Have you heard of the three Ps of diabetes? These are polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia. They often occur together and these are the three most common symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. When you have diabetes, your body either produces insufficient insulin or can’t use it as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. That can eventually lead to more serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.
In the Philippines, diabetes remains one of the leading causes of mortality. Philippine Statistics Authority data shows that deaths due to diabetes mellitus ranked fourth in 2020 at 37, 265. According to Philippine Heart Association, increased by 7.8 percent from the 2019 tally. Four million adults in the Philippines are diagnosed with diabetes and common comorbidities and complications with type 2 diabetes, including heart disease. More than 32 percent of those with type 2 diabetes have cardiovascular complications, while more than 87 percent are either overweight or obese according to their data.
Type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes are the three main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake). Usually, it develops in children, teens, or young adults. With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use insulin well and can’t keep blood sugar at normal levels. It develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults. Women who have never had diabetes before and who become pregnant can develop gestational diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes, your baby may be more susceptible to health problems. Babies are at risk of having obesity as a child or teen and may also develop type 2 diabetes later in life. The three most common symptoms of diabetes are increased thirst (polydipsia), increased appetite (polyphagia), and frequent urination (polyuria). Other symptoms may include losing weight, blurry vision, numbing or tingling hands or feet, feeling exhausted, very dry skin, sores that heal slowly and having more infections than usual.
We can prevent diabetes by making lifestyle changes to support weight loss and overall health. A doctor may refer a person with diabetes or prediabetes to a nutritionist that can help them lead an active, balanced lifestyle and manage the condition. A person with diabetes can adopt a healthy lifestyle by eating a diet high in fresh, nutritious foods, including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, and healthy fat sources, such as nuts; avoiding high-sugar foods that provide empty calories, or foods that do not have other nutritional benefits, such as sweetened sodas, fried foods, and high-sugar desserts; and engaging in at least 30 minutes exercise a day on at least 5 days of the week, such as of walking, aerobics, or swimming. Slow, steady weight loss goals are more likely to help a person achieve long-term benefits. (Medical News Today, Suzanne Falck, MD., FACP, Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA)
ZDN DMO II Rowence Zorilla, RND
References:
1. What is Diabetes?
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html#:~:text=With%20diabetes%2C%20your%20body%20doesn,vision%20loss%2C%20and%20kidney%20disease.
2. Cudis, C. (2021). Diabetes among top killer diseases in PH. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from Philippine News Agency [Last updated: May 7, 2021]
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1139440
3. Diabetes Basics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Last reviewed: June 21, 2022]
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/index.html
4. Nall, R., Wood, K. (2021). An overview of diabetes types and treatments. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from the Medical News Today [November 2, 2021]
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323627#using-insulin
