Diabetes mellitus is what we call “sugar”. When we say that someone “has sugar” it means that their blood glucose, i.e. their glycemic index, is high.

Why is this happening;

A small organ in the abdomen called the pancreas produces insulin. This is a hormone necessary for the body’s cells to use glucose. “In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce insulin. Fortunately, this diabetes is rare. In type 2 diabetes – which is all too common – the pancreas produces insulin, but it cannot work at the cellular level due to ‘insulin resistance’ of the cells, usually associated with increased abdominal visceral fat. In the early stages of development, more insulin is actually produced to “overcome” the obstacle, but at some point the pancreas loses its capabilities, insulin production decreases and glucose in the circulation increases”, explains the dr. Charilaos Kandiloros Endocrinologist, Diabetologist, Nutritionist Scientific associate Metropolitan General – diagnostic centers HealthSpot.

Why is high glucose bad?

“Because complications can arise. An acute complication is diabetic coma.
Chronic complications can occur if glucose remains high for years. This damages the vessel walls and depending on the area, limb ischemia, myocardial infarction, stroke, eye damage or kidney failure can occur.
This is the reason why diabetes mellitus is considered an “insidious” disease, since in the initial stages it does not cause pain or other discomforts, and the diabetic must be convinced to do what is necessary preventively, in order not to become seriously ill later on,” he points out.

So what should one do to prevent all these unpleasant things from happening?

An organized lifestyle helps to better regulate sugar:
• Regular physical activity at approximately the same times, and of the same duration and intensity if possible every day.
• Nutrition at regular intervals with 3 meals and possibly 2 snacks.
• Avoiding sweet foods, soft drinks and fruit juices whenever possible.
• Hypocaloric diet in case of obesity.
• Medication with oral tablets, or injectables, or insulin.

“In any case, it takes a lot of time and “education” of the diabetic to convince and accept that diabetes is a chronic disease, and that he must work closely with the treating physician in order to achieve the common goal of achieving by all means glycemic control and saving the body’s vessels from narrowing”, concludes Dr Kandiloros.