Understand
Your Diabetes

Knowledge is power when it comes to understanding your diabetes – educating yourself about the condition is the first step to managing it successfully.

Understanding your diabetes is a wise choice, as it helps you to make smart decisions and take control of your health.

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Diabetes

A Condition. Not a Disease.

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body fails to properly use the food it consumes to produce energy, resulting in high levels of glucose in the blood. It is caused by either a lack of insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar, or an inability of the body to use insulin properly. Diabetes can lead to serious health complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, blindness, and nerve damage. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, as well as medications and insulin therapy.

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Classify and Conquer!

Take control of your diabetes

Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Gestational diabetes

Type 1 diabetes

If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. Your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive.

Type 2 diabetes

If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, this type of diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes develops in some women when they are pregnant. Most of the time, this type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born. However, if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Sometimes diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy is actually type 2 diabetes.

Don't let Pre-Diabetes stop you

from living a healthy and active lifestyle!

What is Pre-Diabetes?

Pre-Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diabetes. It may progress to type-2 diabetes unless you take steps to prevent it.

Steps like Losing weight, appropriate diet and regular physical activity will help. It is a common misunderstanding that pre-diabetes is not a health risk until it turns into type-2 diabetes. But in reality, the difference between the two is merely on a reference scale.

It is important to realise that any amount of increased blood sugar levels is harmful for the body. So even with pre-diabetes there is an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney, Eye, Foot disorders and other health issues.

It is a common misunderstanding that pre-diabetes is not a health risk until it turns into type-2 diabetes. But in reality, the difference between the two is merely on a reference scale. Any amount of increased blood sugar levels is harmful for the body, putting pre-diabetes at an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney disorders, diseases of the eye and other health issues.

How to Prevent?

Every person has the power to prevent, reverse or significantly delay pre-diabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes. By reducing weight by 7% and following a disciplined lifestyle involving regular exercise for 30 minutes five days a week, by eating a balanced diet, more vegetables, whole grains, and fruits, small servings of low-calorie, low-fat snacks with higher fibre and by choosing to strive for a healthier weight and maintaining that weight.

What You Need to Know!

Unraveling the Mysteries of Type 2 Diabetes:

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Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the body does not produce enough insulin or does not use insulin properly. It is the most common type of diabetes and is usually diagnosed in adulthood. It is linked to obesity, genetics, and lifestyle factors. People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing other health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and nerve damage. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise, and medications.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes:

Frequent urination

Increased thirst

Blurred vision

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Slow healing of cuts and wounds

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Sudden weight loss

Fatigue

Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

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Frequent infections

Dark patches of skin

High blood sugar levels

Frequent urination

Increased thirst

Blurred vision

Slow healing of cuts and wounds

Sudden weight loss

Fatigue

Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

Frequent infections

Dark patches of skin

High blood sugar levels

Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes:

Being overweight or obese

Having a family history of diabetes

Eating an unhealthy diet

Having a sedentary lifestyle

Aging

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

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Abnormal levels of certain fats (triglycerides)

Smoking

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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Being overweight or obese

Having a family history of diabetes

Eating an unhealthy diet

Having a sedentary lifestyle

Aging

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Abnormal levels of certain fats (triglycerides)

Smoking

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Navigating the Complexities of

Diabetes with Cardiac Concerns

As a chronic condition, people with diabetes can have serious consequences on the heart and blood vessels. They are at an increased risk for developing high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. People with diabetes should be mindful of their blood sugar levels as well as their lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, to reduce their risk of developing heart-related complications. Additionally, people with diabetes should consult specialised medical professionals to monitor their cholesterol, blood pressure, and other cardiac risk factors. Taking these steps can help reduce the risk of developing cardiac issues related to diabetes.

The Unseen Dangers of Diabetes

Understanding the Complications of the Disease

Cardiovascular disease
Nerve damage
Kidney damage
Eye damage
Foot damage
Gestational diabetes

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Cardiovascular Disease

People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely than others to develop cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke and narrowing of arteries (atherosclerosis). If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to have heart disease or stroke.

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Nerve Damage (Neuropathy)

50% of people with diabetes are at risk of Diabetic Neuropathy.

Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish your nerves, especially in your legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain that usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and gradually spreads upward.

Left untreated, you could lose all sense of feeling in the affected limbs. Damage to the nerves related to digestion can cause problems with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. For men, it may lead to erectile dysfunction.

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Kidney Damage (Nephropathy)

10 to 40, of those with Type 2 diabetes eventually will suffer from kidney failure.

The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters (glomeruli) that filter waste from your blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, which may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

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Eye Damage (Retinopathy)

Diabetes is the primary cause of blindness in adults aged 20 to 74 years old.

Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy), potentially leading to blindness. Diabetes also increases the risk of other serious vision conditions, such as cataracts and glaucoma.

Foot Damage

People with diabetes have an increased risk of lower limb amputation.

Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of various foot complications. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can develop serious infections, which often heal poorly. These infections may ultimately require toe, foot or leg amputation.

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Complications of Gestational Diabetes

Every year, 2% to 10% of pregnant women are affected by gestational diabetes.

Most women who have gestational diabetes deliver healthy babies. However, untreated or uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause problems for you and your baby. Complications in your baby can occur as a result of gestational diabetes, including:

Excess growth: Extra glucose can cross the placenta, which triggers your baby’s pancreas to make extra insulin. This can cause your baby to grow too large (macrosomia). Very large babies are more likely to require a C-section birth.

Low blood sugar: Sometimes babies of mothers with gestational diabetes develop low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) shortly after birth because their own insulin production is high. Prompt feedings and sometimes an intravenous glucose solution can return the baby’s blood sugar level to normal.

Type 2 diabetes later in life: Babies of mothers who have gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.

Death: Untreated gestational diabetes can result in a baby’s death either before or shortly after birth.

Managing Diabetes Today

for a Healthier Tomorrow

Living with diabetes can be a challenge. It requires self-care and lifestyle changes, including monitoring blood sugar levels, eating healthy, exercising regularly, taking medications, and managing stress. It is important to keep up with doctor visits and get regular blood sugar checks. Eating healthy meals and snacks, exercising, and taking your medications as prescribed can help keep the blood sugar levels in a healthy range. It is important to have a support system to help stay on track and provide emotional support. Learning to manage diabetes is a process, but with the right tools and support, one can live a healthy life with diabetes.

Taking Proactive Steps

To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or when the body is unable to use the insulin it produces effectively. To prevent type 2 diabetes it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating a balanced diet that is low in fat and sugar, exercising regularly, and managing stress are all important steps to take. Additionally, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption can also help to decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes. Finally, getting regular check-ups and screening tests can help to catch the disease in its early stages when it is easier to manage.