Essay --

Diabetes This is a chronic metabolic disorder caused by disturbances in carbohydrates, lipid and protein imbalances leading to increased blood glucose levels. There are three main types of diabetes mellitus; type one, type two and gestational diabetes. Type one is common among children under the age of twenty years, while type two is associated with adults. Other types of diabetes are; congenital diabetes, steroid diabetes and monogenic diabetes. However, these other forms are less prevalent compared to the three main types of diabetes. Diabetes is one of the leading cases of blindness, amputations and kidney failure (American Diabetes Association, 2008). Type one occurs due to lack of insulin in the body. In this type of diabetes; the body is unable to produce enough levels of insulin hormone which regulates the absorption of blood glucose. The immune system attacks the insulin producing cells in the pancreas resulting into hormone deficit. This means that individuals with type one diabetes mellitus have to be supplemented with insulin as failure to supplement may lead to death. Type two is characterized by high levels of blood glucose which is referred to as hyperglycemia. It is the most common type of diabetes accounting for 90 to 95 % of diabetic cases. Gestational diabetes affects pregnant mothers and is known to disappear after birth. It affects approximately 2% of pregnant women and 50% of the affected mothers may result to type two diabetes if the condition is not well managed (CDC, 2011). Symptoms Symptoms depend on the type of the disease and the stage of disease. However some symptoms are common in the three types of the disease. The main symptoms are; polyuria, loss of weight, increased hunger and excessive thirst.... ... acquiring the diseases as it can be passed from one generation to another (American Diabetes Association, 2008). Treatment Diabetes can be managed by the use of diabetic medications like metformin, chlorpropamide among others. However, dietary management, regular exercise and weight management are the best ways of managing diabetes mellitus. Type one is managed by administration of insulin and dietary management. Type two is managed mainly through eating healthy, physical activity and regular monitoring of blood glucose levels. Conventional medication coupled with dietary management has improved the outcomes of the patients with diabetes. Studies have shown that use of probiotics can also help in the treatment of the disease. Patients should monitor their glucose and cholesterol levels as the basic tools for managing diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2008).