Diabetes - general information

Our body uses insulin to convert carbohydrates into energy. Diabetes occurs when our body does not produce enough insulin or does not use proper insulin. Approximately 13 million Americans have been diagnosed of diabetes. You can say, 7% of Americans can have diabetes but out of them 6% do not know that they are suffering from diabetes. The actual cause of diabetes is still not found. Sometimes heredity can also be a factor that causes diabetes. Early medical examination can help you avoid diabetes. Diabetes can be treated with insulin injections and a good diet with regular exercises help.

Some of the symptoms of diabetes:

Extreme thirst and hunger
Weight loss
Fatigue
Frequent urination
General irritability
Blurred vision

These symptoms can be observed regularly so one might ignore them but make sure that you do the tests required to diagnose diabetes.

How is diabetes linked to heart disease?

2 out of 3 people suffering from diabetes have found to die of heart disease. Insulin uses sugar in the body which is the basic fuel of cells in the body. Insulin provides sugar that is collected from the blood to the cells. Sometimes glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells. Due to this cells may starve of energy and also high blood glucose levels affect the kidneys, eyes, different nerves and heart. This increases the cardiovascular risk that causes heart diseases. Liver makes cholesterol. Cholesterol is a fatlike substance that travels around the body in tiny clumps of fat and proteins called lipoproteins. Low density lipoproteins(LDL) carry cholesterol where it is needed and high density lipoproteins(HDL) carry leftover cholesterol back to the liver. When cholesterol levels are high, LDL deposits it in the arteries. This results in hardening and narrowing of the arteries that result in heart diseases. HDL, however benefits by carrying away the cholesterol away from the arteries. Diabetes can affect the balance between HDL and LDL levels. Diabetes patients have less HDL that affects the arteries and heart muscle thereby reducing the blood flow.

How can you reduce the risk of heart disease for diabetes patients'?

A balanced diet that contains less cholesterol should be consumed. Exercises will help reduce the extra fat that affects heart diseases. Proper medication if taken can reduce heart disease risk.