World Diabetes Day, marked annually on November 14, is the largest diabetes awareness campaign globally, reaching a global audience of over 1 billion people in over 160 countries. Statistics show that globally, nearly half a billion adults (463 million, or one in 11) lived with diabetes in 2019, and the number of sick people is expected to increase to 578 million by 2030. In addition, one of two adults with diabetes remains undiagnosed, most of who have type 2 diabetes.
World Diabetes Day, an alarm signal for the prevention and care of the disease
World Diabetes Day was established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization to draw attention to issues of major importance concerning this disease. On November 14, the World Diabetes Day campaign focuses on a dedicated theme that runs for one or more years. For example, the theme for 2021-2023 is "Access to Diabetes Care - If Not Now, When?".
Millions of people with diabetes worldwide do not have access to the necessary care. However, patients need ongoing support to manage their condition and avoid complications of diabetes (cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney, vision, skin diseases, etc. .). On World Diabetes Day, governments are being asked to increase investment in the care and prevention of this disease.
Fundamental components of diabetes care include:
Access to insulin
100 years after discovering insulin, millions of people with diabetes cannot access the treatment they need. Ensuring universal access to insulin for all those in need remains a global challenge. The barriers are innumerable and complex, reflecting the multiple steps involved in production, distribution, and pricing, as well as the infrastructure needed to ensure the proper and safe use of insulin.
Access to the proper medication and possibly the adoption of modern medications
Metformin is generally the preferred initial drug for treating type 2 diabetes unless there is a specific reason for not using it. Metformin is effective, safe, and cheap. May reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Metformin also has beneficial effects when it comes to lowering A1C results.
In recent years, however, formulations superior to metformin have emerged, and there are six other major classes of blood-sugar-lowering drugs used in type 2 diabetes. All of these medicines can be combined with metformin to bring your blood sugar back to normal.
More recently, researchers have discovered a new insulin-inhibiting receptor that can be treated with an inhibitor drug. The latest study from 2021 comes from the Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, the Technical University of Munich, and the German Diabetes Research Center is a significant milestone for diabetes research, as the scientific community celebrates 100 years of insulin and 50 years of discovery, insulin receptors. Blockage of the injector function leads to an increased sensitization of the insulin signaling pathway in pancreatic beta cells. This could allow beta cells to be protected and regenerated to remit diabetes.
Access to self-monitoring
Blood glucose monitoring is a key component of diabetes care, but many people with diabetes do not have access to the equipment they would need. In contrast, in developed countries, people with diabetes can benefit from modern applications, gadgets, and devices for monitoring subcutaneous blood glucose that can monitor in real-time the level of blood sugar and the amount of hypoglycemic. In addition, mobile applications can help patients with diabetes to make healthy choices for a lifestyle as long as possible. Free and easy to use on iPhones and Android devices, the apps host tools to eat healthily, stay active and monitor your blood glucose levels.
Access to education and psychological support
People with diabetes need continuing education to manage their condition, but many do not have this education. Access to healthy food and a safe place for exercise. People who live with diabetes or at risk for diabetes need access to healthy food and a place to exercise. Both are key components of diabetes care and prevention.
What are the warning signs for type 2 diabetes?
The most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include:
Frequent urination
When blood sugar levels are high, the kidneys try to eliminate the excess by filtering it from the blood, which can lead to the need to urinate more often, especially at night.
Increased thirst
Frequent urination, necessary to remove excess sugar from the blood, can lead to the loss of additional water in the body. Over time, this can cause dehydration and cause the affected person to have a permanent feeling of extreme thirst.
Constant hunger
The digestive system breaks down food into a simple sugar called glucose, which the body uses as fuel. In people with diabetes, insufficient glucose passes from the bloodstream into the body's cells. As a result, people with type 2 diabetes often feel constantly hungry, no matter how often they eat.
Extreme fatigue
Type 2 diabetes can have an impact on a person's energy level. This extreme fatigue occurs due to the passage of an insufficient amount of sugar from the bloodstream into the cells of the body.
Blurry vision
Excess blood sugar can damage the small blood vessels in the eyes, leading to blurred vision with one or both eyes. If left untreated, damage to these blood vessels can worsen and eventually lead to permanent vision loss.
Skin conditions
Some rashes that can occur in diabetes are collectively known as diabetic dermadromes.
Glycosylated hemoglobin
Both the detection and the treatments for diabetes are monitored using a blood sugar target called hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c or just A1C), which provides information about the average blood sugar levels in the last three months.
For adults, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends a target of 6.5-7% HbA1C; however, in March 2018, the American College of Physicians (ACP) issued a new guide, suggesting targets between 7% and 8%. Part of the ACP's rationale is to adhere to a more individualized approach to treating type 2 diabetes. For example, in the elderly, very low blood sugar can be associated with severe health problems, including confusion and fainting.
The ADA also recommended that patients with HbA1c values in the range of 5.7-6.4% be included in the category of those at high risk for diabetes and those with altered basal blood glucose.
High blood sugar levels can increase the risk of serious complications from diabetes, such as:
- vision loss
- damage to peripheral nerves
- renal insufficiency
- infections difficult to treat
- impotence
- heart disease
How is type 2 diabetes treated?
Some patients with type 2 diabetes can manage their disease by making healthy food choices (vegetables, whole grains, protein, and low-fat dairy), avoiding fried foods, high-salt foods, sugary foods and drinks, and being more physically active. However, many people with type 2 diabetes also need medication, which may include diabetes pills or insulin injections. Over time, a person with diabetes may need more than one medication to control their blood sugar.
How can type 2 diabetes be prevented?
Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or at least delayed by lifestyle adjustment. Here are some steps you can take to help prevent type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease:
Weight loss
Overweight and obesity increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and weight loss reduces disease risk. If they do not know how to reach an average weight, people who gain extra weight should seek the advice of a family doctor. As a general rule, a proper diet with more vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and less animal fat and sugar, combined with physical activity on as many days of the week as possible, helps achieve and maintain an average weight.
Regular physical activity
Exercise helps to lose weight and maintain proper weight, lower blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity, which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range.
High consumption of vegetables and fruits
To prevent type 2 diabetes, daily meals should be based on vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, spinach, peppers, pumpkin, eggplant, cauliflower, etc.), legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas), and fruits. These foods are high in fiber, which stimulates weight loss and reduces the risk of diabetes.
Replacement of animal and trans fats with vegetable fats
Unsaturated fats also called "good fats," such as unrefined sunflower and olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish (mackerel, tuna, sardines, etc.), will be preferred in the daily diet. These will be consumed in moderation: for example, the daily amounts can be a tablespoon of oil added to food and a handful of nuts for one person. Avoid margarine and rarely eat butter, cream, fatty cheeses, and fatty meat.