Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and Prediabetes

Because they lack diabetes education, many people think diabetes is all about sugar. Actually, diabetes is all about insulin, a hormone that allows the cells in your body to absorb the sugar in your blood. In type 1 diabetes, your body stops producing insulin. In type 2 diabetes, your cells develop a resistance to insulin. The results from both types of diabetes is that excess sugar is left in your blood, which raises your blood sugar level and brings on diabetes.

 In prediabetes, your blood sugar level is higher than normal but too low to be classified as diabetic. Diabetes education is particularly important for detecting prediabetes, because type 2 diabetes is preventable. If you can be diagnosed as prediabetic early enough, you can take steps to lower your blood sugar level and hopefully avert the disease.

 Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

In type 1 diabetes, the signs and symptoms come on suddenly, sometimes within hours or a couple of days. In type 2 diabetes, they develop gradually over the course of several years. Because the signs and symptoms are subtle, you might not notice them unless you learned about them through diabetes education. In many cases, the signs and symptoms are similar:

By teaching you what signs and symptoms to look for, diabetes education helps you recognize type 1 and type 2 diabetes early enough to do something about it before the condition worsens.

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Type 1 Diabetes

Insulin is the diabetes mellitus treatment of choice for people with type 1 diabetes. Insulin has three characteristics:

• Onset — How long it takes the insulin to reach the blood stream and start to work after being injected
• Peaktime — How long the insulin works at maximum strength to lower blood sugar
• Duration — How long the insulin continues to lower blood sugar after peaktime

Four different kinds of insulin are available as treatments for diabetes. What insulin the doctor chooses to use depends upon which particular set of characteristics he or she thinks is most appropriate for the patient’s diabetes:

Type 2 Diabetes

Insulin is not a popular choice in treating type 2 diabetes. Instead, non-medical remedies are the most popular treatments for diabetes. These remedies are:

• Following a healthy diet
• Getting regular exercise
• Losing weight

Following a Healthy Diet

Of the three treatments for diabetes, following a healthy diet provides the most flexibility. The Diabetic Food Pyramid provides you with guidelines for healthy eating. Once you learn the characteristics of the three food groups — carbohydrates, proteins and fats — you can prepare a variety of delicious meals; you can cook wonderful gourmet meals as well. By reducing portions and substituting one food for another, such as whole wheat bread for white bread, you still can have some of your favorite meals. The flexibility you have in foods shows that diabetes mellitus treatment doesn’t have to be an ordeal. Once they start eating healthy foods, many diabetics wouldn’t go back to their old lifestyle of fast foods and sodas even if they were given the opportunity. (Diet is important in type 1 diabetes mellitus treatment, too.)

Getting Regular Exercise

Being a couch potato leads to weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar — and type 2 diabetes. Of all the treatments for diabetes, getting into the habit of getting regular exercise is one of the most important. Exercise burns glucose, which reduces blood sugar. Exercise also reduces insulin resistance, allowing your cells to take in more blood sugar. In addition, regular exercise helps reduce weight, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Although the exercise should be mildly aerobic, no one particular form is better than another. You can walk briskly, jog, run, walk up and down stairs, or perform physical labor — just as long as you do it for 30 minutes a day. Of all the popular treatments for diabetes, regular exercise provides a whole package of benefits. (Regular exercise is important in type 1 diabetes mellitus treatment, too.)

Losing Weight

Researchers believe that obesity is perhaps the most important cause of type 2 diabetes. Why? Because studies indicate that the fatter you are, the more resistant your body becomes to insulin. When you lose weight, though, your body becomes less resistant to insulin. One of the easiest treatments for diabetes, then, is to lose weight. You can reduce your weight through a combination of diet and exercise—doing so is well worth the effort.

