About Diabetes What is Diabetes?
| What is Diabetes? |
|
Diabetes begins in the pancreas, an organ in your body like your heart. Special cells in the pancreas, beta cells, make a substance called insulin ("in-SUH-lin"). Insulin helps feed your cells. Your body is made up of millions of tiny cells. To keep you healthy, these cells need to be fed. The food the cells eat is called glucose ("GLOO-kose"), or sugar. When you eat an apple, for example, your body turns the apple into glucose and sends that glucose into your blood.
The glucose travels through your blood to your cells. The cells can't eat the glucose all by themselves. They need help. Insulin helps the cells eat the sugar. People with diabetes have a problem with insulin, so the cells don't get the glucose they need. There are several types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is what kids and young adults most often have. Older adults mostly have type 2 diabetes. But some adults have type 1 diabetes and more and more kids and teens are developing type 2 diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes In people with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stops making insulin. No one is exactly sure why this happens. Doctors think the beta cells get attacked by other cells (called T-cells) that are programmed to protect your body. The T-cells are like a little army, marching through your body, finding invaders that cause illness, and fighting them. When you have the flu, the T-cells find the flu bug in your body, and attack it until you're healthy again. When the T-cells work right, they keep you healthy. In people with type 1 diabetes, the T-cells get confused. They think the beta cells are germs that make you sick. So they try to protect you by attacking them. When that happens, the pancreas can no longer make insulin. Type 2 Diabetes In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas usually makes some insulin, but either there's not enough of it, or the cells can't use it very well. Without enough insulin, or without the ability to use the insulin, the cells can't eat or don't get enough to eat. So, you take medicine to help the cells eat, and you make the cells' job easier by planning nutritious meals and being physically active.
Until someone discovers a cure for diabetes, you and your health care team will work to keep your blood glucose levels as close as possible to your target range. You'll do this by balancing food, medicine, and activity. Read on to find out how: Food & Losing Weight -- You may be overweight. If so, losing weight will be an important part of your diabetes care plan. You and your health care team will work together to build a diabetes plan that lets you be the boss of your diabetes. You are in control. Even if you're not overweight, your plan will help you balance food, activities, and sometimes medicine. Physical Activity -- The more calories you burn up, the better your body uses insulin, and the more often your blood glucose will be in your target range. You don't need to run marathons. But do make sure you do something active every day. It can be shooting hoops, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, hacky sack, anything that raises your heartbeat for 20 minutes or more. Watching TV, spending hours at the computer, playing video games, and hanging out with friends don't count as exercise. Talk with your health care team about the things you like to do and make sure those activities are part of your diabetes plan. Medication -- Your doctor may give you diabetes medicine to help you feel better and keep your blood glucose levels within your target range. Be sure to ask how and when to take the medicine, and how much to take. You should also know how the medicine works, whether there are any side effects, and when you should report side effects to your doctor. Your doctor may have you take insulin shots for a while to get your blood glucose levels back to where they should be. Click here for more information on insulin. Some people can manage type 2 diabetes without medicine. Losing weight and following your diabetes plan will help. Quick-Start Check List -- Click here for quick & easy ways to get started down the road to good diabetes management. What Is This Dark Skin Patch?
Lots of people who have type 2 diabetes have "insulin resistance." That means that their body is making insulin but can't use it. So the insulin builds up and as a result, you may get a dark area of skin around your neck or in your armpit. It's called acanthosis nigricans (AAY-can-THO-sis NIG-ruh-cans), or "AN" Almost 75% of kids with type 2 diabetes have AN, so you're not alone. But it can be embarrassing. Some people call it "dirty neck" and try scrubbing it or even using bleach to get rid of it. These don't work, though, so spare yourself the bleaching. The good news is that taking control over your diabetes -- eating well, being active, losing some weight, and taking your diabetes medicine -- lowers the amount of unused insulin in your body. This will help get rid of AN. Am I the Only One?
