What is diabetes and it's signs or symptoms

Diabetes doesn't have to define you or rule your life. You are in the driver seat. Having diabetes is really just another one of life's challenges not a reason to put life on hold or defer your goals and dreams.

Also read: Special care for older adults with diabetes.
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What is Diabetes?

Diabetes means our blood glucose normally called blood sugar is too high.

When we eat, our body turns food into sugar or blood glucose. Blood glucose is the main type of sugar and our main source of energy. Our blood carries glucose to all of our body's cells to use for energy.

Here we need to understand the role of insulin in our body.

Pancreas an organ located between our stomach and spine that helps with digestion - releases a hormone called insulin, into our blood. Insulin helps our blood carry glucose to all our body's cells. But sometimes our body doesn't make enough insulin. Glucose then stays in our blood and doesn't reach out cells. Our blood glucose levels get too high and can cause diabetes.

Sometimes the amount of glucose in our blood is above normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. So, it called Pre-diabetes. We can even return to normal glucose levels with some physical activity.

Signs and symptoms of diabetes:

Urinating often:

Body becomes less efficient at breaking food down into sugar due to diabetes, so patients have more sugar sitting in their bloodstream. So, body gets rid of it by flushing it out in the urine. That's why patients are going to the bathroom a lot.

Once or twice might be normal to keeps you up at night, but if it's affecting our ability to sleep, that could be a symptom to pay attention to.

Being very thirsty:

A common symptom is that diabetes patients use drinks like juices, soda to quench their thirst. These sugary beverages then pack the blood stream with excess sugar, which can lead to the problem all over again.

Feeling very tired:

The food eating for energy isn't being broken down and used by cells. Patients are not getting the fuel their body needs. So, they are going to be tired and feel sluggish.

Feeling very hungry:

It's common for patients to suddenly feel unsteady and immediately need to eat. Patients feel very hungry at any time.

Sores heal slowly:

When sugar levels are high the immune system and the processes that help the body heal don't work so well.

Blurry eyesight:

The eye lens is not focusing well because glucose builds up in the eye, which changes its shape temporarily. The eye will adjust in natural shape after six to eight weeks when blood sugars are stabilized.

Losing weight without trying:

Weight loss comes in diabetes patients from the water that they lose from urinating and due to lose some calories in the urine and don't absorb all the calories from the blood sugar.

Moody and grumpy:

High blood sugar can mimic depression like symptoms. Patients feel very tired, don't want to go out, don't feel like doing anything and just want to sleep.

Exercise helps a diabetic person.

Friends keep an eye on my blog to know the precautions, treatment and ways to avoid diabetes complications in my next post.

Also read: Special care for older adults with diabetes.

Take Care!