Adult onset diabetes
Generally acknowledged as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, adult onset diabetes, more commonly known as type 2 diabetes, is estimated to affect some four percent of the population. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are also known to many medical professionals as Diabetes Mellitus, from the Greek “honey passing through”. The term is descriptive of the common effect of diabetes where excess blood sugar overflows into the urine.
Adult onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes, is characterized by elevated blood sugar levels, hyperglycemia, and is recognized as caused by years of ingestion of simple carbohydrates. This means too many sweets, too much fat, too many fried foods, and in many cases, too much alcohol consumption. In other words, a poorly managed diet often results in type 2 diabetes.
Other factors, however, are also implicated in adult onset diabetes. These factors include a viral infection of the pancreatic beta cells, adverse reaction to toxins present in N-nitroso compounds (contained in cured, or smoked meat), and auto-immune disease complications. Thus a poor or mismanaged diet, though a major culprit in developing type 2 diabetes, isn’t the only one.
If left untreated, adult onset diabetes will result in a number of unpleasant complications. Such complications may include any or, indeed, all of the following:
• heart disease,
• stroke,
• atherosclerosis,
• gangrene of the feet and legs,
• blindness, and
• Pancreatic failure.
All of these complications result in untimely death.
A healthy diet and plenty of exercise are the two most common and effective forms of treatment for management of adult onset diabetes. Unfortunately, diet and exercise alone may not be enough. In more extreme cases of type 2 diabetes, medication, occasionally including insulin treatments may be necessary to control the disease. Constant assessment of and adherence to the treatment process by the patient and health professionals will, in the vast majority of cases, ensure a long and healthy life.