Diabetes – The Silent Pandemic

Diabetes is rising at an alarming rate across the globe. After heart ailments that continue to be the number one killer, diabetes has reached the second position killing about 1.5 million people every year. Over 460 million people already live with diabetes and it is expected to rise to over 700 million by 2045. The biggest diabetes pandemic in human history is underway. Lifestyle disorder, poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of sleep&increase in stress levels play an important role in this. If not well managed, it can lead to frequent hospital admissions and premature death.

 

Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to use insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone that moves sugar out of your blood and into your cells. The pancreas mistakes this as a need for more insulin, so it pumps out more. Eventually, the pancreas wears out and stops producing enough insulin to keep your blood sugars under control. This leads to diabetes, a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels. Junk food that is high in saturated fats & trans-fat, high in calories & low in nutrition value can spike blood sugar levels and increase bad cholesterol levels.

 

Diabetes cannot be called a direct cause of death and may be responsible for complications like stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney diseases, diabetic neuropathy, renal failure, and blindness. People with diabetes can have an eye called diabetic retinopathy, nearly 3% of global blindness can be attributed to diabetic retinopathy, which occurs high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels in the retina. Reduced blood flow and nerve damage in the feet caused by diabetes can lead to foot ulcers and can lead to the need for limb amputation as well as severe and life-long health problems, if not managed properly.

 

In near future, diabetes is trending towards a potential pandemic in India. Small yet significant lifestyle changes can help you stop the disease on track or keep it under your control. A healthy & balanced diet, regular exercising, and maintaining an appropriate body weight can help to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.

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