Diabetes is difficult to completely cure once it develops. Treatment with oral medications and injections must be continued for the rest of one's life, and the burden is not only physical but also mental and financial.
In addition, complications can lead to blindness and kidney failure, which can be life-threatening. Therefore prevention is important.
People who are prone to diabetes have different characteristics. This section describes the causes and countermeasures.
table of contents
causes of diabetes
The causes of diabetes can be broadly divided into congenital factors (due to one's innate predisposition) and acquired factors (due to heredity and lifestyle).
Congenital factor
Type 1 diabetes, which is usually present in childhood. No clear cause is known at this time.
Acquired factor
It can be caused by genetics or by lifestyle habits. It's called type 2 diabetes. There are many different lifestyle habits.
- heredity
If a father, mother, or immediate family member has diabetes, they may inherit the gene for poor insulin secretion. People with a family member with diabetes are 2.0 times more likely to develop diabetes than those without.
- obesity
Fat cells that have increased due to obesity secrete a lot of substances called "bad substances". This bad substance makes insulin less effective. BMI is an index that expresses the size of the body, and is the value obtained by dividing one's weight (kg) by the square of the height (m). If this value is 25 or more, it is considered obese. Additionally, for every 1 unit increase in BMI, the risk of diabetes increases by 17% for both men and women.
- Lack of exercise
Lack of exercise leads to obesity. In addition, due to the decline in muscle strength and metabolism, the function of secreting insulin becomes difficult to work, and the state of high blood sugar continues. As a result, you become more susceptible to diabetes.
- smoking
It is known that smoking stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and raises blood sugar levels. It also inhibits the secretion of substances called “good substances” that have the role of lowering blood sugar. People who smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day are 1.4 times more likely to develop diabetes than non-smokers, and women are 3.0 times more likely to develop diabetes. ①
- too much alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption causes inflammation in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, making it difficult for the pancreas to secrete insulin. Alcohol is also high in calories and can lead to obesity. ④Men who drink more than 1 go a day are 1.3 times more likely to develop diabetes than those who do not drink.
- stress
Excessive stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and raises blood sugar levels. In addition, cortisol, a hormone secreted by stress, has the function of increasing appetite, which leads to overeating. As a result, the state of high blood sugar continues, and it is easy to get diabetes.
- irregular life
Irregular life means that the meal times and meal contents are biased, and the sleep time is out of normal.
Humans have an internal clock called the Sagadian rhythm, and if it goes out of order, each function of the body will also decline.
Even if the content of the meal is the same as that of a person who lives a regular life, it will be difficult for the blood sugar to drop after the meal. It will end up. Also, disturbed sleep increases the secretion of cortisol and increases appetite. I know it makes me less stressed. As a result, they are more susceptible to diabetes.
reference)
①Diabetes Information Center (ncgm.go.jp)
②What is Metabo? | Diabetes Information Center (ncgm.go.jp)
Measures to prevent diabetes
Diabetes due to acquired factors may be prevented by daily lifestyle habits.
- proper diet
A proper diet means eating three well-balanced meals. Be aware of how much carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals you normally consume, and how much total calories you consume in a day, and improve your eating habits.
- regular exercise
The index of regular exercise that is less likely to get sick, including diabetes, is "at least 30 minutes a day" and "at least twice a week". As a content, anyone can start immediately and easy walking is recommended. In addition, it is also effective to move your body more than usual to do housework, and to actively use the stairs when you are out.
- Quit or limit smoking and alcohol
When it comes to smoking, there is no harm in doing anything. Aim to quit smoking while receiving support from people around you, such as visiting a smoking cessation clinic.
Alcohol, in moderation, does not directly lead to diabetes. However, it is recommended that you refrain from drinking alcohol, as it tends to cause obesity due to its high calorie content.
- live a regular life
If you take the measures mentioned so far, it will lead to a regular life. It is important to improve the quality of sleep. Go to bed between 22:00 and 1:00, ensure at least 7 hours of sleep, do not expose yourself to blue light before going to bed, and do not drink a nightcap.
- no stress
If you can lead a regular life, you will be stronger against stress. Also, find out what stress is for you and find ways to relieve stress.
summary
This time, we talked about the causes and measures that are easy to get diabetes. Diabetes is an asymptomatic disease. Let's look back on our lifestyle and take measures from now on to aim for prevention.
In order to avoid diabetes, which causes serious complications, we recommend that you first see a doctor early to learn more about your physical condition.
Omotesando Helene Clinic specializes in regenerative medicine that does not place a burden on the body, and provides pre-counseling for those who cannot immediately start treatment.
Diabetes is also related to lifestyle habits such as obesity, excessive drinking and smoking, but it is generally said that it is difficult to improve lifestyle habits.
Therefore, if you use "regenerative medicine" that utilizes autologous stem cells, you can use your own cells to repair weakened cells in the body and prevent diabetes and complications.
"I'm curious, but I can't decide if prevention is really necessary now." You may be at risk of wandering life and death without realizing it, so Please feel free to contact us.
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