What is Diabetes Awareness Month?

The month of November is celebrated as national diabetes month. It is the time when communities across the country come together and bring attention to diabetes. The focus primarily this year is on prediabetes and the number of steps one should take to prevent the disease.

Prediabetes is a serious health condition that is indicated by higher blood sugar levels. As per a report published by CDC, 1 in every three US adults is suffering from prediabetes.

What are the Types of Diabetes?

Type 1 Diabetes:

When your natural immune system attack and kill the cells in the pancreas that are responsible for making insulin, it is called Type 1 diabetes. People who have Type 1 diabetes need to inject insulin with a syringe to replace the natural manufacturing of insulin in their bodies. Type 1 diabetes impacts nearly five percent of individuals. Children and adults both can suffer from Type 1 diabetes. Scientific study shows that Type 1 diabetes can be genetically passed on i.e individuals who have a family history of Type 1 diabetes have high chances of developing them in the future.

Type 2 Diabetes:

Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the body cannot make enough insulin, i.e your body makes insufficient insulin to keep the blood glucose at normal levels. About ninety to ninety-five percent of diabetic patients suffer from type 2 diabetes and it is very common among people who are 45 years of age or above. Type 2 diabetes can lead to being overweight and obese and can cause high-risk diseases like heart attack, depression, etc. Compounding medication is nowadays recommended by doctors to treat diabetes as it has high efficacy and also reduces the risk of developing any side effects.

Gestational Diabetes:

Gestational diabetes occurs when the blood sugar levels in women become very high during pregnancy. Women can develop a certain level of insulin resistance in their bodies during pregnancy that ensures a sufficient supply of glucose is being provided to the fetus. All women don’t develop this condition, women who have a family history of gestational diabetes are most likely to develop this condition. A multitude of factors like your diet, food, lifestyle, lack of exercise also contributes to developing this condition.

What is Monogenic Diabetes & Polygenic Diabetes?

Monogenic Diabetes:

Monogenic diabetes is a condition that occurs due to the mutation of a single gene. Nearly 4-5% percent of diabetic patients in the world have monogenic diabetes. It can be easily detected and pinpointed by testing one single gene. MODY and NDM are the most common forms of monogenic diabetes.

Polygenic Diabetes:

Most of the people who have Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes are polygenic which means there is an involvement of multiple genes. This indirectly affects the ability to use genetic testing methods. Because of this people won’t be capable to tell if they have a chance of developing diabetes or not.

How to Prevent Diabetes? General Tips

1. Exercise regularly and do walking, jogging, playing sports, dance, or any form of activity that you enjoy.

2. Eat everything but in small quantities throughout the day. Don’t eat too much.

3. Eliminate unnatural sugars and white carbs out of your diet by avoiding junk food. Eat healthy food.

4. Quit smoking as it is one of the factors that lead to diabetes.

5. Say no to sedentary behaviors that require very low energy expenditure like sitting or relaxing in your chair or bed all day long. It is recommended to walk during your work breaks, take stairs instead of the elevator, try to do the house chores through yourself, etc.

6. Go for regular checkups every 2-3 months.

7. Avoid drinks like soda, alcohol, sugary juices, etc. Drink more water.

8. Maintain your weight. Regularly check your weight and plan your diet accordingly. Take help from doctors if you are overweight or obese. Consider opting for weight loss compounding medication in consultation with your doctor if you are obese or overweight.