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Diabetes is a disease everyone has heard about, whether they are a layman or an expert in medicine, which shows just how common the ailment is in our society. It is also common public knowledge that it is related to sugar and that some people who have the disease must inject themselves with insulin. But it is essential to know that not all kinds of diabetes are the same, nor do they have the same origin, nor are they treated the same way.

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Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which insulin, a substance essential for carrying glucose into the cells, is not secreted by the pancreas or is secreted in a deficient way. So-called type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, which means the patient must inject himself with it in order to live. This form of the disease amounts to 10 percent of all cases. The other 90 percent are type 2, in which insulin is secreted but not enough. While type 1 diabetics tends to affect people under 30 with no weight problem, type 2 appears after age 40, in people who are overweight and live sedentary lifestyles. Hereditary factors are important in both classes, but type 2 diabetes is closely linked to lifestyle and diet. In fact, it is believed that developing countries, in which diets are taking on unhealthy habits and sedentary jobs are replacing more active ones, are those which will have the most type 2 cases in the future.

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In essence, the risk factors for type 2 diabetes are three legs of the same stool: a diet rich
in fats and sugar, along with a lack of exercise to burn those calories, gives rise to excess weight. This maximizes risk of developing the disease. Treatment and prevention thus depend on a varied diet heavy on fruit, vegetables and fiber-rich legumes. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says fiber reduces glucose levels
in the blood because it slows down the rate at which it is absorbed. Thus, glucose peaks (moments in which the blood sugar level is highest) are less severe and less frequent. As for exercise, experts recommend walking for at least half an hour 4 times a week, swimming or cycling. Exercise lowers glucose levels for hours, lasting even after the body comes to rest.

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One of the problems with type 2 diabetes are the diseases associated with it. It is estimated that diabetics have a life expectancy 10 years below average, and 50 percent already have cardiovascular problems when they are diagnosed with diabetes. The precursor of type 2 diabetes is so-called post-prandial hyperglycemia, in other words, a rise in blood sugar right after eating. This is a sugar intolerance that is treated to keep it from developing into full-blown diabetes. There are two risk factors that contribute to the appearance of this condition: having suffered diabetes during pregnancy and having given birth to children weighing more than 4 kilos.

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Aside from cardiovascular woes, other ailments associated with diabetes 2 have to do with the kidneys, peripheral circulation and the eyes. In the kidneys, problems stem from a gradual accumulation of glucose and proteins that end up deteriorating this organ. Microcirculation of the blood is hindered by obstruction and destruction of the capillaries. This destruction is also suffered by the basal membrane of the retina of the eye, and can cause blindness. One part of the body that is particularly sensitive for diabetics are the feet because of bad peripheral circulation and loss of feeling in the extremities. Diabetics must take special care of their feet to keep small wounds from getting infected, then developing necrosis, which forces amputation.

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Diabetes is a silent disease which hardly shows any symptoms in its early stages. Periodic blood tests are the best way to detect it, but there are other signs to watch out for: an unexplained increase in appetite and thirst, excessive fatigue, frequent urination, small wounds that do not heal well, blurred vision, tingling in hands and feet and dry skin.

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Good treatment requires proper education of the diabetic patient, who must take responsibility for their diet, eating schedule, level of activity and weight. Medicine can help, but the cornerstone of controlling the disease lies with� patients themselves.