Type 1 Diabetes | Everything You Need to Know
From what it is, who it affects, the symptoms and how to best manage it?
SUGAR
First up. Lets talk about sugar, its everywhere. With its popular sweet taste, it’s used in food, drinks and even medicines.
Normally when your body has sugar, it produces insulin which converts the sugar into energy. The problem of course is that if you have too much sugar, too much energy will be produced for you to utilise and it’ll then be stored as fat.
Type 1 diabetes is classed as an autoimmune condition (this means that the body’s immune system which usually helps you fight diseases, actually incorrectly targets insulin producing cells). Because of this, patients who have type 1 diabetes, don’t produce insulin and so sugar simply passes through the body. Which leads to weight loss, tiredness and more severely organ damage.
SYMPTOMS
Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 10% of all cases of diabetes and is usually diagnosed in patients under the age of 30.
There are several symptoms but the commonest are:
- Passing urine more - an average person will pass urine 4-7 times in 24 hours, but diabetics may go a lot more, as the sugar is no longer being stored.
- This can then make you feel very thirsty and give you a dry mouth.
- Because of the lack of energy being produced you may end up feeling very tired, always hungry and lose weight.
- Lots of skin infections - such as recurrent boils.
- And also blurred vision, as high sugar levels can cause harm to your blood vessels including those in your eye. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of reversible blindness in Australia.
If you are concerned with any of these symptoms, please speak your doctor for a check up and blood test.
MANAGEMENT
It’s really important that if you have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, you monitor you blood sugar levels on a regular basis.
How to monitor your blood sugar: https://youtu.be/F-OK6nh6Uk4
Always remember, good levels mean less risk of complications.
COMPLICATIONS
If diabetes is poorly managed there are a number of serious complications.
- Retinopathy which can lead to blindness.
- Kidney Failure which can lead to requiring dialysis.
- High blood pressure
- Depression
- Ulcers on feet
- Heart disease
- Stroke
So it is really important that if you are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, that you take your medication as described and continue to monitor your blood sugar levels. This will help you reduce your risk of developing any long term complications and lead you to live a happy and healthy life.
Take care and stay healthy.
Dr Nora x
You can view more video demonstrations or arrange to drop by at my website: http://drnora.com
FILM BY VTUDIO | https://vtudio.com
CREDITS
Drawing References - Thin, Muscly and Fat Man
