Type-2 Diabetes: A Lifestyle Disease

Diseases | July 28, 2010 | Share

Lifestyle diseases, as the name suggests, refer to ailments/diseases/disorders owing to the way people live and the way they interact with their environment. Type 2 Diabetes is one of the various lifestyle diseases which has gripped the youth of today, tightly and fiercely, in their long, jagged tentacles. Considered as the Diabetes capital of the world, India has the highest number of diabetic patients in the world, a whopping figure of 30 million and still growing by leaps and bounds. Doctors and other experts claim that the average age of being diagnosed with a lifestyle disease will soon move down from 40 something to 30 something.

Symptoms

This disease, as a matter of fact all lifestyle diseases, are insidious in nature. They take years to develop however, once they become active enough to cause problems; they become extremely difficult to cure. The most prominent symptoms include increased thirst, hunger and frequent urination. Blurred vision due to glucose absorption caused by prolonged high blood glucose, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, etc., are some other symptoms. A person, who has been drinking high amounts of sugary drinks, might just lose a lot of water content and this can lead to a state of type-2diabetes, called diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic dermadromes are characterized by a number of skin rashes that can occur collectively. This is another prominent symptom of diabetes.

Causes

The main causes of type- 2 diabetes are sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating practices, stress, substance use, alcohol and cigarette smoking, anxieties and genetics. In the era of globalization and privatization, wherein there are innumerable number of packaged food varieties, myriad of restaurants and fast food joints resisting one’s temptations has become a herculean task. Dependency on packaged food such as, chips, chocolates, colas, cakes, sauces, jams, pastas, etc., has increased manifold owing to the busy schedules of young people today, wherein they hardly have time to eat at home. Grabbing a Mc-Donald’s burger seems much easier than spending an hour cooking every morning. Sedentary lifestyle featuring long working hours and lack of physical exercise also takes its toll on the young today. Any and every job, be that of a journalist or a doctor, is stressful and requires an average of 10-12 hours of an individual’s time on a daily basis, leaving no time and will to work out. The advent of television, computer and other technological sources of entertainment has done their share of devastation on the young minds and bodies. Children these days prefer slouching in front of their TV/computer screens comfortable in their AC rooms, munching a packet of chips rather than exerting themselves in an outdoor activity. This has turned a-once-active-energetic man to a modern-day-lazy-dependent-on- machines-man, which is undoubtedly going to be very detrimental in the long run. Our 24*7 routines have made stress and anxiety a part of our daily otherwise smooth lives, thus leading to this disease.

Ill- Effects

These include heart and blood circulation diseases, kidney and vision problems, skin diseases, etc. Along with physical ill effects, type-2 diabetes also breeds some very grave psychological and social concerns. A person diagnosed with type-2 diabetes is naturally stressed and worried. Stress leads to depression and depression in turn takes its toll on the victim’s self-esteem and performance level. This affects the person’s relationships, day to day activities and interests. In a nutshell his/ her approach towards life is completely toppled by this dreaded disease.

Medication/ Cure and Preventive Measures

There is no cure for type-2 diabetes though it can be effectively cured and controlled by keeping the blood-glucose levels in control. This can be achieved through weight control by following a nutritious and balanced diet along with regular and stringent exercise. Yoga and herbs are said to be helpful in reducing body fat and in decreasing blood sugar levels, thus controlling diabetes. The most important measure towards keeping oneself away, from these silently killing lifestyle diseases is to resort to nature for one’s food habits i.e., eating fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, cereals, etc., in appropriate proportions and to exercise in any form for at least 30 minutes each day. This is the only way that can help young people to stay fit and avoid being diabetic at an early age.

Nikita Dhingra