Of all the afflictions of modern living, diabetes is one that is most common in this century. This unique disease is an affliction that sometimes goes undetected in people for a long while before one actually spots it.
It is also a disease that does not confine one to bed rest like a bout of flu, or a viral infection. It shows no outward symptoms like pain or swelling or cough or discomfort. The only suspicion aside this illness is an unnatural craving for sweet things, which again, often gets dismissed as a weakness for sweets or as possessing a sweet tooth. Also, this love for the sugary stuff is not an invariable accompaniment of the disease.
The cause of this disease is the lack of insulin in our body. This hormone is essential for the body to get energy from the food that we eat. So a diabetic may have a hearty appetite and not benefit nutritionally, from the food that he or she consumes. The disease is not limited to a particular age group and even children can be afflicted by it. That is why medical science has categorized diabetes into two major types. Type I diabetes is a form where the body stops producing insulin altogether. This form usually starts in children. The Type II form of diabetes is the category in which some insulin is produced by the body but this insulin is not used properly by the body.
Being a disease that one has to live with for a lifetime, the best way to manage diabetes is to bring about a change in the lifestyle of the individual. Besides medication, diabetes is a disease that has extensive mental and physical implications. Persons suffering from this disease need to be aware of the symptoms of depression and remain in a healthy state of mind. Joining a support group is a big step ahead in remaining healthy despite having diabetes.
