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Dr. Anita Sandhu is board-certified in endocrinology and metabolism at North County Endocrinology. She can be reached at 314.355.6779. |
To understand diabetes, we need to appreciate the role insulin plays in the body. Insulin is a hormone that converts sugar, starches and other food into energy. Since sugar is the basic fuel for cells in the body, and because insulin transports the sugar from the blood into the cells, everyone needs insulin to survive.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body either doesn't produce insulin (type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes) or doesn't properly use insulin (type 2 diabetes). Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults; type 2 diabetes is the more common form of diabetes. Symptoms include:
- Frequent urination
- Dramatic weight loss
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Slow-healing wounds
- Tingling in the toes or feet
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away. Complications from diabetes are very serious and include:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Blindness
- Kidney disease
- Dental disease
- Complications with pregnancy
- Sexual dysfunction
- Nervous system damage, including impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands, which can lead to amputations
Diabetes has no cure; therefore, it is vital to diagnose it as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and proper management, including diet, exercise and following your doctor's advice, can prevent or delay diabetes-related complications.
The cause of diabetes is unknown; however, several risk factors can contribute to the onset of the disease, including:
- Genetics (having a family history of diabetes)
- Heritage (being African-American, Hispanic or Native American)
- Obesity
- Infrequent exercise
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
Some of the risk factors, such as genetics and heritage, are out of our hands. However, obesity can and should be controlled. Being obese is more serious than being overweight. To determine if you are at a proper weight, are overweight or are obese, learn your Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI is a ratio of weight to height, and although everyone's body makeup is different, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider a BMI of 30 or more to be obese. Nearly one-third of Americans are obese.
Obesity has become a very serious health problem in the United States. More people than ever before are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes because of obesity, and the average age of onset is getting younger. Most cases of diabetes still show up in people 40 and older; however, due to the increasing rate of obesity in the United States diabetes is beginning to be seen in adolescents and even children. If you are obese and have any of the other risk factors for diabetes, see your doctor as soon as possible.
The key to losing weight is to take in fewer calories than you use up, and that means watching the foods you eat and exercising regularly. The best exercise is the one you enjoy doing, so that you are more likely to stick with it. People who are successful at losing weight often don't try to make drastic lifestyle changes by themselves. They incorporate their family and friends, and rely on them for support and encouragement. Support groups also are beneficial.
Visit your doctor to determine the weight loss and exercise plan that is going to work best for you.