Diabetes

What is it?

Diabetes mellitus (meaning: honey sweet flow) was diagnosed over a hundred years ago by finding the urine of patients to be sweet. Doctors tasted the urine of the patient and so diagnosed there is too much sugar (glucose) in the blood, then overflowing through the kidneys into the urine. Diabetes is found generally in two types, Type 1 and Type 2. Some people are intermediate Type, but most patients belong to Type 1 or 2.

What causes it?

Type 1 is a form of diabetes where injections of insulin are absolutely necessary, because the body (the pancreas) of the patient can’t produce this hormone any more. It occurs mostly in younger patients (children, adolescents, young adults). Type 2 (also called adult onset diabetes) is the form of diabetes where the production of insulin slowly declines or the body becomes resistant to the action of insulin. With more children becoming overweight, more Type 2 diabetics are diagnosed within the group of children and adolescents.

Dietetic treatment

An appropriate diet is necessary for good blood glucose control for Type 1 diabetics. It therefore helps with normal growth and development of children and adolescents. Weight plays a big role in the onset of Type 2 diabetes, alongside hereditary and other factors. With a healthy weight and regular exercise, diabetes Type 2 can disappear or held at bay for decades.

Long term complications can occur with not well controlled blood glucose levels. They can affect the kidneys, eyes and other organs like nerves and capillaries. Wound healing can be affected, too. It is worth trying to have a nutritional balanced diet, some exercise and a well controlled blood glucose level. Usually diet intervention alone or tablets are given to normalise the blood glucose levels.