Know and Fight Diabetes
By: Bilal Hassan Zaidi
Tags: Health, Diabetes, Lifestyle

In Pakistan every 4th person is diabetic that’s a real grave situation. Every year private sector, NGOs and pharmaceutical industry (producing anti diabetic products) raise voice on 14th November. However no serious campaign or drive is initiated by government of Pakistan.

The government should encourage long term Diabetes awareness program and lifestyle that prevent diabetes, also guidelines for healthy lifestyle after diabetes is diagnosed for improving quality of life.

The best example if healthy lifestyle and proper care is adopted after diabetes is of Cricket Legend Wasim Akram who was diagnosed diabetes while he was playing international cricket, he really fought the battle with this deadly disease.

The understanding of the disease awareness among the masses is almost non-existent with no real effort to create awareness.

Diabetes are of two types one type 1 and type 2, the type 1 is also known as Diabetes Mellitus it occurs in children and young adults however it can occur at any age. The other type of diabetes is type 2.

The third type of diabetes is temporary and is called Gestational diabetes develops in women when they are pregnant but it goes away once baby is born. However sometime type II diabetes is diagnosed during pregnancy which is confused with Gestational diabetes.

The causes of type 1 diabetes include the body’s system for fighting, immune system, attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The type 1 diabetes is caused by genes and environmental factors, such as viruses, that might trigger the disease. The scientists are also working to specifically point out causes of type 1 diabetes and possible ways to prevent or slows down the disease.

The type 2 diabetes is the most common of the diabetes, caused by several factors, including lifestyle factors and genes. Diabetes 2 usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which muscle, liver and fat cells do not use insulin well. This situation asks for more insulin to help glucose enter cells. Pancreas produce more insulin to meet the added demand, over the period the pancreas cannot make enough insulin and glucose rise in blood.

The most common symptoms of diabetes include:

Being very thirsty

Urinating often

Feeling very hungry or tired

Losing weight without trying

Having sores that heal slowly

Having dry, itchy skin

Losing the feeling in your feet or having tingling in your feet

Most common having blurry eyesight

When a person is diagnosed with diabetes should start monitoring sugar levels and keep with medications or insulin whatever is or both prescribed by the doctor. The most important thing is to change lifestyle.

The diabetic patient should pay special attention to food intake that ease up on sugar levels and improve quality of life. The food which control blood sugar include mushrooms, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, Brussels sprout. Also emphasis should be on green veggies.

The plain water is always the best but diabetes patient can cut a lemon or cucumber and put it in water. The diabetes patient can add lemon or cinnamon stick with cold tea. This will help in stopping craving for more food and keeps you filled. The diabetic patient should go for whole grain and high fiber foods.

To maintain healthy blood sugar level is very important and minimize the medications intake by losing weight and keep it down. Keep oneself physically active. The diabetic patient should follow a meal plan. Sometimes the people with diabetes 2 find that despite their best efforts weight control, exercise and diet are not enough to control the blood sugar level, this is not abnormal. These people should keep regular consultation with their diabetes care team.