Listening to your body these days is very difficult. Even with the information available, our daily tasks often cause us to neglect our health. The question now is, do you want to enjoy physical, mental, social, and functional health throughout your life? Preventing and managing diabetes is essential for achieving the quality of life you deserve and pursuing what truly matters to you.
How does our body function internally without diabetes?
- The food we eat is transformed into glucose or sugar within the digestive system, which is necessary for our body.
- Glucose enters the bloodstream.
- The pancreas secretes insulin, which is responsible for transporting glucose through the bloodstream.
- Insulin carries glucose to the cells, which lowers the concentration of sugars in the blood and converts it into energy.
- All this energy is necessary for the central nervous system, muscular system, and liver to function properly.
The following illustration explains it better:
What does diabetes look like on the inside?
When our body has diabetes, its behavior is defined by several types of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes: It occurs mostly in young people, and less frequently in adults. The body does not produce insulin and it is usually diagnosed in people under 30.
Type 2 diabetes: The body produces insulin, but it is either insufficient or the body doesn't recognize it to perform its function. It is common in people with a family history of the condition, appears after age 30, and is influenced by being overweight and having a poor diet.
Gestational Diabetes: It appears during pregnancy in 1 out of every 10 pregnant women. The fetus uses a lot of the mother's energy, which can decrease insulin levels and lead to diabetes.
Prediabetes: This is a stage prior to diabetes, in which blood glucose levels are high when fasting or after eating, but not as high as in diabetic patients. During this stage, a healthy lifestyle is very important to reduce the risk of developing diabetes later in life.
What happens if you don't treat your diabetes?
The initial symptoms of diabetes tend to be ignored because they are usually mild. Diabetes causes a degenerative process in all organs. Pay attention if any of these symptoms occur frequently. See all details
Damage that diabetes causes to our body if it is not detected in time or if it is not controlled once you are aware of it:
- High Blood Pressure
- Memory problems or difficulty thinking clearly
- High triglycerides
- Problems with blood flow to the brain.
- Gum disease
- Chewing problems
- Tooth loss
- Difficulty having sex with reduced testosterone in men
- In women, nerve damage impacts lubrication and the ability to reach orgasm.
- Hearing loss due to damage to the blood vessels of the inner ear as well as the eyes and kidneys.
- Numbness or slight tingling in the hands or feet. But eventually, neuropathy can cause pain, weakness, and digestive problems as it attacks the nerves that control the gastrointestinal tract.
4 key precautions you should take to control diabetes
- To monitor your glucose levels, you can control how your medication works, which foods affect you most, and what activities you do that can affect your blood sugar.
- Healthy eating is a key component in controlling your diabetes.
- Practice exercise, as it lowers blood glucose levels and reduces cardiovascular risk factors.
- Keep the medication prescribed by your doctor under control.
Conclusions
Diabetes silently causes significant damage to the body. We always emphasize the importance of early detection and discipline among our patients regarding their routine checkups, avoiding self-medication, and paying attention to any symptoms they experience. Our bodies send us signals that something is wrong; we must learn to listen to them in time.
We use all the health tools at our disposal to empower you, emphasizing that prevention is better than treatment, and that early diagnosis and treatment prevent complications that affect your quality of life.
At each of our Hispanic clinics, we understand the challenges we face in promoting preventative care within our community. For your health and your family's health, choose a Hispanic clinic near you for preventative care every day.
Are you ready to take care of your health?
When it comes to caring for the health of all families, Clínica Hispana del Metroplex is close to me and all families to take care of their health and well-being, which is the most essential thing, with professionals who look after your health, your safety, and your quality of life.
At Clínica Hispana del Metroplex, we work every day to make better health possible, and the greatest recognition we can receive is that you entrust your health to us. Visit us o schedule an appointment as you prefer.
