Diabetes falls under two types: type 1 and type 2. There are about 422 million people living with diabetes worldwide with estimates suggesting this number will grow to 700 million by 2045.2
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a serious condition where your blood glucose (sugar) level is too high because your body cannot make a hormone called insulin in the pancreas. In type 1 diabetes the body attacks the cells in your pancreas that make the insulin. Researchers still do not know the exact cause of type 1 diabetes and everyone with type 1 needs to take insulin either by injecting it or using a pump.3
Insulin is vital to survive as it helps your body’s cells use glucose for energy, moving glucose from the bloodstream into the body’s cells. With Type 1 diabetes the body is unable to process glucose due to the lack of insulin, so glucose does not enter cells but builds up into your bloodstream, causing too much glucose circulating in your body, but not in the body’s cells where it is needed.4
Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are:
-Excessive hunger and thirst
-Blurred vision
-Fatigue
-Frequent urination
-Dramatic weight loss in a short period of time4
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a serious medical condition where the body does not use the insulin your pancreas makes well, or your pancreas cannot make enough of it. This means your blood glucose levels keeps rising.5
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include:
-Constant hunger
-Lack of energy
-Fatigue
-Excessive thurst
-Frequent urination
-Blurry vision
-Pain, tingly, or numbness in hands or feet 5
If the disease worsens complications can include: eye problems, neuropathy, kidney disease, gum disease and heart attacks and strokes.5
Doctors do not know exactly what triggers type 2 diabetes but we know that there is a genetic predisposition to developing type 2 diabetes and that there is a link between obesity and diabetes. You are also more at risk if you are over 45 years old or if you are of African Carribean, Black African or South Asian descent. 3
Up to half of type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented with lifestyle changes.6 Treatment includes monitoring your blood glucose levels, sometimes using insulin and other medications, and lifestyle factors including: managing weight, eating healthily, increasing physical activity and limiting overly processed and high-sugar foods. This is where Elly Momberg products come in as they are sugar-free so suitable for Diabetics with no effect on your blood sugar. It is vital to avoid traditional chocolate bars on the market if you are diabetic as the amount of sugar is startling. So Elly Momberg is the way to go!
- Pietrangelo, A (2022) What are the different types of Diabetes? Heathline
- WHO (2022) Diabetes. WHO
- Diabetes UK (2022) Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes UK
- Mayo Clinic Staff (2017) Type 1 Diabetes. Mayo Clinic Staff.
- American Heart Association (2015) Symptoms, diagnosis & monitoring of diabetes. American Heart organisation.
- Diabetes UK (2022) Preventing Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes UK