RESEARCH PAPER

Diabetes

Salt Lake community college

Health 1020
Myriam Hernandez

Nutrition-related chronic disease: Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes runs in my family on my fathers side. Most of my uncles have it, and

some of my aunts as well. My father is at risk of having it so him and my mother closely monitor

and control what he consumes. Type 1 Diabetes is a disease where the bodys ability to produce

or respond to the hormone insulin is defective or unable to. This results in abnormal metabolism

of carbohydrates. As well as higher levels of glucose in the persons blood and urine.

The cause for Type 1 Diabetes is that the immune system basically destroys the cells that

make insulin in the pancreas. By not being able to produce insulin is causes diabetes by leaving

the body without enough of it to function normally. This makes the body attack itself its referred

to as an autoimmune reaction, or autoimmune cause. Some health complications caused by type

1 diabetes are foot complications such as neuropathy (which can cause numbness in the feet).

Problems in your feet mostly happen when there is nerve damage, also called neuropathy. This

can cause tingling, pain such as burning or stinging, or weakness in the foot. This can also lead

to loss of feeling in the foot. This is dangerous because you can injure your foot and not know it.

DKA (Ketoacidosis) & Ketones is a serious condition that can cause you to be in a

diabetic coma or even death. It happens when your cells don't get the glucose they need for

energy. Soon your body begins to burn fat for energy, this can lead to your body making ketones.

Ketones are what happens when the body breaks down fat to use for energy, it is a chemical.

When the body does not have enough insulin to use glucose, the bodys normal source of energy.

When ketones build up in the blood, they make it more acidic and a high risk for coma or death.

Kidney Disease (Nephropathy) If you do not keep your blood pressure under control as

well as controlling your diabetes your chances of getting kidney disease are increased. This can
break down the filtering system your kidneys have damaging the kidneys and causing them to

fail. This is dangerous because failing kidneys lose their ability to filter. So, the waste products

stay in your system causing kidney failure. High blood pressure also, known as hypertension, can

increase your risk for heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney disease. Almost 1 in 3

American adults has high blood pressure. About 2 in every 3 people with diabetes report having

high blood pressure or take prescription medications targeted to lowering their blood pressure.

When you have high blood pressure your heart has to work harder therefore increasing your risk

for heart disease and stroke.

Certain preventions you can take to help lower your risk of diabetes are to get more

physical activity. This can help you lose weight as well as help lower you blood sugar. Being

more physically active can help you with boosting your sensitivity to insulin; which helps keep

your blood sugar within a normal range. As well as getting plenty of fiber in your diet can help

by improving your blood sugar control, lower your risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss

by helping you feel full. Another prevention can be cutting out sugar and refined carbs from you

diet, and making water your primary beverage. Quitting smoking and alcohol intake can also

help lower your risk.

If you have diabetes some treatment and care options are, Oral Health and Hygiene. Such as

brushing up on some dental care skills as well as controlling your blood glucose to help prevent

gum disease. At this very moment, there are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people

on Earth. So, if those germs settle into your gums, you are going to get gum disease.

Unfortunately, for people with diabetes, they are at higher risk for gum problems. Having poor

blood glucose control makes your gums more susceptible to the disease. For women with

diabetes it can be hard on then because it can be a burden if the woman is pregnant. Mainly

because the disease can affect both mothers and their unborn children. It may cause difficulties
during pregnancy. Sometimes a miscarriage can occur or a baby can be a born with birth defects.

As well as being more likely to have a heart attack at a younger age, compared to women

without diabetes.

For seniors living with diabetes as you get older presents can cause some difficult

challenges. Having diabetes, you have to jump over certain challenges, but as you get older

jumping over certain obstacles can become a bit more challenging. Although it does not make it

impossible. With age comes an increased risk for specific complications that require certain

precautions as well as monitoring and supervising your activities. Transplantation can help with

kidney, pancreas, and islet to help with the cells. Having diabetes can cause damages certain

parts of your bodies. If they begin to fail transplants are normally the best option. Some patients

go into clinical trials to try and treat their diabetes. Though they are not approved for other

patients if you are not in the study, clinical trials are an important step in being able to have new

treatments for diabetes and other conditions.

Before some gets diabetes, their diet would have to consist of high fructose intakes and

not getting enough glucose, for the person to get diabetes. Though there are main factors that

come into play studies have shown that if you change 25% of your dietary calorie intake from

glucose to fructose can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. After getting diabetes, major

changes need to be made to the person diet. Especially if the person if overweight or obese. They

should lose anywhere from 5% - 10% of their total weight to help lower blood pressure, blood

sugar, and cholesterol levels. Not only will help physically I can also help mentally. Being active

and eating right can help boost the persons mood, energy, and their overall sense of wellbeing. It

is recommended that the person eat high-fiber and slow-release carbs. With sugar intake, the

person does not have to completely cut out sweets from their diet if they do not want to. They
can balance it with their diet. As long as it is in moderation and they stay away from things will

high sugar counts or fake/alterative sweeteners. Such as soft drink or soda.

Depending on the person and what type of diabetes they have can affect the rest of their

lives. Though type 1 is not reversible with a certain diet type 2 could be reversed with diet and

exercise. Although most people who have diabetes have to keep the changes they have made

with their diet and daily activity for the rest of their lives. Mainly so they dont get it again if

they reverse type 2 or to help them with their lack of insulin production/absorption. Although

they do not just have to monitor how much and what they eat, but they also have to make sure

they are not doing too much activity when their body cant handle it. For example, when blood

glucose is high; If you have type 1 diabetes, try not to do any vigorous physical activity when

you have ketones in your blood or urine. Ketones are chemicals your body might make when

your blood glucose level is too high and your insulin level is too low. This condition is called

hyperglycemia.

Type 1 is a permeant effect on the person and changes how they tackle the world. Only

about 5% of people who have diabetes have type 1. The body is supposed to break down the

sugars and starches you eat into a simple sugar called glucose which is used for energy. Insulin is

a hormone that the body needs to get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body.

Although if your body does not have this hormone it makes it difficult to have sufficient energy

and stable blood sugar. Type 2 mainly has to do with being hyperglycemic. Which means your

blood glucose level rises higher than normal. This is the most common form of diabetes. Type 2

diabetics do not use insulin properly also called insulin resistance. At first, your pancreas makes

extra insulin to make up for it. As time goes on it isn't able to keep up and can't make enough

insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels.

Work cited:

Complications. American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org/living-with-

diabetes/complications/.

Diabetes Diet, Eating, & Physical Activity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and

Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Nov. 2016,

www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity.

Kresser, Chris. The top 3 dietary causes of obesity & diabetes. Chris Kresser, 15 Oct. 2010,

chriskresser.com/the-top-3-dietary-causes-of-obesity-diabetes/.

Prevention of Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes.co.uk, www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-prevention/

Spritzler, Franziska. 13 Ways to Prevent Diabetes. Healthline, Healthline Media, 29 Jan. 2017,

www.healthline.com/nutrition/prevent-diabetes#section4.