Related posts:

1. Insulin Resistant Diabetes
2. Insulin Dependent Diabetes
3. Diabetes Treatment

Prevalence of Type 1 Diabetes

In the United States, 8 percent of the population — 23.6 million people — has diabetes. According to type 1 diabetes statistics, around 90 percent of those people have type 2 diabetes and the remaining 10 percent have type 1 diabetes. Of those 23.6 million people, though, 24 percent of type 1 and type 2 diabetics don’t know they have the disease. This percentage might seem shocking, but it is actually a positive improvement. In 2005, 30 percent of diabetics didn’t know they had the disease. And in 1995, a whopping 50 percent didn’t know they had it!

Type 1 Diabetes Usually Strikes Children and Young Adults

Most people who develop type 1 diabetes are children and young adults between the ages of 14 and 20. Because it strikes so many young people, another name for type 1 diabetes is juvenile diabetes. According to type 1 diabetes statistics for 2002-2003 from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15,000 young people each year were newly diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. That is, 19 young people out of 100,000 came down with the disease each year. (These are the most recent juvenile diabetes statistics the CDC has for newly diagnosed cases.) However, people can develop type 1 diabetes any time in life, but the number of new cases for people over 40 is quite small.

All Type 1 Diabetics Must Take Insulin Daily

This is probably the most commonly known of the type 1 diabetes statistics: 100 percent of the people who have juvenile diabetes must take insulin every day. Because their pancreas can no longer make insulin, type 1 diabetics must give their bodies the insulin either by injection or insulin pump. However, just because type 1 diabetics must supply their own insulin does not mean they can’t lead normal, active lives. They can.

Lowering Blood Glucose Levels Can Decrease Complications from Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes can lead to complications such as eye, kidney and heart disease. According to the most recent type 1 diabetes statistics, type 1 diabetics who lower their blood glucose levels can reduce their risk of those diseases by 50 percent or more.

Women Who Don’t Keep Their Diabetes in Good Control Can Develop Complications during Pregnancy

Recent type 1 diabetes statistics indicate that women must be careful to keep their diabetes under control when they are trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy. Of women who didn’t while they tried to conceive and during their first trimester, 5-10 percent had children with major birth defects and 15-20 percent of the women had spontaneous abortions. Some women who didn’t take proper care of themselves during their second and third trimesters gave birth to larger-than-normal babies, which put both themselves and their newborns at risk.

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People with diabetes have a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, the hormone used to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy.

People with diabetes do not naturally produce enough insulin in their pancreas. This results in high blood glucose, which, over time, can result in serious health problems.

Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the body fails to produce any insulin at all. It is estimated that 5 to 10 percent of Americans with diabetes have Type 1.

Type 2 Diabetes results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), and a lack of insulin produced by the body. Most Americans with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, which usually develops after age 40.

Diabetes and Insulin Facts

• Your body’s need for insulin varies throughout the day. For example, you usually need more insulin right after meals when your body is busy processing the glucose from the food you’ve just eaten. At other times — when you are sleeping, for example — your body needs much less insulin.
• Most people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes are placed on human insulin (created via recombinant DNA methods), although insulin from pork is also used.
• Insulin must be injected because it is a protein (the body’s digestive system would break it down if it were taken orally).
• Insulin is classified according to how long the insulin works (e.g., short-acting, long-acting, etc.).

Call Liberty Medical Supply

While insulin and syringes are not covered by Medicare, many other diabetes testing supplies are, including blood glucose test strips and monitors, lancets and insulin pump supplies.* As a Medicare participating provider, Liberty Medical Supply delivers a world of diabetes testing supplies right to your door. See if your diabetes testing supplies are covered by Medicare with one simple phone call to Liberty.** Call toll-free 1-866-373-8971.

