Diabetes is a way of life illness that has no remedy. On this World Diabetes Day, India’s prime diabetologist, Dr Rajiv Kovil, sheds gentle on widespread myths and solutions regularly requested questions in regards to the situation.
Diabetes is a metabolic dysfunction the place the physique both doesn’t produce sufficient insulin or can not successfully use the insulin it makes. Insulin is a hormone, important for regulating blood sugar ranges, and when this course of is disrupted, blood sugar can rise to harmful ranges. There are two predominant sorts: kind 1, which is often identified in childhood or early maturity, and sort 2, which is extra widespread and infrequently linked to way of life elements like poor food plan and lack of train. If left unmanaged, it could possibly result in critical issues, together with coronary heart illness, kidney injury, and nerve issues. Since it could possibly simply go unnoticed till critical issues come up, it’s essential for people to remain knowledgeable in regards to the situation—the way it develops, what the early indicators are, and one of the best methods to handle it.
On this World Diabetes Day, we’re diving into a few of the commonest questions and misconceptions surrounding the illness, with insights from Dr Rajiv Kovil, a number one diabetologist in India with over 20 years of expertise. Whether or not you’re just lately identified or have been residing with diabetes for years, Dr Kovil will assist clear up your doubts and supply worthwhile recommendation on managing this lifelong situation.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q. Diabetes is commonly thought-about a silent illness—how can people detect early indicators and forestall long-term issues?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: Diabetes is also known as a silent illness as a result of its signs and issues is probably not noticeable till vital injury has been finished. Almost 60–70 % of the circumstances are identified by the way—which means many individuals don’t expertise typical signs, resembling frequent urination, extreme thirst, or fatigue, till later levels. Early screenings and common checkups are essential to detect diabetic issues (like kidney, eye, and coronary heart points) and will help stop the long-term influence of the illness.
Q. How does the physique regulate blood sugar ranges and the way does this course of differ in people with diabetes?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: In a wholesome physique, blood sugar ranges are regulated by quite a few hormones, together with insulin and glucagon, that are secreted by the pancreas. This course of helps keep secure blood glucose ranges to fulfill the vitality wants of your physique. Nevertheless, in folks with kind 2 diabetes, the physique turns into immune to insulin and the pancreas struggles to supply sufficient insulin to keep up regular blood sugar ranges. Over time, this results in power excessive blood sugar, which might trigger injury to numerous organs.
Q. If my blood sugar turns into regular, do I nonetheless have diabetes?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: As soon as identified, the situation is lifelong. Even when blood sugar ranges normalise and drugs is not wanted, an individual stays diabetic. An individual might be able to handle the situation with insulin and drugs, or in some circumstances—particularly with kind 2 diabetes—with out medicine. Nevertheless, not taking medicine doesn’t imply the illness is cured, the underlying situation nonetheless exists and requires correct monitoring and administration.
Q. Is diabetes hereditary, or can it develop with out a household historical past?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: Whereas genetics play a major function in rising the chance of this situation, you will need to perceive that heredity doesn’t assure you’ll develop the situation. Consider heredity as loading the gun, whereas way of life decisions—resembling food plan, train, and stress ranges—pull the set off. Even people with no household historical past of the situation can develop it, notably in the event that they lead a sedentary way of life, are chubby, or have poor consuming habits. The chance will increase with age, weight problems, and different environmental elements.
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Q. How do you deal with blood sugar spikes after consuming a big meal or high-carb meals?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: Massive spikes in blood sugar are sometimes noticed after consuming a heavy or high-carbohydrate meal. To handle this, it’s best to purpose for a balanced meal that features a mixture of carbohydrates, fibre-rich greens, protein, and fats. For folks with kind 1 diabetes, supplemental insulin doses are normally needed to manage these spikes. For these with kind 2 diabetes, a delicate stroll after meals and drugs could also be efficient. Moreover, many more moderen diabetes drugs will help cut back these spikes, and steady glucose monitoring (CGM) units can present real-time insights into how your blood sugar responds to completely different meals.
