what is diabetes? 28 december 2006 diabetes

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What is Diabetes?

28 December 2006

Diabetes is a chronic disease that has no

cure. Diabetes is a disease in which thebody does not produce or properly useinsulin, a hormone that is needed to

convert sugar, starches, and other food into

energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes is a mystery, although both

genetics and environment appear to playroles. There are two major types of diabetes:

Insulin-Dependent (type 1).

An autoimmune disease in which the body does not produce anyinsulin, most often occurring in children and young adults. People with

type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections to stay alive.

Non-Insulin-Dependent (type 2).

A metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make

enough or properly use insulin, it is the most common form of thedisease.

Who Is At Greater Risk For Type 1 Diabetes?

Siblings of people with type 1 diabetes.

Children of parents with type 1 diabetes.

Who Is At Greater Risk For Type 2 Diabetes?

People with a family history of diabetes.

People who are overweight.

People who do not exercise regularly.

Women who have had a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds at

birth.

Warning Signs Of Diabetes



Type 1 Diabetes:Frequent urination.

Unusual thirst.

Extreme hunger.

Unusual weight loss.

Extreme fatigue.

Irritability.

Type 2 Diabetes:

Any of the type 1 symptoms, plus...Frequent infections.

Blurred vision.

Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal.

Tingling/numbness in the hands or feet.

Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections.

Profile Of The Diagnosed

There are nearly 1.2 million people in Malaysia who have diabetes.Diabetes is actually a general term for a number of separate but

related disorders. These disorders fall into two main categories:

type 1, which usually occurs during childhood or adolescence, and

type 2, the most common form of the disease, usually occurring after age 30.

What is type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes?

Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes is a disease which results fromthe body's failure to produce insulin -- the hormone that "unlocks" the

cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them.

This is most often the result of an autoimmune process in which the

body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cellsof the pancreas. Since glucose cannot enter the cells, it builds up in

the blood and the body's cells literally starve to death.

People with type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections and

regularly monitor blood sugar levels.

There are an estimated 24,000 people with type 1 diabetes in Malaysiatoday.



The risk of developing type 1 diabetes is higher than virtually all othersevere chronic diseases of childhood.

Peak incidence occurs during puberty, around 10 to 12 years old in

girls and 12 to 14 years old in boys. The symptoms for type 1 diabetes

can mimic the flu in children.

Type 1 diabetes tends to run in families. Brothers and sisters of children with insulin-dependent diabetes have about a 10% chance, or

a 20-fold increased risk, of developing the disease.

The identical twin of a person with insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes

has at least 50 times the risk of developing type 1 diabetes than achild in an unaffected family.

In type 1 diabetes, incidence is highest among whites. Scandinaviancountries have the highest incidence in the world, approximately 30

cases per 100,000 children.

What is type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes?

Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes results from the body's

inability to make enough or properly use insulin. Often type 2 diabetescan be controlled through diet and exercise alone, but sometimes

these are not enough and either oral medications or insulin must beused.

The fact that few people with type 2 diabetes require insulin has led tothe myth that this is a "mild" form of the disease.

Of the nearly 1.2 million Malaysians with diabetes, more than 98%

have type 2 diabetes.

People with type 2 diabetes often develop the disease after age 30,

but are not aware they have diabetes until treated for one of itsserious complications.

The risk for type 2 diabetes increases with age.

Studies indicate that diabetes is generally under reported on deathcertificates, particularly in the cases of older persons with multiple

chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. Because of this, the toll of diabetes is believed to be much higher than officially

reported.



Foot care in diabetes

24 October 2008

Diabetes causes your blood sugar levels to be higher than normal.

Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels andnerves in the body. Damage to the nerves means that you may have

burning pain or lose feeling in a part of your body (this is calleddiabetic neuropathy). Damage to the blood vessels means that your

feet may not be getting a good supply of blood.

How to avoid problems with your feet

Keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. Also,

follow your doctor’s advice on diet, exercise and medicine. Here are

some other ways to protect your feet:

Examine your feet everyday. Examine from the top to the bottom of

your foot. Look and feel in between your toes and around the heel

area. Look for cuts, sores, blisters, redness, swellings, corns andcalluses, ingrown toe nails, changes in skin colour and so on. If you are

unable to see your feet, use a mirror or ask someone to help you.

Wash your feet everyday with lukewarm (not hot) water and mild soap.

Do not soak your feet as this will make your skin too soft and fragile.

Do not use rough massage gloves or brushes as they can damage your

skin.

Do not wash your feet for too long.

Dry your feet thoroughly with a soft towel and pat gently; don’t rub.

Make sure you do not forget to dry between your toes. Damp skin caneasily lead to infections.

Dust your feet with talcum powder, which will help keep them dry.

If you have dry skin on your feet, use a moisturising lotion to preventcracking. Do not apply between your toes, as this may lead to

infection.

Keep your toenails trimmed. Trim them with toenail clippers after you

have washed and dried your feet. Trim the nails following the shape of your toes, and not too short. Do not cut into the corners of the nail,

which may trigger an ingrown toenail. File your toenails with nail file tosmoothen them.

Rasps for removing callus, razor blades, pointed scissors and cornplasters are widely used instruments in pedicure. Unfortunately, none

of these are suitable for taking care of the feet and nails of people with

diabetes, since they can easily cause injuries or damage to the skin.Use a pumice stone to remove callus, especially after washing the feet.

what is diabetes? 28 december 2006 diabetes

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