Introduction: Literature Review
Ripich & Healthy, (2010) stated that diabetes affects close to 20 percent of the world’s total population. They further explained that in the United States alone, approximately 30 million of its population is concerned, and an additional 57 million people are having signs of the global epidemic.
Diabetes is a dangerous disease that presents fewer symptoms in its early stages. As a result, many people are not able to reorganize and deal with it. This condition has led to an increase in its spread making other people term it as an unfortunate condition of old age.
Study shows that North America and the Caribbean regions are the most affected by diabetes followed by the Middle East. On the contrary, Africa has the lowest prevalence of diabetes with Seychelles having the highest occurrence in Africa.
Diabetes mainly occurs in various forms that are type1, type2 and gestational diabetes with symptoms that include frequent urination, excessive thirst, and hunger. Other symptoms are weight loss and fatigue. However, type two has fewer symptoms that include itchy skin and numbness in feet and hands, (Peacock, 2000, p.10).
Type1 diabetes
This condition occurs because the body is not able to manufacture enough insulin for the body processes. This type affects children, teens, and young adults in most cases. It is as a result of low insulin as produced by the pancreas. The condition may also be due to antibodies that attack and kill beta cells that are responsible for producing insulin hence triggering diabetes type1. Individuals with this type of diabetes depend on insulin every day to correct the insulin deficiency for a living. However, practices like healthy eating are also important for such people to reduce the amount of insulin needed and maintain the risk of complications lower.
Type2 diabetes
This type results from a body condition through which body cells fail to respond adequately to available insulin coupled with insulin deficiency. It is a dangerous form that in most cases is unnoticed till its fatal stages. Type2 diabetes is also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Type2 diabetes stands for approximately 90 percent of the total diabetes infection. Various practices such as healthier eating, involving in physical activities and sometimes oral medication can help control the situation (Barnard, 2007)
Gestational Diabetes
It is a type of diabetes that affects females during pregnancy caused by low levels of insulin for efficient transportation of glucose in their cells leading to high glucose levels in the blood. However corrective responses like physical exercises and diet will help to combat this type of diabetes in pregnant women. Scholars link the defect during early stages of pregnancy results to complications during childbirth.
Discussion
The increasing spread of diabetes and its effects is a threat to human health. The impact of the disease is better discussed by looking at its symptoms and its impact on the population.
Causes of diabetes
Unlike type2 diabetes, the increasing rise of diabetic cases is as a result of both physical and behavioral practices.
- Studies have explained that too much cow milk during the first six months of childhood damages the child’s immune system hence increasing the risk to get diabetes.
- Diabetes is also a result of a lack of physical exercise to combat excess glucose. This condition leaves the body with excess glucose that it needs leading to diabetes.
- Places that receive little sun are at risk of diabetes than those that receive much sunshine.
- Diabetes is also a result of faster growth rates in children.
Effects of diabetes
Meeking, (2011) stated that during surgery, diabetic patients have a higher risk of morbidity and mortality rates as compared to non-diabetic patients. He explained this condition to be an effect of diabetes to blood clotting ability leading to excessive bleeding. Diabetes also causes various circulatory diseases such as cerebral disease and coronary heart diseases.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Diabetes is a threat to the world’s health today and, as a result, should be addressed with a close concern due to its long effects on the body. Treatment of diabetes demands for precautions for both caregiver and the patient in order to prevent a long damage to the heart, kidney and eyes. It is also important to treat the disease early to prevent early death. It is also important to sensitize individuals of different measures to deal with diabetes and encourage them to participate in early testing and screening for the disease.
References
Barnard, N. D. (2007). Dr. Neal Barnard’s program for reversing diabetes: The scientifically proven system for reversing diabetes without drugs. New York, NY: Rodale, 2(1), 13-27.
Meeking, D. (2011). Understanding diabetes & endocrinology: A problem-orientated approach. London: Manson Pub, 2(1), 27-30.
Peacock, J. (2000), Diabetes. Mankato, MN: Life Matters, 2(1) 10.
Ripich, S., & Healthy, J. (2010). The 30-day diabetes cure: The proven step-by-step plan to control your blood sugar naturally and prevent diabetes complications. Sante Fe, NM: Jim Healthy Publications, 1(1), 3.