To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear thus sickness and disease like diabetics and hypertension renders one in a vegetative state. Diabetes mellitus (DM), commonly referred to as diabetes or silent killer is a group of metabolic disorders in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. – It is call the silent killer because it can manifest itself in a person for a long time without showing any symptoms till it has gotten very worse. Makes me remember the Yoruba adage which goes “Kokoro ton je efo, inu efo lowa”… The insect that eats the vegetable, lives in the vegetable,
Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced. There are three main types of diabetes mellitus: Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 percent of diabetes cases, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin. With the help of insulin therapy, anyone can learn to manage and live with type 1 diabetes. Symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, and increased hunger.
According to the ADA, type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 90 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Risk factors are family history, prior gestational diabetes during pregnancy, impaired glucose intolerance, lack of exercise, and being overweight. Gestational diabetes is the third main form, and occurs when pregnant women without a previous history of diabetes develop high blood sugar levels. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease caused by deficiency in insulin secretion and by decreased sensitivity of the organs to secreted insulin. These shortcomings results in attendant diabetic complications such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, postprandial hyperglycemia and diabetic neuropathy.
Hypertension also known as high blood pressure is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the long-term complications of diabetes. Both are interrelated metabolic diseases.
Diabetics and hypertension in one of the global health concerns shaking up the world. The prevalence of this disease is increasing annually and the number of diabetics is projected to rise above 300 million before 2025. This disease can be inherited or acquired. The combination of hypertension and diabetes can be lethal, and together they can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Having both conditions also increases the risk of kidney disease and problems the blood vessels of the eyes, which could lead to blindness.
Hypertension and diabetes generally coexist because they share similar risk factors, including being overweight, following an unhealthy diet, and living an inactive lifestyle. When hypertension and diabetes co-exist, the effects of one disease tend to make the other worse. This makes for a deadly combination.
Uncontrolled diabetes is not the only risk factor for hypertension. The chances of having a heart attack or stroke are further multiplied if other risk factors exist, in addition to diabetes. Some of them include: having a family history of heart disease, stress, having a high fat or high sodium diet, not being active, advanced age, being overweight, smoking, overconsumption of alcohol, low levels of potassium or vitamin D, having another chronic condition, such as sleep apnea, kidney disease or inflammatory arthritis.
There are several preventive measures such as weight loss, drinking alcohol in moderation, not smoking, Treatment with medication, Healthy diet choices like the saying, ‘You are what you eat’. Regularly checking your blood pressure is vital, as there will usually be no symptoms to make you aware of the condition. People with diabetes should try to minimize these risks as far as possible, for example, by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Healthy Lifestyle factors are the best way to lower the risk of high blood pressure and to maintain normal levels. There is a wide body of evidence, which demonstrates that controlling blood pressure in people with diabetes reduces the risk of complications.
Learning about the disease and actively participating in the treatment is important, since complications are far less common and less severe in people who have well-managed blood sugar levels. People with or without diabetes can benefit from education about the disease and treatment, good nutrition to achieve a normal body weight, and exercise, with the goal of keeping both short-term and long-term blood glucose levels within acceptable bounds. There are several awareness programs educating people on ways to reduce the risk of having this disease, how to identify early symptoms- similar to the expression, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’, self-monitor via finger stick testing, the signs of hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia and other diabetic complications.
Adapt the remedy to the disease. This is a popular Chinese saying, in essence, being a patient of diabetics and hypertension is not the end of life, life goes on, if you would live long, open your heart, all that is necessary to do is to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
-AKIN-ADETORO ADEDASOLA
THE NAMELESS BLOG 