You can live a normal life with diabetes, but only if you follow the doctor’s recommendations. If we leave it untreated, we can expect damage to the brain, heart, kidneys, eyesight, and as a result, even impotence. Although it can occur at any age, it is most common in older people.
Although sugar in our blood is essential because it provides energy, sometimes the body’s cells cannot use it. It is then that we deal with diabetes, which affects small children, adults, and sometimes even pregnant women.
Insulin is needed for sugar to enter the cell. It is produced by the pancreas, and when it does its job, it is removed from the body. In the interval between meals, the amount of glucose and insulin in the blood should decrease. If it doesn’t, it’s diabetes. Unfortunately, it is a lifelong disease that arises for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, if detected and treated quickly, it will not cause any complications.
What are the complications of untreated diabetes:
- kidney damage,
- Damage to the retina of the eye,
- Atherosclerotic changes in large and medium-sized arteries,
- erectile dysfunction,
- motor nerve damage,
- “Diabetic foot”, i.e. foot ulcers.
Diabetes affects our entire body. Blood glucose levels can change our health from day to day and sometimes in a long-term way. Controlling this concentration is of great importance in the treatment of the disease. At the same time, you should take care of your health by leading a healthy lifestyle.
The symptoms of diabetes give us time to react because they come on gradually. The first symptoms are:
- Increased appetite
- recurrent infections,
- Constipation
- Tiredness,
- Increased thirst.
It is only later that problems with hair loss, bad breath, poor eyesight, trouble concentrating, itching and vomiting appear. An additional, high risk of this disease is smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
You should also avoid sugary foods and drinks, eat regular meals every 3-4 hours. Thanks to this, we will not have a problem with fluctuations in blood glucose levels. It is recommended to limit the consumption of animal fats, which in excess can lead to obesity and atherosclerosis. Instead, the diet of a diabetic should include large amounts of vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates and starch (with a low glycemic index), as well as omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids found in fish and olive oil, sunflower seeds, nuts and sunflower oil.