Diabetes is a long-term (chronic) illness that affects how your body converts food into energy. The majority of the food you consume is converted by your body into sugar (glucose), which is then released into your bloodstream. Your pancreas releases insulin when your blood sugar levels rise. For blood sugar to enter your body's cells and be used as energy, insulin functions like a key.
When you have diabetes, your body either produces insufficient insulin or uses it improperly. Too much blood sugar remains in your bloodstream when there is insufficient insulin or when cells cease reacting to insulin. That can eventually lead to major health issues like renal disease, eyesight loss, and heart disease.
Thanks to technology, diabetes care has seen a significant revolution in recent years. Technology has made it possible for digital patches, insulin pumps, and continuous glucose monitoring to replace finger pricks and make insulin dosage more predictable. Shortly, there is anticipation that connected gadgets may make it possible to create an artificial pancreas.
Blood glucose levels must be regularly checked in diabetics, whether they have Type 1 (where the body does not make insulin) or Type 2 (where the organism cannot use the insulin effectively). According to conventional techniques, this entails puncturing the finger up to 10 times per day with a needle so that a drop of blood can be tested. The diabetic community is pressing for change because this is problematic and restricting for the majority of sufferers. The recent advancement is a wireless glucose monitor made available by Abbott that utilises flash technology. The instrument, known as a "interstitial fluid glucose meter," is worn on the upper arm and measures glucose in bodily fluids.For persons with diabetes, these technological advancements have a profoundly positive impact. Continuous glucose monitoring, cheaper costs, and ongoing insight into living with the condition—achieved through means other than blood tests—are the most significant changes for Type 1 diabetes patients. Because of the observations, they have made, some persons have opted to have an artificial pancreas fitted for insulin delivery rather than a pump or MDI.
Longer-term CGMs, such as the Eversense sensor, is now available and can be implanted under the skin. Once implanted, this sensor continuously checks blood sugar levels for 90 days. It functions by producing a light signal in response to the amount of glucose in your interstitial fluid. However, a lot of people favor non-invasive remedies to having a sensor implanted in their bodies. The FDA had approved one such system. The system enables glucose testing while in motion. It has a sensor port, a lancet, and everything else needed to return findings in about 30 seconds, and it is hooked to the back of a smartphone. The results of the test are accessible on the smartphone app that comes with the product after it has been completed.
A non-invasive device called SugarBEAT CGM was created by the UK-based business Nemaura, and it is about to receive FDA certification. A little amount of glucose is extracted from the interstitial fluid using the painless SugarBEAT smart patch.
Insulin pumps are sophisticated devices that can record information about usage patterns and are programmed to deliver a predetermined insulin rate over a day. They are not always the most patient-friendly alternative because they must be attached to the body and can occasionally be heavy gadgets. Pens, however, are non-intrusive, lightweight, and inexpensive. These factors influence the choice of many diabetes patients to use insulin pens. The drawback of these devices is that they were not data collectors or originally programmable.
Smart pens are the most recent advancements in diabetes technology. You have a variety of alternatives, including InPen and Gocap, which connect to your smartphone through Bluetooth so you can monitor your insulin dose and timing. Another breakthrough is the NovoPen Echo Plus, which can save up to 800 shots (or three months' worth) of data and can be connected to other diabetes monitoring devices for improved diabetes management.
Changing your lifestyle could be a big step toward diabetes prevention.
Obesity lowers the risk of developing diabetes. People in one significant trial who lost roughly 7% of their body weight through dietary and exercise improvements saw a nearly 60% reduction in their chance of acquiring diabetes.
To stop the disease from progressing, the American Diabetes Association advises prediabetic individuals to lose between 7% and 10% of their body weight. Greater advantages will result from further weight loss.
Goals for most adults to promote weight loss and maintain a healthy weight include:
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to strenuous aerobic activity each week, which should include at least 30 minutes of brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, or running.
Your strength, balance, and capacity to lead an active life are all improved by resistance training, which you should do at least 2 to 3 times per week. Yoga, calisthenics, and weightlifting are all forms of resistance training.
Long periods of inactivity, such as working at a computer, can be broken up to assist manage blood sugar levels. Every 30 minutes, spend a few minutes standing up, moving around, or engaging in some light exercise.
Plants supply your food with vitamins, minerals, and carbs. Sugars, starches, and fiber are all types of carbohydrates. These are the sources of energy for your body. Roughage and bulk are other terms for dietary fiber, which is the portion of plant foods that your body cannot digest or absorb. Foods high in fiber encourage weight loss and reduce the incidence of diabetes.
Alcohol consumption might cause blood sugar levels to dip dangerously low if you take insulin or oral diabetic medications such as sulfonylureas or meglitinides. When you drink, instead of controlling your blood sugar, your liver needs to work to remove the alcohol from your blood.
MIT researchers have created a very futuristic device as we are already on the path to developing the "real" artificial pancreas. After being transplanted into the body, this device can maintain pancreatic islets viability. The University of Michigan Medical School, Cornell University, and Novo Nordisk have also produced their implant version that contains living pancreatic cells. There are several developments here that could lead to the replacement of failing organs with organic counterparts in the future, either through new organs created from stem cells or through gene treatments.
Even though there are a lot of research happening on diabetes and advances in diabetes treatments, no cure has been found for diabetes -- neither type 1 diabetes nor type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes can achieve remission in type 2 diabetes in some cases. Following a proper diet along with regular exercise and proper medications can to some extend help us manage Diabetes. As we say prevention is better than cure follow stringent measures at early age itself to prevent the onset of diabetes.