Diabetes can make you feel very alone. You may be the only person you know who has it. But you are not alone. More than 20 million people in the United States have diabetes. And most of them have type 2. There are Olympic athletes, sports stars, famous actors, and people doing just about everything else, all with diabetes. It may help to meet someone else your age with diabetes. Your local American Diabetes Association office can help. The folks there can tell you about different group activities. You can join a walk or bike ride that raises money to find the cure for diabetes. For many kids, the highlight of the year is getting away to a summer camp set up just for kids with diabetes. (It's a great way to prove to your parents that you're learning to take care of yourself.) To learn more about ADA activities in your area, find your local ADA office online, or call 1-888-DIABETES (342-2383).
Diabetes Educator Lou Lou is the host of this brand-new, fun, and interactive program which will teach you the science behind diabetes. He is ready to answer one of your first questions -- What is diabetes? Don't worry; Lou can explain it all. All you have to do is listen. Are you ready? Then let Lou guide you through the program. Diabetes Symptoms Common symptoms of diabetes include: Frequent urination Excessive thirst Extreme hunger Unusual weight loss Increased fatigue Irritability Blurry vision Complications People with diabetes can get some health problems, especially if they don't take very good care of themselves. These include: Neuropathy (nur-OP-a-thee), or nerve damage. Neuropathy can cause problems in your feet and legs as well as in other systems in your body. Retinopathy ( RET-in-OP-a-thee), eye damage. Nephropathy (NEFF-rop-a-thee), kidney damage. Your kidneys filter waste out of your blood. When they don't work right, poisons can build up. Heart disease. Heart disease is more common in people with diabetes. There are treatments to help people with diabetes-related complications. For example, eye surgery can help people with retinopathy see better. But the best treatment by far is good blood glucose control, both right now and as you get older. Good control now can help delay or prevent complications in the future. Make the commitment to good diabetes care for your future.
Why do I have diabetes? No one really knows why some people have diabetes. Researchers have been working on that question for years without coming to an answer. We know close relatives of people with diabetes -- brothers, sisters, parents, and children -- have a greater chance of getting diabetes themselves. But we also know that diabetes is not caused by genetics alone. The majority of people with type 1 diabetes don't have any history of diabetes in their families. One thing is certain: diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar. This myth probably stems from the way diabetes used to be treated. Long ago, people with diabetes were absolutely forbidden from eating any sugar. Fortunately, researchers now know people with diabetes can eat sugar, but you have to make sure it's in your meal plan. The most important thing to remember is that it's not your fault you have diabetes. No one is to blame. Not you, not your parents. Nobody. Diabetes just happens. We don't know why. Until there's a cure, you have to learn good diabetes management and take care of yourself and your diabetes. Okay, I have diabetes. Now what? Now you start the road to good diabetes management. You have to learn to "juggle." That is, learn to juggle your food, medicine, and physical activities to achieve good blood glucose control. This will help you feel better every day, and avoid long-term complications associated with diabetes.
Cure Researchers work around the clock to prevent and cure diabetes. In 2005, your American Diabetes Association spent $40 million to fund research toward preventing, treating, and curing diabetes. Right now, the closest thing to a cure for type 1 diabetes is a pancreas transplant. This kind of surgery is very risky. Transplant patients have to take powerful medicine for the rest of their lives to suppress their immune system. If they stop taking the medicine, their body's immune system would recognize the new pancreas as a "stranger" and reject it. But taking the medicine leaves your body with very little protection from other diseases. So, a pancreas transplant is not the answer. Researchers are also experimenting with transplanting beta cells. This treatment is promising but hasn't hasn't had long term success yet. Even though there is no cure for diabetes right now, advances in diabetes treatment are being made all the time. Lots of studies show you can live a healthy, happy life with diabetes. (But you didn't need a study to tell you that, right?!) Good diabetes care can be complicated, and adjusting to the change can be a challenge. But the results -- a healthy, long life -- are worth it!
Comments (0)
 Write comment
|
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
