According to the WHO, the number of people with diabetes is close to 300 million. This is about 6% of the population, which includes the age categories of 20-79 years. According to current forecasts, in 10 years the number of cases in our country may reach about 10 million. These figures are all the more frightening against the background of the great danger of diabetes, the death rate from which is increasing. In this regard, the prevention of diabetes mellitus is relevant, a memo on which is described in the article.
What is the danger of diabetes
Diabetes refers to diseases that are fraught with complications. These include:
- Heart diseases.
- Damage to arteries and small vessels located on the periphery, including in the legs.
- Decreased visual capabilities.
- Loss of sensitivity, cramps, pain in the lower extremities.
- Protein in the urine, disruption of the excretory system.
- Foot ulcers, the process of their necrosis associated with damage to blood vessels, nerves, tissues, skin.
- Infections: pustular and fungal.
- Diabetic coma, hypoglycemia.
Sometimes such complications lead to death. Therefore, the prevention of diabetes is a matter of paramount importance.
First and second types
Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases that is characterized by the presence in the blood of a large amount of sugar, significantly exceeding the permissible norm. This anomaly is associated with a hormone called insulin, produced by the pancreas, which plays an important role in metabolism.
As you know, the main carbohydrate in the blood is glucose, which serves as the main source of energy for the life of all systems of the human body. It is for its processing that insulin is needed.
Diabetes is divided into two varieties. For this reason, diabetes prevention also varies. This will be discussed in detail below.
- Type 1 - characterized by a lack of production of the hormone insulin;
- 2nd type - occurs with a sufficient amount, but with poor interaction with cells.
As a result of this, glucose is stored in the blood, and it is not able to penetrate into the cells, and a person is deprived of the “fuel” vital to him.
Diabetes. Causes. Prevention
Among the causes of this insidious disease, the main four can be distinguished.
- The most common cause is heredity. In the case of illness of one of the close relatives, the probability of getting diabetes is quite high. If this is the first type, then about 5% of people inherit it on the maternal side, about 10% on the paternal side. When both mother and father get sick, the situation is greatly aggravated, and the risk of illness jumps to 70%. In the case of the second type, an even more serious situation is observed. From one of the parents, 80% fall ill, and from two, everything is almost inevitable.
- A big risk factor for getting the second type is obesity. When there is excess weight and a large amount of fat, the body reacts poorly to insulin, which contributes to the development of the disease. Deviations in the diet can also be attributed to this, therefore, adhering to the diet is of great importance for the prevention of diabetes.
- Frequent recurring stressful conditions can cause the disease, which, as a rule, is not easy for anyone to avoid. Against the background of excitation of the nervous system, substances contributing to the onset of diabetes begin to flow into the blood.
- The cause can also be a number of diseases, such as autoimmune (when immune cells attack their own body), high blood pressure, ischemia, atherosclerosis, and some others.
Based on the knowledge of the causes of the disease, it is possible to determine its prevention. Consider the basic methods.
The main methods of prevention
Due to the fact that diabetes is a disease that can not be cured, it is important to take your health under your personal control and explore the possibilities of preventing the disease.
Today, doctors recommend several methods for the prevention of diabetes, which include:
- Medical prevention of diabetes.
- Accustoming yourself to a healthy lifestyle.
- Compliance with a balanced diet containing foods whose glycemic index is below the value of 50 units.
- Education of resistance to stressful situations.
Symptoms of the disease
Prevention of diabetes mainly relates to the second type, since the first is only a hereditary disease, methods of its prevention in adulthood are not known to science today. But there are ways that can help prevent those terrible complications, which are mentioned above. To do this, first of all, you need to learn as much as possible about the symptoms of the disease in order to start treatment in a timely manner.
These symptoms include:
- Increased thirst (drunk from 3 to 5 liters per day).
- Increased urination - day and night.
- Dry mouth.
- Weakness in the muscles and limbs.
- Increased appetite.
- Slowing wound healing.
- The appearance of itching, especially in women, in the genital area.
- Fatigue and drowsiness.
- Sharp weight loss in the first type and obesity in the second.
Type 1 Diabetes Prevention
As for the prevention of type 1 diabetes, it is necessary to take into account the following features. With this disease, a catastrophic lack of insulin is observed, therefore, daily injections are necessary. Approximately 10% of patients have type 1, as a rule, these are people under the age of 20. As mentioned above, pancreatic cells do not secrete enough insulin to process blood glucose.
External aggressors such as infection or trauma that provoke inflammation of the pancreatic tissue, leading to the death of the corresponding cells, can give an impetus to this anomaly. Therefore, the primary prevention of diabetes is as follows.
- Preference for breastfeeding. According to available statistics, those children who were not breast-fed, but with milk mixtures, usually get sick with diabetes. The cow's milk protein they contain can have a negative effect on the secretion of the pancreas. While mother's milk helps to strengthen children's immunity, protecting the still immature body from various infections getting into it.
