World Diabetes Day (WDD) started in 1991 by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the growing concerns about the serious health complications caused by diabetes. It is held on 14th November every year in conjunction with the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting who discovered insulin in 1922.
The WDD campaign is represented by a blue circle logo which is the global symbol for diabetes awareness. It signifies the unity of the diabetes community around the world. The main aim of this campaign is to raise awareness and draw attention to the health threats posed by diabetes if left untreated. The theme for WDD 2021-2023 is “Access to Diabetes Care- If Not Now, When?”. Also, this year marks the 100th year since the discovery of insulin which has saved million of lives globally.
What is Diabetes?
According to the WHO, diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone which converts the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. For those with diabetes, the body either could not produce sufficient insulin or unable to utilise the insulin as well as it should. When this happens, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream. Over time, this could cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease.
Types of Diabetes
There are generally three main types of diabetes including type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant).
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a type of autoimmune disorder whereby the body attacks itself by mistake which in turn causes the body to stop producing insulin. There are roughly 5-10% of diabetics have type 1. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often develop quickly. It is usually diagnosed during childhood. Patients with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to survive. Currently, there is no preventive measure for type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
Most of the people (90-95%) suffer from type 2 diabetes. The body is unable to utilise the insulin well and hence, could not maintain the blood sugar at the normal levels. It develops over many years and is usually diagnosed during adulthood. The good thing is that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women who have never had diabetes. The baby would be at a higher risk for health problems if the mother suffers from gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually goes away delivering the baby but it might increase the chance of getting type 2 diabetes later on in life.
Symptoms & Complications
Symptoms of diabetes include increased hunger, increased thirst, weight loss, frequent urination, blurry vision, extreme fatigue and wounds which are hard to heal.
Over time, uncontrolled diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. In fact, adults with diabetes have a two- to three-fold increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Neuropathy (nerve damage) in the feet which is caused by reduced blood flow, actually increase the chance of foot ulcers, infection and eventual need for limb amputation. Diabetic retinopathy is an important cause of blindness, and occurs as a result of long-term accumulated damage to the small blood vessels in the retina. Also, diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure.
Risk Factors
Type 1 Diabetes
Risk factor revolves around genetic factor (higher chance if there is a family history of this).
Type 2 Diabetes
The risk factors include being overweight, those aged 45 or older, having family history of diabetes, those who are not physically active, those who had gestational diabetes, those with comorbidities like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides as well as ethnicities (African American, Hispanic or Latino American, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Asian American ancestry).
Gestational diabetes
The risk factors include being overweight, those above the age of 25, those who had gestational diabetes during a past pregnancy, those who had given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds, those with family history of type 2 diabetes as well as those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Treatment
Treatment for type 1 diabetes involves insulin injections or the use of an insulin pump, frequent blood sugar checks, and carbohydrate counting. As for type 2 diabetes, the treatment primarily involves lifestyle changes, monitoring of your blood sugar, along with diabetes medications, insulin or both, depending on the patient’s condition.
Lifestyle Measures
1. Eat healthy. This is crucial for diabetics as the food consumed would affect the blood sugar level. Include plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in the diet. Choose non-fat dairy and lean meats. Limit foods that are high in sugar and fat. Try to keep the amount about the same from meal to meal to prevent fluctuations in blood sugar.
2. Exercise. Just do simple exercises like walking, riding a bike, or playing video games which require physical movements. Try to make it at least 30 minutes a day. An active lifestyle helps to bring down blood sugar and lower risk of getting heart disease.
3. Stress management. Stress causes blood sugar levels to rise. During stressful times, one may forget to exercise, eat right, or take your medicines. Find ways to relieve stress through deep breathing, yoga, or hobbies that are relaxing.
4. Stop smoking. Diabetes increases the likelihood of health issues like heart disease, eye disease, stroke, kidney disease, blood vessel disease, nerve damage, and foot problems. Smoking would even uplift that chance of getting these problems. Therefore, it is advisable to try “quit smoking” programmes which include nicotine chewing gum or patches.
5. Reduce alcohol intake. According to the American Diabetes Association, the limit of alcohol for women would be no more than one drink a day and for men would be no more than two. Alcohol can cause one’s blood sugar to go up too high or too low. Check blood sugar level before consuming alcohol and control the amount consumed to avoid low blood sugars. For those on insulin or diabetic medications, ensure there is food intake together with the alcohol.
Prepared by: Chew Ee Wei, a HTM Pharmacist.
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