You probably know someone with diabetes, but what might surprise you is that the condition is the number one cause of death in women, and second overall. That’s because too many South Africans are diagnosed late or not at all.
The good news? With treatment and healthy lifestyle management, diabetics can live long, happy lives. Understanding the condition is the first step.
Our bodies are powered by glucose, a sugar that comes from food. To use it, we need a hormone made in the pancreas – insulin. Think of it like ordering a meal: the delivery driver must bring it to you, otherwise it just sits at the shop. Insulin is the “driver” carrying glucose to our cells. If insulin isn’t produced or it can’t do its job, we can’t function.
Without insulin doing its job, glucose piles up in the blood (high blood sugar) and starts damaging blood vessels, nerves and organs.
Types of diabetes
- Type 1
In this type, the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells, so the pancreas can’t make insulin – there’s no delivery driver. It usually starts in childhood or adolescence and is triggered by a combination of genetics and the environment, like a virus.
Type 1 is irreversible and life-threatening without insulin and strict lifestyle management.
- Type 2
The most common type, in which there’s either not enough insulin or your body resists it – the driver is there but the door is stuck, so glucose builds up in the blood.
This type develops more slowly and usually occurs later in life. Risks include family history, poor diet, chronic stress, insufficient exercise and excess weight. Treatment requires lifestyle changes and medication. If caught early, Type 2 diabetes may be reversible.
- Gestational (pregnancy)
Around 1 in 20 pregnancies leads to temporary insulin resistance, which could cause premature birth, large babies and other complications.
Gestational diabetes usually resolves after birth, but both mother and child now have a higher lifetime risk of Type 2.
- Type 3C
Sometimes ill health, like cystic fibrosis, cancer or damage to the pancreas, can decrease or stop insulin production. Unlike Type 1, it’s not autoimmune, but it is usually permanent and insulin-dependent.
Know the signs
Warning signs include:
- Increased thirst and urination
- Extreme hunger
- Rapid, unexplained weight loss (mainly in Type 1)
- Blurry vision
- Slow-healing wounds
- Poor resistance to infections
But in the early stages, you might not notice the signs or put two and two together. Get your blood sugar level checked every year, so if you’re at risk for diabetes, you can put the brakes on it.
Myth-busting
- Only obese people get diabetes. While being overweight increases your risk, anyone, from any walk of life and any size can develop it.
- Only older people get Type 2 diabetes. There’s an alarming rise in young people developing Type 2, with children as young as three being diagnosed.
- Diabetics can’t eat sugar. In moderation and as part of a balanced diet, sweet treats can be enjoyed. Don’t put off testing because you don’t want to give up sweet things.
Reference
- Diabetes UK
