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[L443]Living With A Disease

by Andrea Dilea, And

Diabetes is an ailment that afflicts increasing numbers of people every day. Many do not recognize that the loss or thinning of hair can be a symptom of the onset of diabetes. However, if detected early enough, diabetes is a manageable disease that need not result in hair loss or other complications. Many things, including stress, can lead to the onset of diabetes. It is a disease that affects the body on every level, which may include the anxiety attacks that contribute to balding.

The root cause of diabetes is that the diabetic's body cannot produce sufficient insulin to metabolize the carbohydrates in his or her diet. Due to their poor blood circulation and high blood sugar levels, diabetes sufferers often face a wide array of health issues, including skin problems, bruising, and slow recovery from injuries, including delayed hair re-growth. The slow growth of hair can result in significant hair loss, a problem exacerbated by the bacterial and fungal infections that disproportionately affect people who have diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is classified as an autoimmune disease and often creates small bald patches on the scalp. This condition is called alopecia areata. It is often accompanied with other health issues including dysfunctional thyroid, a skin condition know as vitiligo which is characterized by the loss of pigment on large patches of skin most commonly on the hands, face and genitalia. Pernicious anemia is also a potential issue for people with diabetes. This is a condition in which the lining of the stomach no longer secretes enough enzymes to allow sufficient absorption of the vitamin B12.

Diabetes often goes undetected because the early symptoms are often over looked and frequently over looked or even ignored by the patient and even physicians. This often leads to serious problems, including blindness, kidney failure and heart disease. Early detection and treatment can slow or arrest the progression of the disease, prevent excessive hair loss and lead to longer and healthier life. Successful treatment of diabetes requires commitment on the part of the patient to manage their lifestyle and the disease consistently.

Hair loss typically begins with the onset of diabetes and increases in severity as the disease progresses. Early diagnosis of the hair loss and its cause is essential as it may be your body's way of telling you that something more serious is happening. It is imperative that you seek a physician's advice concerning you hair loss problem to prevent further hair loss. While lotions and conditioners are readily available, they may not be sufficient to stop you hair loss problem. Consulting with a physician is the best way to get a handle on the situation and treat it properly from the beginning.

Diabetes sneaks up on a person slowly – one grain of sugar at a time – one pound at a time -- until all of a sudden the pancreas and other systems of the body don't cooperate and function together. Insulin activity dwindles, fat and protein metabolism switches gears, and soon the circulation to the eye blood vessels and kidneys isn't behaving itself. Like the old song, “foot bone connected to the ankle bone, ankle bone connected to the knee bone,” anything that goes wrong in one part of the body affects all the other parts. In diabetes the effects are life-threatening.

In the United States alone there are over 18 million people with diabetes, (almost 7% of the population) and most of them aren't aware of it yet. People with diabetes cover a wide range of ages, from babies up to the senior citizens. Finding out how to handle the problem and following all the advice given to them consumes their lives. Ultimately the challenge requires creating a balance of diet, exercise and insulin. Balance, balance, balance! This becomes the controlling word in a diabetics life.

Diet remains the biggest task of these challenges because of the addictive nature of the body's longing for sweets. Milder forms of diabetes can be controlled by the diet alone, rather than having to resort to added insulin. The diet for each individual needs to be balanced to individual needs, and the ingredients for all seem to be a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Keeping a balance between the acid and PH levels in the body also needs to be considered. Yet, it just isn't that easy to give up those bottles of Pepsi that seem to make you feel stable. ‘White foods' are almost always a no-no for a diabetic, and those fresh vegetables are a life-sustaining necessity.

Diabetics often have unique personalities. They tend to be part of the most creative section of the population. They think in terms of wholeness rather than in details, which means they often love to start a project but have a hard time finishing it. Their creativity also can express in ways that others might call disorganized. The Ugly Duckling story portrays the hidden life of the diabetic, and they often don't have enough self-respect or self-esteem because they feel they are different.

From the brilliance of their thinking (which is often hid from the rest of the world) to the tag of ‘erratic' that is sometimes applied to them, the diabetic is who you want around in a time of crisis. When the house is on fire they will excel because they are only dealing with one situation at a time.

However, should the car not start in the morning there are too many options available. A diabetic is as apt to call the suicide help line as to call a mechanic.

Living as a diabetic, or living with one, means acknowledging that there is a major difference in how the wholeness of the personality functions. Reinforce the positives and learn to live with a little disorder. Respect the bodies intelligence that knows when it needs to rest. The non-diabetic hasn't always learned this beautiful lesson on how to make the most of a human life. The diabetics are the way-showers!

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Both Andrea Dilea & Paul Babs are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Andrea Dilea has sinced written about articles on various topics from Jewelry, Wedding Gowns and Hair Care. You can find additional hair loss tips at: . There are many options for treating hair loss including. Andrea Dilea's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.

Paul Babs has sinced written about articles on various topics from Football, Diabetes Treatment and About Web Hosting. Paul Babs writes for One Stop shop for all diabetes issues. For more information, go to: http://www.duckdiabetes.com. Paul Babs's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.