by Shaheen Darr

Created on: October 18, 2008   Last Updated: January 16, 2011

You have diabetes when your body is unable to control the sugar levels in your blood stream. Type 1 diabetes is called insulin-dependent diabetes and results from the inability of the body to produce insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas to control the sugar levels in the blood. The reason for this lack of insulin production is because of auto-immune cell damage to the pancreas either due to genetic factors or because of viral infection. Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin the body produces does not work properly or there isn’t an adequate insulin level in the body to control blood sugar.

Type 1 diabetes mostly affects children and people under the age of 40. The onset of this disease can be quite sudden and these are some of the tell tale signs that occur in the body due to the increased blood sugar levels:  

- There is increased thirst

- Increased tiredness in the body

- Skin infections

- Itchy and yeast infections like thrush

- Sudden weight loss

- Need to urinate frequently

If you experience these symptoms, see your doctor who will either take a urine test or a blood test to check for the increased glucose levels and confirm if you do have diabetes. Once detected, the doctor will prescribe injections of insulin which the patient can learn to administer himself. Regular visits to the doctor are then advised to keep the heart, kidneys, eyes and feet in check as these are the organs that can be affected by diabetes. It is therefore important to get treatment the moment you find out that you have diabetes as complications including blindness can result if it is left untreated for a long time.

Monitoring of blood sugar levels at home can also be easily done using blood checking diabetes devices from the chemist. Results can be noted down both for regular checks and to avoid cases of low blood sugar which can also sometimes result.

The sufferer is advised to follow a healthy low carbohydrate diet and incorporate adequate exercise in his daily life. It is best to cut out smoking to reduce any further negative stress on the body. There is no known cure for this form of diabetes but learning to keep a check on your blood sugar levels regularly is essential. Regular visits to your doctor can help to keep the condition under control and ensure a normal quality of life.

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