The cases for diabetes have been increasing rapidly. It is predicted that 5.5 million people could get diabetes by the end of this decade. This shows how big it is increasing in the UK right now, and the impacts it could have on your life. Therefore, it is imperative that awareness is raised about this matter, and people understand the effects and symptoms of it. In this article, I will go over type 1 and 2 diabetes, the effects they have on you, and the best course of action to take.
Type 1
Having type 1 diabetes, means your body is unable to produce a hormone known as insulin. This leads to your blood glucose levels too become way too high, which will create an issue. Everyone needs insulin as it aids with allowing the blood sugar go into cells, and create energy for you to use. Without it, it all the blood sugar go into the blood stream, and impact everything else.
Causes
Type 1 diabetes is very less common, compared to type 2. However, it could be a lot worse, as it is a condition that could last for your lifetime. The first way you could get this is by mistake. If your body attacks your insulin production methods, it could trigger type 1 diabetes. The second way is genetically. For example, if a close member of your family has type 1 diabetes (mainly your mother, and father), there is a chance that you may also have it as well. Therefore, you have to contact your GP in order to stay on the safer side. You also have a higher chance of developing type 1 diabetes at a younger age, as your body is still growing. However, this does not mean you cannot get it if you are older, as it still is possible.
Symptoms
There are many different symptoms you could feel if you are a victim of type 1 diabetes. For example, suddenly losing some weight could be a sign, especially if you do not exercise often, or follow your usual routine. If you are partaking in exercise, it could be difficult to track your weight, but if you start to feel weak and fatigued, it could be another sign that you may have this. Also, feeling hungry and thirsty all the time is another symptom that you have type 1 diabetes. This will also lead to you taking toilet trips more often, as excessive urination is another symptom.
Type 1 diabetes is something that can affect you mentally in many different ways. For example, there is an enormous amount of responsibility, and pressure put on to you. For example, managing your diet, taking insulin regularly, and living a stricter lifestyle can be too much to deal with sometimes. This can take a mental toll on you, and can affect you in other aspects of life. You could also experience mood swings. This will affect you as you may not be able to process the constant change in emotions. This could lead to you stressing more, which can make these mood swings more prominent.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a lot more common than type 1, as there are a lot more causes for them. This occurs when your body does not know how to make insulin, or makes an amount too small. This will then lead to you having too much glucose in your blood, meaning it is not able to reach your cells. Although you can get it at any age range, you have a higher chance getting it in the later stages of your life. This is from the 40’s and higher.
Causes
There are multiple different causes for type 2 diabetes, so it is important to make sure you are aware of them all. Firstly, being overweight, or not training/exercising can be one way. This is because your body is not as strong. Your body also produces a lot of fatty acids that could affect your insulin production levels. Therefore, it is recommended to be regularly exercising, and managing your food intake. Secondly, having a high blood pressure could also be a big factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Also, high blood pressure issues are twice as likely to strike if you already are a diabetic patient. Finally, your background can have something to do with you developing this. People from Asian countries like Pakistan, and India have a higher chance of getting diabetes when they are young. This is also the case for African people as well.
Symptoms
In terms of symptoms, type 1 and type 2 diabetes are quite similar. This is in terms of things like feeling hungry, thirsty, needing to urinate too often, and feeling fatigued. However, type 2 diabetes has more of a gradual increase in the symptoms. It works a lot slower, meaning it can be more difficult to detect, as it could go unnoticed for a while.
Conclusion
In conclusion, type 1 diabetes is worse than type 2, as it is something that can last your whole lifetime. It is also not as common as type 2 diabetes, meaning there is far less risk of getting it. However, this does not mean type 2 is something you should not worry about. The symptoms of type 2 often go unnoticed until it becomes progressively worse. Also, the cases of it are increasing, meaning there is a higher chance you can get it as well. It is extremely important that you do not underestimate any symptoms you are feeling, as there always a chance that it could worsen.
If you experience any symptoms of any of these 2 types of diabetes, you should go and consult your GP about them. This is because you will be able to detect it earlier on, making it a lot better for you. Detecting it early will make it a lot easier for the doctors to treat, rather than leaving it too long.
