Diabetes and your health

The main source of sugar in the human body is called glucose. Most of the foods that you normally eat are converted to glucose and it is released into the blood. Glucose is transported to the body’s cells to carry energy; this process is done through a hormone called insulin that is secreted by the pancreas.¹

When a person has diabetes, their body does not produce enough insulin or cannot properly use the insulin produced, the glucose remains in the bloodstream and this can cause serious health problems.¹

TYPES OF DIABETES

TYPE 1

This type of diabetes is characterized by the fact that the body does not produce insulin; so insulin therapy is the essential treatment. About 5% of diabetics have this type of diabetes. It can occur at any age, race, gender, etc.  ²

TYPE 2

It is considered the most common type of diabetes worldwide. This type has a resistance to insulin since the body does not use it properly, so a high amount of glucose accumulates in the blood also called hyperglycemia. ²

At the beginning of the disease, the pancreas is responsible for secreting extra amounts of insulin to compensate the body; over time the amount of insulin secreted decreases, being insufficient for the body’s requirements and keeping it in its normal state.³

PRE-DIABETES

Pre-diabetes is a condition where glucose levels are higher than normal but have not yet reached high enough to indicate that you are already diabetic. 3

If you have pre-diabetes, there is still time to control it before it becomes diabetes.

It is important that you consider going to your doctor to have your blood glucose checked and if you have any of these risk factors³ that have to be taken in consideration for prediabetes:

45 years old or older

If any of both parents or siblings have diabetes type 2

Does not practice physical activity

Overweight 

If any of the pregnancies, you had Gestational diabetes

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

 References

1. . National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2017, diciembre 26). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/spanish/basics/diabetes.html
2. . Punthakee, Z., Goldenberg, R., & Katz, P. (2018). Definition, Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes, Prediabetes and Metabolic Syndrome. Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 42, S10-S15.
3. . National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2019, febrero 1). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/spanish/basics/prediabetes.html

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