Diabetes : Type 1 and Type 2. Are You At Risk?

Have a look around, think of all the families you know, it is undeniably out of question that you would find one with neither blood pressure issues  nor diabetes. These terms have become so common that we keep hearing it every other day. The JDRF highlights that over 371 million people are affected by diabetes worldwide. We do not want to be counted in. Do we?

The WHO had long back reported that diabetes could be the 7th  leading cause of death by 2030. All of us know more or less what Diabetes is. Before figuring out what diabetes actually is, it is important to understand the following two terms which relate very closely to Diabetes.

• Hyperglycemia- High concentration of Glucose in blood as compared to the optimal level
• Hypoglycemia- Low concentration of Glucose in blood  as compared to the optimal level

What should be the optimal level of Glucose in the blood for diabetic people?

Find the American Diabetes Association's recommended figures below

Before meal	70-130 mg/dL
1-2 hours After meal	less than 180 mg/dL
While Fasting	less than 100 mg/dL

What are the 2 well known types of Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease which is characterized by Hyperglycemia . The problem is not just limited to a considerably high glucose(sugar) level in the blood but it expands until it causes serious damage to other functional systems in the body, be it nerves, blood vessels or any other organ.

Ideally, the food you eat is broken down into macro-nutrients(Fats, Proteins and Carbohydrates). Carbohydrates are further broken down into simpler glucose molecules to provide energy to the cells which perform life sustaining activities. The mechanism in your body is such that the cells don't simply take up those glucose molecules. An intermediate hormone called Insulin is needed for the same. Insulin acts like a key to open the gates of the cells by reacting to the cells at a particular site in the cell called the Insulin Receptor. When Insulin opens the cells, the cells take up glucose from the blood stream lowering the blood glucose level.

If you have a diabetic gut, it simply means your blood glucose level stays high at any point of time.This can be directly linked to your Insulin production or quality.

The two infamous types of Diabetes have been categorized based on the reason of their occurrence.

• Type 1 Diabetes - Low production of Insulin in the body
• Type 2 Diabetes - Incapability of cells in the body to react with Insulin (most common)

Type 1 Diabetes 

Diabetes mostly occurs due to an unhealthy eating pattern but this is not the case with Type 1 Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is very rare and the people who suffer from this disease have a problem with their Immune System(The system which protects our body from diseases and related threats). They are said to have an overactive Immune System which very often confuses body's own cells with external threats to the body just like an overactive imagination causes hallucinations. Whenever the Immune System mistakes pancreatic cells(cells which produce Insulin) for a threat and destroys them , there is a significant fall in Insulin production in the body. Over course of time Insulin levels decline permanently.

Less Insulin means less glucose absorption at a steady rate of incoming glucose. Since the glucose can not enter the cells, they remain in the blood causing Hyperglycemia. As of now , we do not have a cure of Type 1 Diabetes. It can be controlled by taking Insulin externally and keeping a track of diet along with a physically active lifestyle.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes is similar to Type 1 in symptoms but not in the cause and cure. Unlike Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes can be cured. The reason why most of the people who report health issues have Type 2 Diabetes is that they are subjugate to an unhealthy lifestyle and eating pattern. This is basically caused by things we know we shouldn't do but still do.

In Type 2 Diabetes, even though the patient has enough Insulin , the cells become incapable of absorbing glucose from the bloodstream. This is called Insulin Resistance of cells. Why does this happen? You definitely know the answer .

A person who eats anything anywhere and anytime is bound to have high glucose level in the blood at all times. The body produces too much Insulin due to the presence of heavy amount of glucose in the bloodstream. The cells get saturated with Insulin for a longer period of time and lose sensitivity towards Insulin. Eventually the pancreatic cells produce more and more Insulin in an attempt to get the glucose absorbed but all in vain. The pancreatic cells also lose their strength by overworking. Just imagine the pancreas going on a strike like laborers and workers of some factory would do when over exploited.

We know that 'Excess of anything and everything is bad'. Even though Genetics has a role to play in determining whether you are prone to Type 2 Diabetes or not , in most of the cases it is an unhealthy food choice( highly sweet food or food with high Glycemic Index(GI)) that is to be blamed. There also exists a correlation between Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes but it is still not clear that Obesity causes Type 2 Diabetes or vice versa.

This type of Diabetes can be cured if the patient is ready to make a healthy choice within a proper time frame.

Treatments include 

• A proper diet and Exercise
• Medications to increase Insulin sensitivity of the cells