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What is type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels and associated health problems. In type 1 diabetes, the body is unable to produce insulin on its own: the disease usually occurs early and does not depend on lifestyle or habits. However, type 2 diabetes occurs later and is more often the result of an unhealthy lifestyle: insufficient production of insulin in the body and impaired ability of cells to absorb glucose.
The 2017 SPKC study reveals that 88,951 people in Latvia suffer from diabetes, 64% of whom are women. The greatest differences between the sexes are observed in patients with type 2 diabetes: up to and including the age of 59, the sex ratio is similar, however, from the age of 60, the number of female patients increases quickly.
Diabetes is associated with a lack of knowledge. Respectively, lack of knowledge leading to irregular diagnoses. As with type 2 diabetes, it develops slowly and can go without noticeable symptoms, so even if you have no complaints about your well-being, your blood sugar level should be checked at least once a year in consultation with your family doctor or pharmacist.
Why is diabetes dangerous?
Adults with diabetes have a two to three times greater risk of heart attack and stroke. These patients have impaired blood circulation in the legs – damage to large and small blood vessels, as well as peripheral neuropathy or damage to nerve endings, which makes them more likely to develop healing wounds that turn into ulcers and the so-called diabetic foot. Diabetes is also a major cause of kidney failure.
What difficulties do diabetic patients face?
Diabetes is not only a disease, but also a lifestyle that needs to be adapted and that requires a healthy diet and physical activity. A person must learn to live with diabetes, understanding the relationship between the food placed on the plate and eaten and the meter reading, in order to avoid abrupt fluctuations in sugar levels and, consequently, the risk of complications of the disease. Whenever it is decided to change the usual way of life – to increase the physical or work load, drastically change the menu, etc., it should be done simultaneously with the measurement of blood sugar, determining its effect on the course of the disease. The doctor will determine the necessary changes in drug dosage, diet, and exercise regimen from self-monitoring measurements.
Euroaptieka, in collaboration with the Latvian Diabetes Federation, conducted a survey, the results of which revealed that diabetic patients do not have psychological support from the surrounding community – there is a poor understanding of diabetes and there are several prejudices about it. For example, 12% or almost every ten residents of Latvia believe that diabetic patients cannot work for a fee, which is not true.
Another problem is that diabetic patients have to monitor their food choices and portion sizes daily, as people with diabetes need to know the amount of carbohydrates they eat, which increase their blood glucose levels as they degrade. so they don’t need to be monitored regularly. norm. It can be more complicated when meals are planned outside the home or during visits.
Quite often, diabetic patients can also experience narrowing of the arteries or worsening of blood circulation in the feet and lower legs, which can lead to diabetic feet and dry skin. These symptoms are seen most often at night, when a person feels a strong burning and / or tingling sensation right in the foot. On a daily basis, signs may be seen if there is pain in the feet, the skin of the feet becomes numb or there is a marked change in temperature. The skin of the feet gradually becomes numb, the patient often does not notice the consequences of various blisters, wounds or other injuries.
Patients with diabetes receive great moral support from a pharmacist, who will advise them in case of doubts about the dose of drugs, cosmetics for the diabetic foot and other problems.
Five tips to avoid the risk of diabetes
Healthy and balanced diet
Your diet doesn’t have to be restrictive, but make sure it’s healthy and balanced, full of nutrients and vitamins. Vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products should be taken daily. Sweets, sugary drinks, white flour products should be avoided. It is necessary to assess whether the product does not contain the so-called hidden sugar, which is found in semi-finished products, in finished sauces, in sugary dairy products.
Obesity and an unhealthy diet contribute to the development of insulin resistance: cells are unable to absorb and use glucose well enough, which raises blood glucose levels. As a result, more insulin is produced to help deliver glucose to cells. When the body’s ability to produce enough insulin to maintain normal glucose levels is depleted, type 2 diabetes develops gradually.
Regular physical activity
Regular physical activity should be introduced on a daily basis and body weight should be monitored. In case of obesity, weight loss will improve health: being overweight improves the body’s ability to process glucose and avoid type 2 diabetes.
no – to smoke
Smoking constricts blood vessels, raises blood pressure, and stimulates the release of catecholamines, which contribute to insulin resistance, which can increase the risk of diabetes.
Regular glucose monitoring
In the initial stage of the disease, a person has no specific symptoms, but if a person is severely thirsty, very frequent urination, if weight decreases for some reason, visual acuity changes, then it is possible that blood glucose levels are high but the disease has not been diagnosed in a long time. . There may not even be a complaint for years, so regular health checks are important, including a once-a-year glucose check. The pharmacist says that regular monitoring of blood glucose levels can improve the long-term health of patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These tests are also useful for patients who need regular blood glucose monitoring so that their doctor can provide a complete picture of the dynamics of the key indicators.
Blood pressure within normal limits
High blood pressure (above 140/90 mmHg) causes continuous tone or tension in the blood vessels. It has a negative effect on metabolism and changes in various body processes over time, resulting in changes in the absorption of food, processing and release of insulin. Blood pressure can be reduced by following an active lifestyle and increasing physical activity by shedding excess body weight, as well as reducing the intake of refined sugars and carbohydrates. To regulate blood pressure more effectively, it is also recommended to reduce stress levels and use natural products, such as aronia, hawthorn. In cases where blood pressure is too high, blood pressure lowering medicines should be taken as recommended by your doctor.
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