Insulin And Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a lifestyle-related disease that is affecting many with alarming frequency around the world. It is a disease where the body is unable to process sugar out of the system, as it either stops producing insulin or does not produce insulin. Insulin helps the body process sugar.

Diabetes is primarily of two kinds – the insulin and non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. The insulin dependent diabetes is also called juvenile diabetes. This happens when the body does not produce insulin at all.

It usually occurs as a child and usually means that the child has to take insulin shots all his life. This diabetes is called Type 1 diabetes or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) or obsolete diabetes. It can occur at any time and is usually genetic.

Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is the other kind of diabetes. The non insulin dependent diabetes is the more common kind of diabetes there is in the world today. This type of diabetes is called Type 2 or adult onset diabetes or non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). It usually occurs because of bad lifestyle choices which lead to obesity and stagnant lifestyles.

In this form of diabetes, the body produces insulin but the amount produced is not sufficient for the body. Therefore the body is given external insulin in order to be able to process the sugar. This form of diabetes is more harmful for the body and long term uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can lead to and increase the risks of heart attack, amputation of limbs, kidney problems and strokes. Increase in childhood obesity is said to be the biggest cause of type 2 diabetes.

People with NIDDM are required to not only be on medication but also get some amount of regular exercise every day. These people need to eat high fiber, low fat diets with foods that have low glycemic index. One of the biggest ways of the prevention of type 2 diabetes is with nutrition and regular exercise. Such patients need to increase their consumption of salads and wonder foods like oats. Lowering the meat intake and increasing the intake of low fat dairy products is known to reduce type2 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, it is prevention and management that is very important as it cannot be cured.

America has a large incidence of type 2 diabetes, especially in children. Efforts are being increased to make people more aware to be able to eat properly and exercise regularly so as to prevent complications of type 2 diabetes.

Submitted on January 16, 2014