose monitor or a continuous glucose monitor. Blood glucose levels are controlled by self-care and therapy.
Three things you should know about diabetes:
- Diabetes does not discriminate; anybody can acquire the disease.
- All types of diabetes are difficult and require daily care and treatment.
- There are three primary varieties of diabetes: type 1, type 2, & gestational diabetes.
The various effects of diabetes on the body is ebough reason to answer the question why diabetes is bad
How Diabetes Affect Kidneys
The kidneys’ principal role is to cleanse the blood of waste and return it to the body. When the kidneys stop working, the body can’t count on them to get rid of waste and keep the right amount of fluid and salt in the body.
High blood sugar levels, which are a sign of diabetes mellitus, are one thing that can lead to kidney failure. The millions of microscopic filtering units inside each kidney are harmed over time by the blood’s high sugar levels. Kidney failure eventually results from this.
A million small filters called nephrons are found in your kidneys. These filters remove wastes from your blood and transfer them to your urine, leaving protein and other substances in your blood that you require.
High blood sugar caused by diabetes pulls water and other fluids into the blood veins of the kidneys. This makes the pressure inside the kidney filters very high. The nephrons are harmed as a result of the pressure buildup.
High blood sugar can occur when you do not take your diabetic medications or make the proper food choices. Many diabetics also have excessive blood pressure, which can further harm their kidneys. Kidneys that have been damaged do not filter as efficiently as they once did. Protein begins to flow into your urine.
20–30% of adults with diabetes have diabetic nephropathy, which is damage to the kidneys caused by diabetes. However, not all of these cases lead to kidney failure. Diabetes is predisposed to nephropathy, whether or not insulin is used. The risk is proportional to the duration of diabetes.
Diabetic nephropathy has no cure and requires lifetime therapy. Diabetic glomerulosclerosis is another term for the disorder. Diabetes patients are more likely to have other kidney problems, such as renovascular disease or renal artery stenosis. Diabetes can injure the kidneys by damaging the blood vessels within the kidneys. The kidney’s filtration units are loaded with microscopic blood veins. High blood sugar levels might cause these arteries to constrict and clot over time. When there is insufficient blood, the kidneys suffer damage, and albumin (a kind of protein) gets through these filters and ends up in the urine, where it should not be.
The majority of people with early kidney impairment have no symptoms. A urine test once a year is the best way to find kidney problems early on. This test detects extremely minute levels of protein in the urine, known as albuminuria. It aids in detecting kidney impairment in diabetics at an early stage. Renal failure does not occur in every case of kidney disease. You can keep kidney disease from worsening if you obtain the correct therapy.
How Diabetes Affect The Eye
Diabetes raises the chance of potentially catastrophic health problems, such as eye illnesses.
High blood glucose (sugar) levels can induce swelling of the tissues in the eyes, resulting in alterations in vision. When a person’s diabetes treatment plan is changed, they may have hazy vision, but this usually goes away once their blood sugar levels are back under control. However, if you do not properly manage your diabetes, high blood sugar levels can cause more serious damage to your eyes over time. Consult your doctor if you are having blurred vision as a result of diabetic complications.
Diabetes patients are more prone than non-diabetics to develop glaucoma, a set of disorders that alter fluid pressure in the eyes. Glaucoma can cause visual loss if not addressed promptly. Your symptoms will assist your doctor in determining the kind of glaucoma you have and determining the best treatment choice for you. Regular glaucoma tests are your greatest line of defense against glaucoma.
Glaucoma, a condition that destroys the optic nerve, can be caused by eye pressure. The optic nerve is a nerve bundle that links your eye to your brain. Glaucoma can result in blindness. Diabetics are twice as likely as others to get glaucoma. Peripheral vision is frequently the first to lose without therapy, followed by the remainder of your vision. Early detection of glaucoma is critical for receiving appropriate treatment and avoiding blindness.
A cataract in one or both eyes is another common eyesight impairment induced by diabetes. Cataracts occur when the eye lens gets clouded due to protein clumping in the lens. Cataracts are not only a result of diabetes, although diabetics are at a significantly higher risk of acquiring cataracts and developing cataracts at a younger age.
People with cataracts can find respite from their symptoms by using anti-glare sunglasses or better prescription glasses. The only option to completely eliminate cataracts is to have eye surgery to remove the hazy lens and put an artificial lens. Cataracts do not harm your vision, therefore surgery does not have to be an immediate or long-term choice if you can manage the symptoms successfully.
The portion of your eye that receives light and converts it into the images you see is called the retina. Diabetic retinopathy is a disorder where diabetes damages the blood vessels in the retina. Diabetes-related retinopathy comes in a variety of forms and phases. The sooner diabetic retinopathy is identified and treated, the better the prognosis. Diabetic retinopathy left untreated can cause blindness and other serious vision issues. Diabetic people who observe these sorts of visual problems should contact their doctor right away:
- Spots of darkness in your vision
- Visual blemishes
- Light flashes
One thing is certain: diabetes may have a wide range of effects on your vision. Proper self-care via diabetes control and frequent, comprehensive eye exams is the greatest method to prevent and cure diabetes-related eye disorders and preserve your eyesight at its best. Remember that diabetic eye checkups are critical for your eye health.
When Diabetes Is Out Of Control
When diabetes is out of control, it can lead to a host of health complications. High quantity of sugar in the blood can damage nerves, blood vessels, and organs, leading to issues such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and eye problems. Long-term complications can also include nerve damage, which can bring about pain, numbness, and tingling in the feet and hands. People with uncontrolled diabetes may also experience frequent infections and slow healing of wounds. It is essential to take steps to manage diabetes and keep it under control in order to minimize the risk of these serious health complications
Are Diabetes Contagious?
No, diabetes is not contagious. Diabetes is a chronic condition that is caused by a combination of lifestyle factors, such as diet, exercise, and genetics, and is not something that can easily move from one person to another. However, there are certain types of diabetes, such as type 1 diabetes, that are believed to have a genetic component and can be passed on from one family member to another. Research has also shown that some lifestyle changes, like being overweight or obese, can make a person more likely to get type 2 diabetes. Therefore, while diabetes itself is not contagious, certain lifestyle habits and genetic predispositions can increase a person’s risk of developing it.
In the end, diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to bad things if it isn’t taken care of properly. It is very important for everyone to understand the risks of diabetes and to take steps to prevent it. Eating a healthy food and getting regular exercise are two of the best ways to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. It is also essential to keep an eye on your blood sugar levels and see a doctor if you have any symptoms. By taking these steps, individuals can help to protect their health and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. What steps are you taking to prevent diabetes?