What Really is Diabetes Mellitus and How Will My Life Change If I Have It?

If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes Mellitus or have had the condition for years, you're one of millions of Americans with the condition. Diabetes Mellitus is another term for Type 2 Diabetes. When it comes to types of diabetes, there are several common types, including Type 2 diabetes, Gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and pre-diabetes. Each of these different types of diabetes is different and needs to be treated differently. However, the basics of the condition are generally the same.

Diabetes is, basically, a condition that impacts the metabolic process within the human body. It is not a disease that one catches like a cold. Instead, diabetes is caused by a number of different factors, including genetics and lifestyle. If your parents have diabetes, you are more likely to develop it than someone who does not have a family history of the condition. Also, if you are overweight, you are more likely to develop the condition than someone who is of normal weight and relatively healthy.

Here's how diabetes works, in very general terms: when someone has type 2 diabetes, or diabetes Mellitus, his or her body does not process sugar as efficiently as it should or could. In some cases, the individual does not produce enough insulin to break sugars down into useful energy. In other cases, the person is not sensitive enough to insulin in order for the insulin to work in a meaningful way with sugars in the body. The basic characteristic between all different types and severity of the condition is that the diabetic body does not process sugar the way that it should.

When diabetes goes untreated, sugars that a diabetic consumes turn to fat and are not properly used as energy. Sugar also stays in the bloodstream in higher levels than it should. High blood sugar leads to a wide variety of problems, including poor circulation, heart conditions, and more. Essentially, a high concentration of sugar in the bloodstream is toxic to the body and can lead to major health problems.

However, diabetes mellitus is fairly easy to manage as long as diabetics control their diet, stay physically active, and take their prescribed medications regularly. Having diabetes mellitus is not a death-sentence, by any means. However, it is an indication that the diabetic needs to pay special attention to diet, nutrition, and medication in order to improve their health and maintain a high quality of life.

Sources: http://www.imtypefree.com/taxonomy/term/439