There are more than seven million diabetics in the USA alone. Basically diabetes is a disease by which the body is not able to process the glucose in the blood and turn it into energy. Insulin is produced by the pancreas; insulin is the hormone that breaks glucose down into carbohydrates the body can burn. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 occurs when the person does not produce enough insulin in his body to process the glucose in the bloodstream. Type 2 Diabetes happens when the body produces the insulin but it is not capable of processing the glucose.
The most common type of diabetes is Type 2; around 90% of all diabetics suffer from Type 2 diabetes while the remaining 10% suffers from Type 1. The only available treatment for Type1 diabetes is to get daily insulin injections. Insulin can’t be taken orally because it would be destroyed by the acids in the stomach. If for some reason the insulin survives the stomach acids it will definitely not make it through the intestinal track and into the blood.
The amount of insulin required by the patient is determined by the physician through basically a test and error process. The amount of insulin required by each person’s system is different and there are no established measures. The amount of insulin prescribed to anyone will depend on his or her reaction to each application. Generally one shot a day is required, usually into a fatty area of the body, for example the belly. In advanced cases more than one shot may be necessary.
Diabetes does not advance, what we mean by advanced is that it was detected too late and there is already damage to certain organs. Diabetes under medical control and proper eating habits does not change, does not advance it remains as is. On the other hand if the person does not follow his or her treatment and does not follow the diet plan designed, this person may suffer severe consequences to his internal organs, liver, pancreas and kidneys; and may also loose limbs or go blind. Uncontrolled diabetes is extremely dangerous.
Treatment is easy and uncomplicated once the correct insulin dosage is determined by the physician. The patient must make sure to get his shot with the recommended frequency and the correct dosage. He must be very aware of his food intake, both in quality and quantity. The patient must also follow the exercise program design for him or her; these are not anything out of this world. A half an hour walk in the garden or nearby park is enough to help keep diabetes under check and control. Many people live with Type 1 diabetes perfectly normal lives and have no activity or food ingestion restriction.
There is no cure for diabetes, there is only control. Today people with Type 1 diabetes have a new mechanical aid. It is a small practical machine about the size of a cellular phone which automatically injects the correct dosage of insulin into the patient. The needle is permanently located in the patient’s abdominal area and he or she does not have to worry about the time or the place to get his or her shot. This is a very practical and reliable gadget that goes unnoticed and will also save the patient from the daily pinch of the needle.