Gathering info about diabetes is one of the most important things that you can do if you have the disease. The first thing to learn is how to diabetes affects your body. A thorough understanding of this is going to help you to then learn and comprehend the best ways to manage your diabetes. Finally, you’ll want to find all of the tools and resources that offer support and solutions for your diabetes (HealthCoach4me.com, 2011). Learning about diabetes doesn’t end there, however. To continue to stay in the best possible health, you’ll want to continue gathering info about diabetes for the remainder of your life.
Learning Info about Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most predominant type of diabetes mellitus. It occurs because of a dysfunction in the body’s ability to make and use insulin. Insulin is the hormone which helps the sugar derived from food get into the cells, which is then used as the body’s fuel for energy. In type 2 diabetes, the body either does not make enough insulin or the body does not respond well to its insulin. This causes sugars to build up in the bloodstream and the body to not get the energy that it needs. This excess sugar can lead to serious health problems over time.
Type 1 diabetes is a much rarer form. It has a much earlier onset and it used to be referred to as juvenile diabetes. It most often occurs in children, adolescents, and young adults, but it can occur at any age. In this type of diabetes the pancreas (located behind your stomach) produces little or no insulin. This is most likely caused by an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the body’s own cells, particularly the ones which produce insulin. People with type 1 diabetes must therefore take the insulin that they need medically.
Gestational diabetes is another of the most common types of diabetes. It occurs when glucose levels rise in pregnancy. Symptoms are usually mild, and it is not life threatening. It usually begins about halfway through the pregnancy, and once diagnosed, the mother should begin monitoring their blood sugar and decrease their intake of carbohydrates.
To continue learning about diabetes and how to manage it, there is a vast amount of information available. Websites are a particularly valuable source for providing info about diabetes because they typically include video, photos, and graphics to help in your understanding. Many of them also provide helpful information on managing your disease, links to resources that are available, and newsletters to help you to continue learning about advancements in the research. The following websites are both reliable and helpful in gathering info about diabetes:
Diabetes.org – The American Diabetes Association (ADA) website.
MayoClinic.com – Provides thorough information about causes, treatments, symptoms, and other info about diabetes.
InformationAboutDiabetes.com – This site provides information about diabetes which includes advice on alternative therapies, medications, and diets.
eMedicineHealth.com – Affiliated with WebMD, Inc., this reputable website provides extensive information on various topics related to the disease.
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