About Disease

How does the body regulate blood sugar?

Our body needs glucose, a type of sugar, in order to utilize energy and perform daily activities. However, after eating, we don’t use all our blood sugar at once. Insulin, released by a gland known as the pancreas, helps to regulate the levels of sugar within the blood. It helps us to effectively use the sugar that we obtain from eating food. Lower levels of insulin within the body may lead to high levels of blood sugar.

What is diabetes mellitus?

The causes of diabetes mellitus can be genetic or due to poor lifestyle choices. In Type 1 diabetes, the immune cells of the body start to attack the insulin producing cells, leading to higher blood sugar. In type 2 diabetes, the body stops using insulin properly. Both of these can be managed by medication and lifestyle changes such as proper sleep, controlling sugar intake and carbohydrates, and regular exercise.

Some warning signs for diabetes include:

Excessive thirst and hunger, frequent urination, Weight loss or gain, Tiredness, Irritable mood, Blurry vision, Slow-healing wounds

Hypoglycemia:

This indicates lower than normal blood sugar levels, and could arise as a result of diabetes treatment. However, it may also occur in case of low sugar in the diet. Drinking a sweet beverage or chewing on a mint can relieve it.

Some symptoms include: Shakiness/ dizziness, Hunger, Irritability, Headache, Anxiety/ nervousness, Fainting