Diabetes is a chronic disease that appears when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body does not effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. The effect of uncontrolled diabetes is hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar), which over time severely damages many organs and systems, especially nerves and blood vessels.
In 2014, 8.5% of adults (18 years or older) had diabetes . In 2012, 1.5 million people died as a direct result of diabetes and high blood glucose levels were the cause of another 2.2 million deaths.
It has been shown that simple lifestyle-related measures are effective in preventing diabetes or delaying its onset. To help prevent diabetes and its complications, you should:
- achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
- stay physically active: at least 30 minutes of regular activity of moderate intensity most days of the week; to control the weight a more intense activity may be necessary.
- Eat a healthy diet that avoids sugar and saturated fats.
- avoid smoking, since it increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
From the Virtual City of the Great White Brotherhood we invite you to learn more about this disease and its types with this practical and enjoyable infographic!
Enjoy!
IInfography: Do you know what Diabetes is?
If you liked this infographic, don't hesitate to leave us a comment. Would you like to know how diabetes affects mentally, emotionally and spiritually those who suffer from it? I invite you to read this article of our Virtual City:
diabetes/
I send you a big hug.
Jos Angel Dom nguez.
Figures: World Diabetes Report of the World Health Organization, Geneva, 2016.
