December 1, 2007 by Kavit Haria

Diabetes Explained from a Wellness angle

By Afni Shah, our footcare expert.

Often when people are diagnosed with diabetes, they are either bombarded with information or not given any. It can be a terrifying thing when diagnosed with the condition and often the advice given by different practitioners can be conflicting. Therefore it is important to understand the condition and the how they affect the body. This article will concentrate particularly on explaining diabetes mellitus.

Understanding diabetes

Glucose is a form of a simple sugar which the body uses for energy. Glucose can be obtained from various foods. The amount of glucose (sugar) in blood has to be kept at a steady level and a hormone called insulin is used control the level. Insulin is released from the pancreas in response to food and this regulates the blood sugar level.

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the blood sugar level is not effectively controlled by insulin. The sugar accumulates in the blood because the insulin is not stimulating the sugar uptake into the cells. This sugar then passes through the kidneys which results in sugar being present in the urine. There are two types of diabetes and these are Type I and Type II diabetes mellitus.

What is the different between the two types?

Often people don’t understand the difference. There is common myth that Type II diabetes is not as serious as Type I diabetes because it is diagnosed in later life. People also comment that they have borderline diabetes which has gone away due their change in diet. This is unfortunately not the case. Both Type I and II diabetes mellitus are equally as serious and both have the same effects on the body. Also once you have diabetes, it can not be cured. It can however be controlled through dietary and lifestyle changes.

Type I: patients with this type of condition need daily injections of insulin in conjunction with a healthy diet. This is because the pancreas is not producing any insulin. This condition normally occurs in younger people but it can also appear at any age.

Type II: the pancreas is still functioning as it is able to produce some insulin but not enough to control the amount of sugar in the blood. This type of diabetes usually occurs later on in life. Controlling your diet and weight is very important. Treatment for this condition may require tablets or insulin as well.

Both conditions are life-long and mainly affect the eyes, kidneys and feet. A healthy diet, regular exercise and regular review of your feet, eyes and kidneys by your doctor and other health care professionals are essential. It is important to keep your sugar levels stable, as it minimises the damage it can cause to the body such reducing the risk of nerve loss and circulation problems. It is important to have a good support network with family and friends. Also build a rapport with your General Practitioner or the Diabetic Nurse as they can provide you with more information.

Remember before making any lifestyle and diet change, please consult your doctor first. For further information and support on diabetes mellitus, you can visit http://www.diabetes.org.uk or http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

This article was written by Afni Shah, B.S.c (Hons), M.S.c, M.Ch. S, S.R.Ch, our footcare expert. Afni runs Tip Toe Footcare, a podiatry/chiropractic clinic in London.

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