The American Diabetes Association is currently the forerunner in leading the way to change how people perceive diabetes. They take an active stand in disseminating information. Knowledge is power. The more you know about your condition the more equipped you will be to manage it.

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent lifestyle diseases today. But do people really understand what it is?

Let us take a deeper look into what Diabetes Mellitus really is.

Diabetes is a metabolic disease where in a person suffers from high blood sugar due to the inability of the body to produce or utilize insulin. The three classic signs of diabetes are polyphagia (increase in hunger), polyuria (increase in frequency of urination) or polydipsia (increase in thirst).

There are 3 main kinds of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and Gestational diabetes. In diabetes type 1, the body is virtually unable to produce insulin. If you have type 1 DM you will need to receive daily insulin injections to make up for your body’s inability to produce it. This is why it is also known as insulin dependent DM. In Type 2 diabetes, the body is either deficient or resistant to insulin. This is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. Diabetes type 2 blood sugar levels is usually between 100-140. This is brought about by the person’s eating habits and lifestyle. The last type is gestational DM. This appears during the later stages of pregnancy and disappears after birth. Some of the risk factors that predispose a person to diabetes are high blood pressure, obesity, increased cholesterol levels, age and race. A person’s lifestyle such as exercise and eating habits also play a role in the development of this condition. For example a person who regularly eats fast food and does not exercise will be more predisposed to diabetes compared to a person who eats right and works out regularly.

Out of the three, Type 2 DM is the most common because it is lifestyle related. It occurs slowly and is most common in people who are overweight. The most common diabetes type 2 symptoms are weight loss, nausea and vomiting, dehydration and fluctuations in glucose levels. These are the signs of diabetes type 2 that you usually see in people afflicted with this condition. The usual type 2 diabetes causes are overeating and lack of insulin. This is why diabetes is known as a lifestyle disease. Since it is lifestyle related it can be managed by creating a diabetes type 2 management plan. This includes the formulation of a diabetes type 2 diet. It is very important to know how to eat right. In order to do this you have to find out which foods are good for you. However to control type 2 DM a healthy diet is not enough. You have to have a diabetes type 2 treatment regimen. This can be planned together with your doctor. This may include several types of medications such as Metformin, Oral sulfonylureas and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.

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