What is diabetes? Types of diabetes

Written by Lucía Feito Allonca, Heath Law and Biomedicine. Patient’s Rights Specialist. Diabetes Educator.

There is a lot of talk about diabetes, but what is it really?

Is it a single health condition, or several?

Are there different causes for developing diabetes, or are there common elements?

With the aim of disseminating reliable information and education on diabetes, I attach this article that I wrote within the framework of the “This IS diabetes” campaign in Beyond Type 1, with the aim of eradicating myths and erroneous beliefs, harmful to our health.

The Latin phrase diabetes  “to pass through” comes from the Greek loan word  Dia “through” and Betes “to pass.” It is, according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, a metabolic disease characterized by excessive urine output, weight loss, intense thirst and other general disorders.

TYPE 1 DIABETES

Type 1 diabetes was previously also known as juvenile diabetes due to the high number of diagnoses in children and young people. Today it is known that type 1 diabetes can appear at any time of life, not just childhood or adolescence.

It is a chronic condition of autoimmune origin that causes the body to be unable to produce the hormone insulin, responsible for regulating blood glucose (sugar) levels. Its symptoms are polyuria, which means frequent urination, polyphagia, which implies excessive hunger, weight loss that occurs without apparent explanation, and tiredness/fatigue.

It is important that we understand that type 1 diabetes has an autoimmune origin and that the person will depend on the external supply of the hormone insulin to live and stay healthy.

It is essential to put an end to myths and erroneous beliefs that still circulate in society, such as that “diabetes is a thing for older people” or that “insulin is for serious cases.” In type 1 diabetes, insulin is the only treatment option.

Managing type 1 diabetes involves making interventions in people's lifestyles, such as diet, exercise, and taking insulin. To carry out an adequate dosage of this hormone we must know our blood glucose (sugar) levels, a task which will require a continuous glucose meter or blood glucose measurements made with a blood sugar meter. The success of treatment will be affected by the level of commitment of the family and the environment, personal/family circumstances, as well as other socio-economic factors.

TYPE 2 DIABETES 

Diabetes 2 manifests itself when the body cannot use insulin adequately, presenting the so-called “insulin resistance.” The pancreas releases extra insulin, but over time it can't keep up with production to keep blood glucose (sugar) levels in a healthy range.

The factors that influence the appearance of type 2 diabetes are obesity, smoking, genetic factors and factors related to lifestyle, making it a multifactorial condition.

The myths that single out and stigmatize people who live with type 2 diabetes often do so because they do not understand the cause of the disease.

Also, the use of insulin seems to be associated in popular culture with negative connotations, something that we have to tackle at its roots, since allowing these erroneous beliefs has a serious associated cost: posing a psychological obstacle for many people who need it to be able to take insulin, enjoy better health and quality of life.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES

It is a type of diabetes that causes high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. It usually starts between the 13th and 28th week of the pregnancy and will disappear after the baby is born.

Gestational diabetes causes a high level of blood glucose, dangerous for your baby's health, and subsequently produces a greater risk of type 2 diabetes in the future.

LADA DIABETES 

Like type 1 diabetes, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) is the result of an autoimmune process. This type of diabetes usually occurs in people over 30 years of age, which is why it is often misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

MONOGENIC DIABETES (MODY)

Monogenic diabetes (MODY) is a type of diabetes that has characteristics of type 2 diabetes and occurs at a young age, usually before the age of 25.

It is due to mutations in certain genes (there are 7 known gene mutations at this time that cause MODY) and in a single gene subtype that affects the maturation of pancreatic beta cells (insulin-producing cells) and therefore, insulin secretion. It is a type of diabetes that is frequently misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

TYPE 3C DIABETES

It is related to pancreatic diseases such as pancreatitis (of which the most common causes are gallstones or alcohol abuse), pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic surgery and hemochromatosis.

Chronic pancreatitis is the most common cause and is often misdiagnosed as Type 2 diabetes.

