Diabetes or commonly known as diabetes or diabetes, is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. Glucose is the main source of energy for the human body.
Causes of diabetes
The level of sugar in the blood is controlled by the hormone insulin. Diabetes arises due to a lack of insulin levels in the body or the body's resistance to insulin. To get into cells, glucose requires insulin. After entering the cell, then glucose can be metabolized. If insulin is reduced, then glucose, which has high levels in the blood, cannot enter the cells, cannot be metabolized, so the levels will remain high in the blood, and over time it will starve the cells, making the body weak and thin. That is an important note for diabetics to maintain food intake, especially not to overdo it in consuming foods that contain sugar or sweet things.
What causes insulin levels in our body to be low or reduced? There are 2 factors, including the genetic factor of people with diabetes, which causes the body to be unable to produce enough insulin hormone, or even not to produce it at all and damage to the pancreatic beta cells themselves, such as infection, age factor etc.
The second factor is that the body continues to produce insulin, but it doesn't work properly because the body is resistant or immune to insulin. For example, people who are obese will experience more resistance to insulin.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle is obligatory to maintain normal blood sugar levels within healthy limits. The range of normal blood sugar levels is generally less than 126 mg/dL during fasting (before eating) and less than 140 mg/dL for 2 hours after eating.
Diabetes symptoms
Early signs of diabetes are often invisible. Therefore, many people only realize they have diabetes when they have complications. That's why, let's recognize the signs and symptoms of diabetes early, so we can prevent it as early as possible.
- Often Feeling Thirsty
This happens because the more sugar that is in the body, the kidneys will automatically try to remove it. Diurine sugar levels will increase because the kidney threshold in the process of re-absorption of sugar (re-absorption) is passed, so that sugar will be released. The more you urinate, the less fluid your body will have and a thirst response will arise, so that people with diabetes mellitus often feel thirsty.
- Often Feeling Hungry
The body converts the food you eat into glucose which cells use for energy. However, the body's cells need insulin to enter glucose into the cells and eventually metabolize it into energy. If the body does not produce enough insulin, glucose cannot enter the cells and cannot be converted by cells into energy. As a result, you easily feel hungry as the body's response to trying to increase energy.
- Itchy rash
In diabetics, yeast infections are common. Symptoms of a yeast infection are itching, especially on the genitals. In addition, the skin of diabetics is more likely to be dry and not moist, thus triggering more itching.
- Skinny & Weak
Too little insulin makes cells unable to take glucose to be used as energy. As a result, the body becomes weak quickly and experiences sudden weight loss in large quantities.
Diabetes prevention
If both of our parents have a history of diabetes, we also have a 60% risk of developing diabetes in the future. However, you don't need to worry, this can be prevented. And even though this disease is considered a chronic disease for which there is no cure, we can still live normally like people who don't have diabetes. The trick, with a healthy lifestyle, while maintaining your diet, avoid consuming too many foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt.
As well as having to exercise diligently, avoid stress, ensure adequate and quality sleep. Diligently check blood sugar before and after eating, this can be done at home with an independent blood sugar check kit that can be purchased at the nearest drug store. Take medication regularly, do not stop or change the dose of medication or insulin carelessly. And immediately consult a doctor when you feel the symptoms of diabetes as described above. #LiveExcellently
Article written by dr. Apriliana Adyaksari, Sp. PD, M. Kes (Internal Medicine Specialist at Tangerang EMC Hospital).