Over the years, diabetes has become one of the most common lifestyle diseases suffered by men, women and children alike. Many prominent medical associations of the world are claiming this ailment as one of the top reasons behind nearly million people losing their lives every year.
In medical language, diabetes is a problem that arises when the blood sugar levels rises to a level that’s beyond the body’s power to control. The problem can affect anyone and at any stage of life. It hampers an individual’s quality of life, and, if not controlled at an early stage, diabetes can cause grave damage to many other parts of the body, ultimately leading to the death of the person.
Men v/s Women
Many studies and statistics indicate that diabetes affects women and men in different ways. The reasons included the following:
- Women usually receive a lesser aggressive treatment against cardiovascular diseases and conditions related to diabetes.
- Many diabetes related complications amid women are harder to diagnose as compared to men.
- Women usually suffer from completely different kinds of heart diseases than men.
- Inflammation and hormonal changes act differently amid women.
Risk Factors
Usually, the risk factors of diabetes depend upon the type of diabetes a person has. However, there are many factors which are commonly visible in both the cases. There are as follows:
- Obesity: The probability of a person getting diabetes is much higher if he/she is overweight. Medical practitioners also claim that individuals who have agreater accumulation of fat near theirbelly and abdomen, their chances of getting diabetes is higher. Among teenagers, this is increasingly becoming a major cause behind them developing type 2 diabetes.
- Cavities and gum problems: Individualswithcavities and gum problems are at a higher risk of developing diabetes. This is because, cavities and weekend gums serve as storage places for sugar, which further gets absorbed in the bloodstream, increasing blood sugar level. This is precisely the reason why physicians and dentists recommend that individuals must take proper care of their teeth and gum and get their oral health assessed every now and then.
- Weakening eyesight: Diabetes is proven to cause damage to one’s It can result in a poor visionor even blindness in many adverse cases.It causes swelling of the eye lens, weakening of surrounding blood vessels and damage to the retina. Diabetic retinopathy is one such problem that results from long-term diabetes.It is,therefore, important for everyone to be aware of such consequences and get their diabetes treated at the earliest.
- Frequent UTIs: In case a person has diabetes, he/she is at a greater risk of having frequent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). There is a higher (than usual) level of sugar content in the urinary system of the person which attracts bacteria to develop and cause infection. Another common issue with patients with diabetes is the nerve damage in the bladder, which stops the urine from flowing out of the body.
- Foot problems: Different foot problems such as the lack of sensation of cold or heat, fungal infections, damage to foot skin tissue, etc. become a common problem suffered by patients with diabetes despite taking continuous medications. The excessive level of glucose present in a person’s blood slows down the body’s healing process and makes the feet more prone to infections.
- Memory retention becomes difficult: A diabetic patient struggles to remember things. His/her overall sharpness to remember things tends to become weak,resulting in the onset of many memory related problems. This is a rather an easy to recognize sign of diabetes.
- Diabetes is more than often linked to depression: Diabetes and depression are suspected to have a two-way relationship. People with diabetes usually face depression, and likewise, depressed people often develop diabetes. For instance, a person with depression possesses a higher level of stress hormones, which affect the overall blood sugar metabolism of the body and lead to an increase in insulin resistance.
- Cholesterol issues: A person with diabetes shows abnormal levels of cholesterol. Whether good cholesterol or bad cholesterol, the presence beyond the prescribed limits indicates poor health of the body. A long history of ups and downs in the cholesterol chart hints the arrival of diabetes or its disguised presence already in the body.
- Physical inactiveness: A sedentary lifestyle or lack of performing activities throughout the day is a major cause of worry. The risk of diabetes is significantly higher in people who do not get involved in physical activities or exercise on a regular basis.
- Uncontrollable blood pressure:Recurrent instances of high blood pressure are commonly associated with diabetes in addition to greater chances of heart stroke, kidney problems, etc. It is of utmost importance to keep blood pressure maintained and within the defined limits.
Ways to Prevent Diabetes
Several risk factors that are associated with diabetes are actually modifiable in nature. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and taking up proactive steps such as eating a balanced diet, avoiding binging into unhealthy foods, exercising on a regular basis (in any form), etc. can effectively help in preventing diabetes.
- Cut down on sugar and refined carbs from one’s diet.
- Work out on a regular basis, in any form possible – walking, running, swimming, playing outdoor games, dancing, yoga, gymming, etc.
- Reduce the intake of alcoholic, fizzy and sugar laden drinks and make water the primary source of beverage.
- Lose weight if one is obsess or overweight.
- Quit smoking, both active and passive.
- Follow a very low carb-diet, especially if one’s on the verge of developing diabetes.
- Keep a check on food portion size. Ensure it’s enough to keep the tummy full yet prevent over-eating.
- Avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Be more active than lazing around.
- Eat a high-fiber diet as it not only keeps one full for a longer period of time, but also aids in proper digestion of food.
- Keep a check on Vitamin D levels.
- Avoid excess intake of both tea and coffee.
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