Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disorder wherein one’s immune system attacks the body parts of the individual rather than germs. T1DM happens mostly in children, but can rarely happen in adults also at any age. I have personally seen a patient with T1DM diagnosed at 72 years of age!
In a person diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, insulin producing cells in their body are lost. Even when it is produced, it is only very little. So their body is not able to use or store the glucose produced from digesting the food eaten. Their body tries to compensate by breaking down fat and protein for energy and as a result, toxic by-products accumulate. This can cause weight loss, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, tiredness etc.,. Blood glucose raises and causes increased thirst and increased urination and weight loss. Without proper diagnosis and treatment for a long time, T1DM causes damage to organs like eyes, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels.
If you or your loved one (especially children), have tiredness, excessive urination, excessive thirst and or weight loss, he or she may have Type 1 Diabetes. It can be easily diagnosed with simple blood tests and treated with diet, exercise and insulin therapy.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a metabolic disorder wherein the cells in the body become resistant to the effects of insulin. So even though the body is making insulin, it is not enough to overcome this resistance and the blood sugar level rises. This raise causes damage to blood vessels connected to the heart, brain, limbs, eyes, nerves and kidneys. Untreated diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, loss of vision,nervous dysfunction and kidney failure.
There are multiple causes for Type 2 diabetes including one’s genetic disposition or family history, unhealthy diet, lack of regular physical activity, overweight or obese,other health conditions such as high BP or heart disease.
Common symptoms of T2D include unexplained tiredness, headache, excessive hunger, thirst and urination, blurry vision, weight loss, infection in the private areas and slow healing wounds. T2d can be easily diagnosed using blood tests like fasting glucose and HbA1c.
Lifestyle changes are the cornerstones of diabetes management. At Kovai Endo Care, you will receive personalized dietary and exercise advice to combat the insulin resistance and improve your metabolic health.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes is the kind of diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy. There are several hormonal changes that happen in a woman’s body when she is pregnant. A few women may develop high blood sugar because of these hormonal changes and have gestational diabetes. These women are recommended to make small dietary changes and do some exercises like walking. Sometimes they may need medicines to maintain their blood glucose levels within a healthy range. For almost everybody, after delivery, their glucose levels become normal. However,a very few may require medicines after the delivery as well. Women who had gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing diabetes in the future. It is advisable to monitor their blood glucose levels periodically.