* Insulin and syringes are not covered by Medicare; however, insulin may be covered if infused through a pump.
** Co-payments and deductibles apply.
Source: The American Diabetes Association

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Diagnosing Type 1 Diabetes

There are several methods available to doctors to test for type 1 diabetes. The most common test for type 1 diabetes is the plasma glucose test. This test involves fasting for eight hours prior to the test and subsequently drawing blood to determine the blood glucose level of the patient. Alternatively, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) may be administered. This test takes place after a patient drinks 75 grams of glucose and blood is drawn in intervals for up to four hours after the ingestion of the glucose. The American Diabetes Association has established guidelines for the diagnosis of diabetes:

• A random glucose level of 200 mg/dl or higher
• A fasting glucose level of 126 mg/dl or higher
• An oral glucose level of 200 mg/dl or higher

Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

The primary method of treatment for patients with Type 1 Diabetes is the regular injection of insulin to make up for the inability of hormone producing pancreatic cells to adequately produce sufficient amounts of insulin. In addition to insulin injections, the establishment of a health diabetic lifestyle – incorporating proper diet, exercise, and blood glucose monitoring, is essential.

Complications of Type 1 Diabetes

There are numerous health risks and complications associated with type 1 diabetes. Similarly to type 2 diabetes, patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have a much higher propensity to develop cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. High blood pressure can subsequently cause other health problems including damage to the nervous system, kidney disease, or even blindness.

Please keep in mind that this article on Type 1 Diabetes is intended solely as an informational document; consult a licensed physician before making any decisions regarding the management of individual cases of diabetes.

Source: “Type 1 Diabetes”

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Upon being diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, it can be daunting to face a life of medication. If this is your reaction to a diagnosis of diabetes, then you have several resources to make the transition more bearable. These insulin dependent diabetes helpers are the people on your health care team. The members of your health care team are:

• Primary care provider
• An endocrinologist- a doctor who specializes in the treatment of diabetes
• A registered dietician to help you learn healthy eating habits
• A diabetes educator that can teach you to manage your diabetes
• A health psychologist who can help you learn to deal with your feelings

As you work with your insulin dependent diabetes mellitus health care team, you will soon have a greater understanding of diabetes and know how to make the adjustments needed to have a happy and healthy lifestyle.

Since insulin dependent diabetes means that your body does not get the energy it needs in its cells, the insulin actually builds up in the body and results in higher blood glucose levels. These levels, if left untreated, can result in long term complications like vision problems, kidney disease, nerve damage, tooth and gum problems, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and sexual dysfunction.

The best way to prevent perpetually high or sudden drops in glucose levels is through frequent (minimum of 4x daily) blood glucose testing. In order to track highs and lows in blood glucose levels, you should check 2 hours after each meal and before going to bed. During times of sickness, you should check more frequently. Symptoms of high blood glucose and low blood glucose are different (with the exception of 2), and being aware of them will help you respond and correct the problem.

In cases of low blood glucose, the insulin dependent diabetic should take 15 grams of a sugar source, wait 15 minutes and check again. If it is still low, repeat the process. Should it still be low, call your health care provider.
If you have insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, there are specific items that will be a part of your everyday life. These items are

• Insulin and needles
• A blood glucose meter
• Lancets and test strips
• A logbook
• Fast acting sugar/Glucagon for emergency lows

Aside from medication and monitoring, your diet and amount of daily exercise play an important role in managing your insulin dependent diabetes. The most crucial food groups to watch are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Talk to your dietician about what amounts are best for you. Along with healthy eating, be sure to exercise as it not only keeps you in shape, but will lower your risk of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus complications

So eat right, stay active, and test frequently-before you know it, having diabetes will not be as unbearable as you previously thought.

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1. Insulin Resistant Diabetes
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3. Diabetes and Insulin

Information, though, can be a powerful tool to prevent or control diabetes. The more diabetes statistics and facts you know, the more likely you will be to recognize the signs of the disease or take steps in not getting type 2 diabetes. If you have been diagnosed as diabetic, knowing facts and statistics on diabetes can help you control the disease effectively.

Differences between Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and Prediabetes

Type 2 diabetes usually strikes adults who are 45 and over. But according the most recent diabetes statistics, the incident of type 2 diabetes in children and young adults is increasing. Statistics on diabetes also show that prediabetes is increasing as well. Even though type 1 diabetes is unpreventable, type 2 diabetes is preventable even in its prediabetes stage. The common feature among these three conditions is that your body’s blood sugar increases above its normal level. The differences are:

• Type 1 Diabetes — Your pancreas stops producing the insulin your body needs to help your cells absorb blood sugar. So the excess sugar remains in your body, creating a high blood sugar level.
• Type 2 Diabetes — Your cells develop a resistance to insulin, which prevents them from absorbing blood sugar. The excess sugar stays in your body and elevates your blood sugar level.
• Prediabetes — Your blood sugar level is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes.

