Any illness is a serious and possibly life threatening issue for anyone who experiences one. Diabetes is probably one of the most major and serious issues in people of all ages. This disease can affect anyone at anytime during their life making it all the more an issue and something to look out for during your life time. Diabetes has different levels of seriousness and types, that can be affected by diet and other issues. Diabetes is not a disease to take lightly, for if not properly treated it could take the life of that person who has it. Prediabetes is another concern that is raising many problems in peoples lives as well. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC prediabetes affects 35 percent of adults today. Although prediabetes is not quite as serious of diabetes it is a condition where people still have abnormally high levels of blood sugar.
Diabetes is a disease where the pancreas produces little or no insulin for proper break down of glucose in the body during digestion. Since people who have diabetes cannot break down glucose properly it stores up in the blood over time, overflowing into the urine and then the body loses it's major source of fuel or energy when it is lost during urination. There are two major types of diabetes. The first is Type 1. This type affects young adults and children the greatest, hence how it gets it's more common name of juvenile diabetes. Only 5 percent of people have this type of diabetes. Many kids seen with obesity have this type of diabetes or they are at a great risk to develop it. The second type of diabetes is Type 2. This is the more common form of diabetes. Although anyone of any age can conduct this disease it is more likely older people will be more susceptible to it. Although diabetes is not curable it is manageable. If people monitor their blood sugar levels and eat a healthy diet specific to a diabetics needs, they will have a healthy, and for for the most part normal life.
Today diabetes or prediabetes affects nearly 105 million people in the U.S. That is nearly one third of our entire population. It is a serious matter and not to be taken lightly. It is affecting our entire population, and may continue to worsen. According to studies by the CDC by 2050 as many as one in three American adults could have diabetes. The majority have type 2 diabetes, and if you have prediabties is only increases your risk to develop type 2 diabetes and other serious medical issues like heart disease and stroke. According to experts the reason for this increase in diabetes is weight gain. Obesity is a major problem today and the increase in obesity is greatly related to the increase in diabetes cases. Doctors also have switched methods of diagnosing this disease, due to complaints, and now use a method called hemoglobin A1c-testing. This test measures levels of blood glucose over a period of two to three months. The good news is that people currently living with diabetes are living longer.
The reason I chose this article is because it is an issue that I am greatly concerned about and lies close to my heart. My family has a history of diabetes and my mother lost her father due to diabetes when she was 13. I never met my grandfather. I didn't have the opportunity to share memories and fun times together because of how powerful and horrific this disease is. It took life from my family, and prevented me from getting to know someone really special and amazing in this world. And I feel bad for my mother, because she lost her father at a young age, and didn't get to share as special a day as her wedding day with him. I hope that one day someone will find a cure for this disease and prevent more people like my mother from losing something so dear to them in their lives.
Peace & Love
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