On Diabetes: Type I and Type II

Diabetes? Once you've got it, you'll have to deal with it for the rest of your life. But this may or may not apply to the third type.

To begin with, there are 3 kinds of diabetes: Diabetes mellitus type I, Diabetes mellitus type II and Gestational diabetes. But I'll focus more on the first two.

The first type of diabetes calls for an insulin. Hence, they are insulin-dependent. This type is usually inherited. The body cannot produce enough insulin or there is no insulin at all so they have to administer insulin for the rest of their life.

The second one is more related on lifestyle. This type of diabetes is actually preventable. In this type of diabetes, the body (particularly the pancreas) is producing insulin but there is a resistance to it. The people who are vulnerable and are most likely to be at risk are those who are obese or overweight and more often than not, those that lead a sedentary lifestyle. Do you know that it doesn't mean that if you look a little chubby, you are already considered overweight? You can be slim-looking but remember that looks can be deceiving. In order to check if you have a normal weight, you have to compute for your body mass index (BMI) and check what category do you belong. Normal? Underweight? Overweight? Obese? I remember my professor telling the class that her BMI was normal in the United States but was overweight in the Philippines. So I guess, the BMI range for each country/race differs.

As we age, our body's ability to produce insulin decreases. Insulin makes energy and glucose metabolism possible. In simple words, insulin enables the body to use glucose. Now, how do these connect with the development of Diabetes mellitus type II? For every carbohydrate that we consume, there is a corresponding insulin necessary in order for the body to utilize it.

There is a saying that goes "Anything more or less is bad." If we eat carbohydrates that goes beyond the amount of insulin produced, the first thing that the pancreas will do is to compensate. It will try to produce more insulin. And more and more insulin until such time that the pancreas will be exhausted. When that happens, there will be no glucose metabolism. Afterwards, there will be a lot of glucose in the blood. If there is a lot of glucose in the blood and this goes on for a long period of time, then... taadah! Congratulations, you may have acquired diabetes.

But of course, diabetes does not happen overnight. Diabetes type II is lifestyle-related. So before you have it, take it to heart that prevention of diseases is always way better than cure.