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Even with these various types of diabetes, and a variety of medications/technologies available for management of the condition, we are more alike than we are different. We ALL have issues controlling blood sugar level. As noted above, the lines between the types are often blurry and easily confused by medical professionals, patients, and the general public.

Let’s spread awareness, understanding, and compassion for all people who are impacted by diabetes, of all types.

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Did you know of all the different types of diabetes? Leave a comment below to share!

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What Knitting a Sweater Teaches About Habits - and Diabetes Management

by Lisa La Nasa, founder of diaVerge Diabetes

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It’s time for New Year's goals and resolutions.

Today, I'm pulling back the curtain and showing you more about my life outside of diabetes management and social media.

Here's something you may not know about me:

I love textiles and fiber arts.
Sewing is my first love, and comes more naturally to me.

Knitting, though, has been an enigma (a mysterious, difficult, frustration) that I really want to change.

After 15 years of years trying to knit, with small projects here and there, sometimes finishing, sometimes not, I've decided that 2023 is my year to really get good at knitting.

I'm committed to honing my skills and I’m dedicating the necessary time to do so.

Lisa with a ball of yarn and new knitting set - and an unedited, unusually elongated head 🤣

In fact, I have a brand new set of knitting needles that I received for Christmas (thanks, Mom!), and I'm finally using up some wild multicolor yarn that I've had in my office/craft closet for the last 2 years.

Since I've knitted small projects previously but haven't been consistent with it, I have to start over each time and re-learn what I’ve forgotten.

I'm going for the gusto this time. No more taking years off and then expecting to pick it back up again. I'm going for something that I have to devote the time and effort to complete, that is a challenge and will build my skills.

I’m knitting a sweater.

This will take many weeks, and I need to devote the time every single day to get it done. To ensure this happens, I've scheduled it in my calendar. There’s a block of time every day for knitting.

• This is not just a hobby. It's personal development.

• It's learning and mastering a new skill.

• It’s being comfortable with the discomfort of being a beginner.

• It's practicing and learning from missteps.

• It's building consistency and doing it every day whether I feel like it or not.

And that's exactly what we need to do to build new habits and skills.

The bottom ribbing of my new sweater.

Plus, it’s setting an example of commitment and follow-through for my 10-year-old daughter who also wants to knit.

AND, it’s quality time as we chat while we knit together.

Diabetes management is also a skill — but it’s one that we don’t often think of in the same way.

As a result, this is not something that most people devote the time to mastering.

Even though we might have been practicing diabetes management for years, most of us only learn bits and pieces, then wonder why we’re not achieving the same results as people on the internet who make it look so easy. But that’s not fair for anyone because we’re comparing our starting point to others mastery.

The truth is, it’s rare that people with type 1 will ever dedicate the time needed to improved diabetes management.

If you’re one of those few, and improved health (and diabetes management) is on your goal list for 2023, start here:

1. Commit to making improved diabetes management a daily practice

2. Read Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution book. If you’ve already read it, read it again. ;)

3. Schedule time in your calendar DAILY for learning and putting information into action.

4. Review your data OFTEN (using Dexcom Clarity, Libreview or other program of your choice)

5. Adjust your inputs when needed (quantity and/or timing food, insulin & exercise)

6. Seek out help such as an accountability partner who can give you a friendly nudge and help along the way when you don’t feel like doing the work

We all have the power to see what parts of our lives may need attention, and focus our efforts on learning and growth.

It requires commitment, time, and focused action to make improvements. Just don’t leave your future up to chance.

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If you want to skip past many of the learning steps (and potential missteps) or you know you need accountability, structure and professional guidance along the path to improved health and habit formation, we can help.

diaVerge offers customized 1:1 coaching options and our flagship Diabetes Redesigned Membership (where you’ll get lifetime support and a Success Guarantee).

If you’re ready to build the habits of improved diabetes management, schedule a no-pressure call with me so I can learn more about you, your experiences with diabetes, and what might best help you reach your goals.

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