- Prevention of infections with medication. For children at risk for type 1 diabetes, infectious diseases are a huge danger. Therefore, immunomodulators, such as interferon and other drugs prescribed by the doctor, are used as prophylaxis.
Prevention of complications in type 1 diabetes
Upon timely detection of these symptoms and contacting a doctor, it will be easier to treat the disease, to optimize its course and prevent complications.
If it is impossible to prevent diabetes mellitus, belonging to the first type, in adulthood, the body will help to support the body:
- Control of risk factors by doctors.
- Self-monitoring of the level of sugar in the blood, on an ongoing basis.
- Visit to specialists to help manage your diabetes.
- Compliance with the optimal diet.
- Physical activity that is regular and moderate.
- Taking medications prescribed by a doctor.
Type 2 diabetes prevention
This type usually develops in people over the years, most often it is diagnosed at an older age. In type 2 diabetics, insulin deficiency is relative, the pancreas supplies insulin in normal amounts. But certain cellular receptors react poorly to it, being insensitive. Because of this, glucose is collected in the blood, and does not penetrate into the cells of the body, as a result of which its indicator surges.
Very often, both as a cause and as a symptom of type 2 diabetes, obesity appears. In this case, the development of the disease is slow and not very difficult. If the diagnosis is made on time, you can stop without the use of medications. Prevention of type 2 diabetes will help reduce the risk of the disease.
Balanced diet
It is necessary to make every effort to prevent the pancreas from overloading, reducing the intake of carbohydrate foods. In order to maintain good shape, you need to reduce the number of calories in the body every day. For the successful prevention of diabetes, it is necessary to minimize, and it is better to completely remove from the menu carbohydrates related to easily digestible.
This is pure sugar and products in which it is contained in large quantities: white bread, cookies, cakes, sweets, milk chocolate, rice, potatoes, jam, honey, dates, raisins, grapes, watermelons, melons, vermicelli and pasta from soft wheat, semolina, non-natural fruit juices. To compensate for the deficiency of sweets, you can use sweeteners, the most preferred of which is stevioside.
The basis of the diet should be taken products that include complex carbohydrates and vegetable coarse fibers in large quantities. In general, it should contain: complex carbohydrates - 60%, proteins - 20%, fats - 20% (it should be borne in mind that about 2/3 of them should be plant-based).
It is advisable to give preference to low-fat bird (chicken, turkey), non-nutritious fish (pollock, cod, navaga, river bass, flounder, bream, pike, hake), vegetables, unsweetened juices. At the same time, it is better to avoid fatty, floury, spicy, salty, smoked, fried dishes, eating mainly boiled, stewed and baked foods.
Physical exercise
Exercise will help make prevention effective. In no case should they be excessive, but their prerequisite is regularity. The best option is classes for one hour. However, not everyone can afford it for various reasons. The minimum amount of time for classes is 30 minutes, which can be devoted to physical exercises, walking in the fresh air at an accelerated pace.
Movement will help improve metabolism - the metabolic process in the body. This will allow you to break down excess fat accumulations, optimize the composition of the blood, and significantly reduce excess weight. Doctors also recommend taking long walks, cycling, swimming or dancing, and other non-traumatic and non-power sports.
Medications and stress avoidance
Those at risk should carefully take care of their health through medical examinations. Tests for blood sugar, cholesterol, the presence of autoimmune and infectious diseases must be taken at least once every six months. At the same time, medical specialists will recommend drugs for the prevention of diabetes, which are necessary for each specific person.
In any life situations, you need to try to maintain peace of mind. Constant stress can act as a cause of diabetes, so you should be alert and try to avoid emotional overload. To do this, it is better not to communicate with people with a negative attitude, not to fall into extreme situations.
Sometimes doctors recommend even quitting a job, which leads to constant stress and high nervous costs. In this case, under no circumstances should stress be relieved by drinking alcohol or smoking, it is strictly forbidden to those who want to protect themselves from diabetes.
Diabetes Prevention: A Memo
Diabetes mellitus is of two types. Type I - insulin-dependent, in which the pancreas is not able to produce enough of this hormone. The main cause of the disease is a hereditary factor. Type II is characterized by insensitivity of cellular receptors to insulin, which is produced in sufficient quantities, as a result of which glucose does not enter the cells, but accumulates in the blood.
Based on the presence of two types of diabetes, their prevention will be different. In the first case, it can be carried out only when the child is in infancy, in the second person is able to take his health under independent control.
In the prevention of type I diabetes, breastfeeding, as well as the use of immunomodulators, which reduce the risk of infectious diseases, are very important.
In the second type of disease, which is often caused by obesity, effective preventive measures are: maintaining a healthy lifestyle, following a low-carb and low-calorie diet, avoiding stressful situations, and taking sweeteners on the recommendation of a doctor.