The Fatality of the Two Diseases

Some people think that developing diabetes — especially type 1 diabetes — is the same thing as being given a death sentence. But diabetes statistics prove that they’re dead wrong. It is true that all people with type 1 diabetes and some with type 2 diabetes have to take insulin every day for the rest of their lives. But as long as they take their insulin and take good care of themselves, they can live long, productive and happy lives.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

According to the most recent diabetes statistics, roughly 90 percent of diabetics have type 2 diabetes and only around 10 percent have type 1 diabetes. The reason for these lopsided statistics on diabetes is because type 1 diabetes strikes dramatically, usually in the matter of hours or a couple of days, so its symptoms are easy to recognize. Type 2 diabetes, though, develops gradually over several years, so its symptoms are difficult to recognize – so hard, in fact, that few people realize they have type 2 diabetes until it is discovered during a routine blood test or a visit to the doctor for an unrelated problem.

The Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

The increases that the diabetes statistics show in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes can be decreased quite easily. While type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that cannot be prevented, type 2 diabetes comes from living an unhealthy lifestyle by:

• Overindulging in foods such as ones high in carbohydrates, fast foods, fatty foods, salty foods, and foods and drinks — especially soft drinks — that contain high levels of high fructose corn syrup
• Not exercising regularly
• Being overweight

By living a healthier lifestyle and getting periodic blood sugar tests, you can help lower the statistics on diabetes.

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Benefits of Blood Glucose Monitoring

Blood glucose monitoring lets you see how your everyday activities—such as the food you eat, your daily exercise routine, the medicines you’re taking, and the stress you’re undergoing—can affect your blood glucose level. If you notice that your blood sugar is out of target range, you can identify the reason and get your blood glucose back into range again. Monitoring your blood glucose can also help you detect the early warning signs that can lead to serious complications in the future such as blindness, heart attack and kidney failure.

How Blood Glucose Monitoring Works

Diabetics use some sort of blood glucose monitoring system to check their blood sugar. A typical system consists of:

• Monitor — a small computerized device that analyzes your glucose level and displays the information on a screen. Some monitors can store the results.
• Lancet — a sharp instrument you use to prick your finger or other sites to obtain a small drop of blood for the monitor to analyze.
• Test strip — a disposable strip on which you deposit the drop of blood. Then you feed the strip to the monitor so it can analyze the blood sample.
• Daily journal — a notebook in which you record the results of each monitoring session. The information for each entry should include the time, day and date you took the sample and the blood glucose level the monitor displayed. It’s also helpful to include information such as what you ate or any physical exercise you did before you took the blood sample.

The steps in blood glucose monitoring are simple, painless and don’t take much time:

1. Wash and thoroughly dry your hands.
2. Sterilize the tip or blade of the lancet.
3. Prick the side of your finger (or other sites, depending on the blood glucose monitoring system you’re using).
4. Deposit the small drop of blood on the test strip.
5. Feed the test strip to the monitor.
6. Read the results on the monitor’s display screen.

Things to Remember in Blood Glucose Monitoring

When you get the results from your blood glucose monitor, you should keep certain things in mind. First, before you can monitor your blood glucose, you need to have identified a target range that is good for you. Otherwise, blood glucose monitoring will give you no useful information. Second, don’t expect consistent readings. Your blood glucose fluctuates from hour to hour and from day to day. That’s why your doctor gave you a target range to monitor. Any result within that range is okay. Third, if you get an extremely high or low reading that is out of range, don’t panic; it could be an aberration. If subsequent readings are within your target range, that reading is nothing to worry about. If the subsequent readings remain out of range, that is the point of blood glucose monitoring—it lets you know when you should make adjustments or see your physician.

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