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Getting to Know Diabetes Mellitus: Causes, Symptoms, and How to Overcome It
08 Aug 2023
Getting to Know Diabetes Mellitus: Causes, Symptoms, and How to Overcome It
08 Aug 2023

Diabetes mellitus, or better known as diabetes, is a chronic disease that is increasingly affecting the global population. This disease is associated with metabolic disorders that cause high levels of glucose in the blood.

This condition is caused by a deficiency or malfunction of insulin, the hormone that allows the body to use glucose as an energy source. Diabetes is an urgent health issue because of the high incidence and serious impact on the quality of life of sufferers.

Diabetic Type

Diabetes can be divided into several types, with the most common being type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

  1. Type 1 Diabetes
    This disease usually appears in childhood or adolescence. In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin.
  2. Type 2 Diabetes
    This type of diabetes is more common and is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, such as an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and obesity. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not respond efficiently to insulin, which causes an increase in blood sugar levels. In the early stages, patients may be able to manage this condition with lifestyle changes, but in some cases, may require additional medication or insulin.

Potential Causes of Diabetes to Watch Out For

Some things that can make a person more likely to get diabetes are:

1. Genetic Factors
If there is a history of diabetes in the family, a person's risk of developing this condition will increase.

2. Obesity
Being overweight or obese increases the body's resistance to insulin, which is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

3. Unhealthy Lifestyle
A diet rich in sugar, saturated fat, and processed foods and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of diabetes.

4. Age
As you get older, the risk of type 2 diabetes is also higher. Our bodies may not be able to produce insulin as well as when we were young.

5. Gestational History
Women who have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy are also at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

6. Lack of Physical Activity
If we rarely move and exercise, our body may not be able to regulate blood sugar levels properly, and this can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

7. Metabolic Syndrome
It is a collection of risk factors such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, low HDL cholesterol levels and high blood sugar. Metabolic syndrome makes the risk of developing type 2 diabetes higher.

Diabetic Symptoms

Diabetes symptoms can vary between individuals, but some common ones to look out for are:

  1. Often feel thirsty and hungry
  2. Frequent urination
  3. Weight loss for no apparent reason
  4. Exhausted and weak
  5. Wounds that are difficult to heal
  6. Blurred vision
  7. Tingling or numbness in hands and feet

How to Prevent and Overcome Diabetes Easily

An important step in maintaining a good quality of life for people with diabetes is to prevent and treat this disease. Some ways you can do to prevent or treat diabetes are as follows:

1. Eat Healthy
One of the keys is to eat a healthy diet. Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat proteins such as fish, nuts, and chicken. Avoid processed foods, sweet foods, and bad fats which can increase the risk of diabetes.

2. Active Move
Be diligent in exercising and being physically active. Do at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week, such as walking, cycling, swimming or gymnastics. It helps regulate blood sugar and makes the body more sensitive to insulin.

3. Maintain Weight
If you are overweight, try to lose it slowly with a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise. Even modest weight loss can help control blood sugar.

4. Avoid Alcohol and Cigarettes
Excessive drinking and smoking can affect blood sugar and cause more serious problems. Avoid or reduce alcohol consumption and quit smoking to maintain overall health.

5. Regular Health Checks
Routine health checks and check blood sugar levels. This is important for early detection of the risk of diabetes or prediabetes. With good monitoring, you can take the right precautions.

6. Monitor Blood Sugar
If you already have diabetes, you need to regularly check your blood sugar levels. This will help you better control your blood sugar and identify changes you need to make to manage your diabetes.

7. Follow the Treatment Appropriately
If your doctor prescribes medication or insulin, it's important to follow it with discipline. Medication and insulin help control blood sugar levels and prevent more serious problems from diabetes.

Diabetic complications

  • If not treated properly, diabetes can cause serious complications, including:
  1. Diabetics have a higher risk of developing heart disease, such as heart attack and stroke.
  2. Diabetes can cause damage to the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure.
  3. Diabetic retinopathy. Is a complication that can cause visual impairment and even blindness.
  4. Nerve damage from diabetes can cause tingling, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet.
  5. Wounds in people with diabetes tend to heal more slowly and can develop into serious infections.

Conclusion

Diabetes prevention and management is very important so that you can live a healthy life even though you have this disease. But still, diabetes can pose a risk of serious problems called complications.

Therefore, having health insurance is very important. However, if you are concerned about the compatibility of insurance with Islamic law, you can choose Islamic insurance as an alternative.

If you search syariah insurance in Indonesia trusted company, BNI LIFE can be the right choice. As a company that follows sharia principles, BNI LIFE offers health insurance products that comply with religious values. Get health protection that is in line with religious values through health insurance products from BNI LIFE.