Doctors' Day Special: All you need to know about diabetes

• Diabetes is a condition caused as a result of absolute or relative deficiency of insulin resulting in increased blood glucose levels. This condition which was earlier seen in the middle aged and the elderly is now frequently seen in the 25 to 40 year age group. This is related to the changing lifestyle of the urban population, high calorie diet, irregular food habits and stress.

* Some patients complain of increased hunger, increased thirst and increased urination, but a large number of patients have no symptoms at all. Measuring blood sugar levels and keeping a strict control on sugar levels is of paramount importance, because failure to do so results in complications.

• On an average, complications in a diabetic would set in 10 to 15 years after the onset of diabetes. This means that complications involving the eyes, heart, kidneys and the foot would start occurring in the midst of an active life. Which in turn means that each individual must control his blood sugars actively.

* Treatment includes orally taken drugs or if required insulin, a healthy diet devised by a nutritionist and regular exercises, of which, brisk walking is the easiest and the best. Regularly
meeting the treating physician and monitoring sugar levels is a must for every diabetic.