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Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar (glucose) and released into your bloodstream. When blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts as a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. There are two types of diabetes: type 1, where the body does not produce insulin, and type 2, where the body does not use insulin well and can't keep blood sugar at normal levels. Houston, with its advanced healthcare infrastructure, has numerous specialists dedicated to managing and treating diabetes effectively.
Type 1 diabetes is believed to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that stops your body from making insulin. Approximately 5-10% of the people who have diabetes have type 1. Causes of type 2 diabetes include genetics and lifestyle factors. Being overweight or obese increases the risk significantly. A lack of physical activity, poor diet, and excess body weight around the waist increase the likelihood of developing this type of diabetes. Both genetic factors passed through generations and lifestyle factors are involved in the complex causes of diabetes.
Common signs and symptoms of diabetes include increased hunger, fatigue, increased thirst, frequent urination, blurry vision, and unexplained weight loss. In type 1 diabetes, these symptoms can start quickly, in a matter of weeks. For type 2 diabetes, symptoms often develop over several years and can be so mild that they are not noticeable. Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at all and are only diagnosed after complications from the disease arise. Early detection and treatment of diabetes can decrease the risk of developing the complications of diabetes.
Diagnosis of diabetes involves collecting a medical history, a physical examination, and blood tests. The most common blood tests used to diagnose diabetes are the fasting plasma glucose test, which measures your blood sugar after an overnight fast, and the a1c test, which provides your average levels of blood sugar over the past 3 months. Other tests such as the oral glucose tolerance test may also be used. A healthcare provider in houston specializing in diabetes can conduct these tests and interpret the results to diagnose diabetes and its type, which is crucial for determining the appropriate treatment.
While type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, healthy lifestyle choices can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. These include eating healthy foods, keeping weight under control, and being active. Diabetes treatment requires regular monitoring of blood sugar levels, healthy eating, regular physical activity, and possibly diabetes medication or insulin therapy to manage the disease. Houston offers a range of diabetes management programs and specialists who can tailor treatment plans to individual needs. Treatment and continuous management can help lower the risk of diabetes-related complications and improve the quality of life for those living with the disease.