The Mother of all diseases

Yes you have guessed it right; I surely am talking about diabetes. The question is why I called diabetes as the mother of all diseases? That’s because diabetes alone lead towards a number of life threatening diseases (if diabetes is not enough for that case) like heart disease, nerve damage, atherosclerosis, vision problems and blindness, kidney damage, skin and mouth infections, foot infections which can lead to amputations, osteoporosis, hearing problems etc. but I won’t go in detail of all these complications because the purpose of writing this blog is to address ‘Diabetes’.

For people who have little knowledge of what diabetes is, here’s a brief explanation; it is a metabolic disorder which is due to under functioning of pancreas gland that leads to insulin deficiency in the body. There are two types of diabetes; Juvenile onset diabetes commonly known as Type 1 which is a genetic autoimmune disorder and Type 2 diabetes in which the body is no longer able to properly use the insulin being produced.

It is very important to note that Type 1 Diabetes is NEVER caused by unhealthy lifestyle or simply by eating too many sweets. Never. Because it is a genetic disorder and to blame the patient is totally wrong. I have seen parents cursing their children because their children have been diagnosed with diabetes and according to the parents that’s only because their children ate too many sweets ridiculous Right? But believe it or not this’s true and that’s probably because they don’t have enough knowledge about this life threatening disease. Whereas Type 2 diabetes is increasingly brought on by poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. Several factors contribute to type 2 diabetes. Being overweight or obese is the biggest risk factor. Essentially, overloading the body with carbohydrates over time causes the system to "break down" such that insulin can no longer be absorbed.

Now the question is how do you know that you are suffering from diabetes? I’ll share some of the common symptoms with you which are:

• Frequent urination.
• Excessive thirst.
• Increased hunger.
• Weight loss.
• Tiredness.
• Lack of interest and concentration.
• A tingling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet.
• Blurred vision.
• Cuts and bruises that take a lot of time to heal.

But keep in mind that these symptoms do not necessarily mean that you are diabetic believe me I have personal experience here that’s because I am sceptic. You all read that story ‘A man who was a hospital’ right? In my case the story is like ‘A woman who is a hospital’. About 6 months ago I read the symptoms of diabetes on Google and to my surprise I found out that I have been suffering from excessive urination (At that time it seemed like so), Excessive thirst, Increased hunger, blurred vision, Tiredness and numbness of hands and feet. I really got worried the same way I did in the past when I thought I had been suffering from some heart disease; so my parents took me to the hospital and doctors ran some tests on me to find out nothing for that matter. The doctors said excessive urination is because of the high intake of beverages and nothing else. So my point of sharing all this with you guys is that if you think that you are suffering from any of the above mentioned symptoms then don’t panic but do consult your doctor before it’s too late.

Talking about the treatment; in type 1 juvenile onset diabetes you can’t do anything else but to take insulin shots several times daily in order to sustain life. I have a friend who has Type 1 diabetes and she has to take several insulin injections daily. It may seem difficult but believe me when it becomes a matter of life and death nothing seems difficult. You have to accept reality and move on.

On the other hand Type 2 diabetes if treated carefully it can be managed or even reversed. If you start eating healthier, get more exercise, and lose weight, you can reduce your symptoms. Research shows that these lifestyle changes, especially physical activity, can even reverse the course of the condition and may be the commitment to exercise and dietary changes is all you need.

So hurry up if you find any abnormal symptom. Do not run away from the reality accepting it will make your life easier. Embrace Health. I hope this blog is helpful for you.