Q. Will I have to take insulin if I’ve diabetes?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: Not everybody residing with this situation wants insulin. In reality, insulin remedy is often reserved for people whose blood sugar can not be managed via food plan and oral drugs. For these with kind 1, insulin is important because the physique produces little to no insulin. Nevertheless, in kind 2, insulin could also be prescribed quickly, particularly if blood sugar is severely excessive throughout an sickness, surgical procedure, or acute stress. Insulin can be a part of a everlasting therapy plan if somebody is within the superior kind 2 diabetes stage.
Q. Weight problems appears to be one of many greatest threat elements for diabetes. How does it have an effect on blood sugar ranges and enhance the chance?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: Weight problems is likely one of the main threat elements for kind 2 diabetes. Extra fats, particularly across the stomach, contributes to insulin resistance, which means the cells of your physique not reply to insulin as successfully. This results in excessive blood sugar ranges. Moreover, fats deposits within the liver and pancreas can impair the perform of those very important organs, exacerbating insulin resistance and finally inflicting the pancreas to lose its potential to supply sufficient insulin. As weight problems continues to rise globally, so does the prevalence of this situation, making weight administration a crucial think about its prevention or administration.
Q. The prevalence of diabetes is rising in each sexes. However what are the first elements that make males extra vulnerable?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: Whereas it impacts each women and men, sure way of life elements make males extra weak. Males usually tend to have unhealthy habits resembling increased charges of smoking, alcohol consumption, and poorer food plan decisions, all of which contribute to weight problems and insulin resistance. Moreover, males are sometimes much less more likely to search medical recommendation or have interaction in preventive well being measures. In some areas, resembling India, elevated stress ranges, poor sleep patterns, and a scarcity of bodily exercise additional exacerbate these dangers, making males extra vulnerable to creating diabetes.
Q. How may gestational diabetes have an effect on my child’s well being?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: Gestational diabetes (GD), which happens throughout being pregnant, can have critical penalties for each mom and child. If left uncontrolled, it could possibly result in issues resembling untimely start, massive start weight (macrosomia), and supply difficulties like shoulder dystocia. Infants born to moms with GD are additionally at increased threat for creating kind 2 diabetes later in life. Pregnant girls needs to be screened for the situation early of their being pregnant, particularly if they’ve threat elements resembling weight problems or a household historical past of the situation. Sustaining blood sugar ranges throughout being pregnant is important to cut back dangers and guarantee a wholesome supply.
Q. What are some widespread misconceptions or myths about diabetes that you just typically encounter in your follow, and the way would you wish to debunk them?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: There are lots of myths surrounding the situation that may trigger confusion. Probably the most persistent myths is that consuming sugar.
- Whereas extreme sugar consumption can contribute to weight acquire and insulin resistance, diabetes is a posh situation influenced by genetics, way of life, and different elements.
- One other widespread false impression is that insulin is dangerous, painful, or an indication of illness development.
- In reality, fashionable insulin therapies are protected and trigger minimal discomfort, and they’re a needed a part of therapy for many individuals residing with this situation.
- Some folks additionally imagine that drugs are unsafe if in case you have the situation, preferring pure treatments as a substitute.
Nevertheless, diabetes drugs bear rigorous testing and are confirmed to be each efficient and protected when used beneath medical supervision. Whereas this situation has no remedy, it’s a manageable situation!
Q. Can diabetes be cured, or is it a lifelong situation?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: It’s a lifelong situation that can’t be cured or reversed. Sadly, there’s vital advertising and marketing exploitation on-line that guarantees the reversal of diabetes, which is deceptive. The proper time period is remission, not reversal. Remission can happen when an individual improves their way of life considerably, however this doesn’t imply the situation is cured—it’s merely well-managed so long as these way of life modifications are maintained. As soon as somebody develops this power situation, it stays a lifelong situation that requires ongoing care and a focus.
Q. What suggestions would you give to these residing with diabetes to handle it?
Dr Rajiv Kovil: At this time, the administration of each kind 1 and sort 2 diabetes has superior considerably, with quite a few drugs now obtainable to stop issues and improve high quality of life. For kind 1 diabetes, the event of steady glucose screens and insulin pumps has revolutionized therapy. For kind 2 diabetes, therapy is more and more personalised, with drugs tailor-made to the person’s particular wants, resembling addressing weight problems, coronary heart illness, or kidney issues. With the suitable medical recommendation and a dedication to wholesome residing, people with this situation can stay full, energetic lives and forestall issues.