What is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus commonly known as diabetes, is a long-term illness caused by high level of sugar (or glucose) in the blood. An individual diagnosed with diabetes is either producing too little insulin or unable to react well to the insulin produced.
Insulin – a hormone made by the pancreas that allows the body to use sugar (glucose) retained from carbohydrates, converting it to energy or to store for future usage. Additionally, it helps to regulate blood sugar level, maintaining it at moderate levels than too high (hyperglycaemia) or too low (hypoglycaemia).
Types of Diabetes
There are 2 types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 relates as juvenile-onset diabetes or insulin dependant diabetes, less commonly occurring to young individuals below the age of 35. Frequently, individuals diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes are genetically inherited. If a family member has (or had), it poses higher likelihood of being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. To maintain such, insulin injections are used to aid the body to process glucose and avoid complications from hyperglycemia.
Type 2 is much more common and affects majority of Singaporeans. When an individual is diagnosed, there is no shortage of insulin but it’s due to the body not being able to use the produced insulin properly. As such, this is also known as insulin resistance.
Symptoms of Diabetes
– Increased Urine Output
– Excessive Thirst
– Weight Loss
– Frequent Hunger Pangs
– Fatigue
– Skin Problems
– Wounds Healing Slowly
– Yeast Infections
– Frequent Tingling or Numbness in Feet or Toes
Diabetes Statistics in Singapore
Today, 1 in 9 Singaporeans has diabetes, while three in 10 over the age of 60 have diabetes, he said. Broken down by race, it is 2.5 in 10 Chinese over 60 years old who have the disease, half of Malays over 60 years old, and six in 10 Indians over that age. – PM Lee, Channel News Asia.
Source: Straits Times
TCM Workshop: Improve Your Health & Manage Diabetes
Join us on 4 August, Saturday (3pm – 4pm) at Elements Wellness Centrepoint as Physician Chew share on the various TCM methods to manage and prevent diabetes. Useful tips on food choices and lifestyle habits that avert diabetes will be recommended.
Price: S$10.70/pax
Includes 1 complimentary treatment* (Worth $139.10)
Light refreshments will be provided
Get your tickets now via ! Limited slots available.
