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Having diabetes means that the blood sugar levels in your body are too high. Glucose (the sugar in our blood) is our main source of energy, which we derive from foods, particularly carbohydrates such as bread and potatoes.
Glucose moves through our bloodstream to cells around the body, providing them with energy to work. Glucose in the bloodstream means that the pancreas makes a hormone called insulin to tell the body’s cells to absorb the glucose and use it as energy. Having diabetes means that your body cannot absorb glucose effectively due to an issue with insulin. This has the following consequences:
Having either type 1 or type 2 diabetes means that unused glucose builds up in the blood stream. So, the arteries can become damaged. This makes it more difficult to carry oxygen, blood, and nutrients around the body.
Fatty deposits stick to the walls of damaged arteries. It is more difficult for blood to flow freely through damaged, clogged arteries.
Once the arteries become clogged it increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. In fact, people with diabetes are twice as likely to have a stroke than those without diabetes. To control blood sugar levels in the body, what can you do?
A community of people with diabetes, family members, friends, supporters and carers, offering their own support and first hand knowledge. The Diabetes Forum is demonstrated in research to be the most actively used social medium for people with diabetes.
Diabetes UK has a vision of a world where diabetes can do no harm.
They’re leading the fight against the UK’s biggest and growing health crisis. And it’s a fight that involves us all – sharing knowledge and taking on diabetes together. Advice, support, research information and fundraising events can be found on their website.
Healthy Hearts Carmarthenshire