There are three different kinds of diabetes; Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes. So what’s the difference?
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes has a few names. Some people refer to it as Insulin-Dependant Diabetes, Juvenile Diabetes or Early Onset Diabetes. People usually get this type of diabetes before they turn 40 and often in their teenage years or early adulthood. Only 1 out of every 10 people with diabetes has Type 1 Diabetes, so it’s not seen very often. How does this happen? When insulin producing cells in your pancreas get killed, your pancreas will not function the way it should. Cells need insulin to absorb sugar to produce energy. Type 1 Diabetes is when your own immune system kills of those insulin producing cells. Secondary Diabetes is similar to Type 2 Diabetes except your insulin producing cells are not destroyed by your immune system, they’re destroyed by disease or damage to the pancreas. These people either do not produce enough insulin or any insulin at all. When that happens, they are prescribed insulin shots for the rest of their lives. They must also follow a specific diet and check their blood regularly.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes happens for two reasons. Your body does not produce enough insulin or your body is not receptive to the insulin that it does produce, instead it is resistant. In order to control Type 2 Diabetes, people will exercise, monitor their blood sugar levels, lose weight, change their diets and eat differently than they were before and stop smoking for better cardiovascular health which is linked to diabetes. These things are necessary in order to prevent symptoms from getting worse. Experiments have been done to try to reverse diabetes with a raw food diets and many claim it’s success. If you are overweight, you are at a higher risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes than those with a healthier body weight. That does not mean that if you are skinny, you can’t get diabetes. Don’t be confused. You can. Age also is a factor in developing Type 2 Diabetes. As you get older, you become more at risk because people often tend to gain weight and be less active, but recently, children and teens being diagnosed has been on the rise. If you have family members who have or had diabetes, you are at a higher risk as well, however, being related to someone alone does not determine whether or not you will get diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes is also more prevalent in Middle Eastern, African or South Asian decent communities. It has been found that men with low testosterone levels have a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes as well. If you have had a stroke or have High Blood Pressure, you are at a higher risk as well of developing diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that affects pregnant women. During pregnancy, sometimes women have very high sugar levels in their blood that they are not able to produce enough insulin for. If this condition goes undiagnosed or uncontrolled, their baby can be affected and their risks of complications during childbirth are increased. Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are often large babies and may be harder for some mothers to deliver. Not all practitioners are skilled in delivering large babies vaginally so many mothers with gestational diabetes end up with cesarean sections. Having a diet low in animal fat and cholesterol before pregnancy reduces your risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Although gestational diabetes goes away after pregnancy, mothers are at a higher risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes after pregnancy if they had gestational diabetes.
Some people are Pre-Diabetic. That means that they are really close to being diagnosed with diabetes. At this point, damage may have already been done to their body’s other systems.
Here are some related risks and symptoms of diabetes.
• Frequent Urination
• Weight Gain
• Unusual Weight Loss
• Unusual Thirst
• Hunger
• Fatigue
• Blurred Vision / Blindness
• Irritability
• Slow Healing of Wounds, Cuts and Bruises
• Yeast or Bladder Infections
• Itchy Skin
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Kidney Damage / Disease
• Dry Mouth
• Rapid Breathing
• Swollen, Red, Tender or Infected Gums
• Numbness . Tingling in Hands and Feet
• Sexual Dysfunction
A simple urine and blood test can be done to determine whether or not you have diabetes. Complications from untreated diabetes can lead to blindness, amputated limbs and even coma. It is best to find out as early as possible to prevent symptoms from increasingly hurting you. As a matter of fact, the best prevention is preventing diabetes all together. Strive to live a healthy lifestyle free of smoking, not too much animal fat, more fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, lentils, whole wheat bread as opposed to white bread, lack of exercise and being over weight. There is no way to sugar coat this…Go get tested, because diabetes ain’t sweet.
