4 Major Organs That Diabetes Can Damage
By Tom Parker
Posted July 23, 2009
Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. To learn more about the damage caused by diabetes and how it can be prevented through proper diabetes treatment head over to http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/diabetes-damage.html
Diabetes is a condition that develops when the body can no longer produce enough insulin to moderate blood sugar levels. As a result diabetics suffer from extremely high blood sugar levels. Over time these high levels of sugar in the blood start to affect the blood vessels and other areas of the body. In this article I will be discussing four of the major organs that can be affected by diabetes damage.
1) THE HEART:- As already discussed, high blood sugar levels can damage your blood vessels. When these vessels become damaged the flow of blood to your heart becomes restricted. Your heart needs a good flow of blood to function properly and without this your risk for heart attacks and other heart diseases increases. There are a number of symptoms that could indicate heart disease which include; breathlessness, chest pains and irregular heartbeats.
2) THE EYES:- When the blood vessels and tissues of the eyes become damaged this can lead to a condition called diabetic retinopathy. Sufferers of diabetic retinopathy often experience blurred vision and in the worst cases temporary blindness. Diabetes also increases your risk of developing cataracts (clouding of the eyes lenses) and glaucoma (damage to the optic nerves).
3) THE FEET:- Diabetes can also cause damage to your nerves. If the nerves in your feet become damaged, then some feeling is often lost, meaning that cuts and sores can quite easily go unnoticed. This means that they can become infected without you realising which brings further complications. Therefore, to reduce your risk of infection it is very important to wash your feet daily and inspect them regularly if you are diabetic.
4) THE KIDNEYS:- If the blood vessels of the kidneys become damaged they cannot remove waste from the blood effectively. In the worst cases this can lead to kidney failure which will mean you will then require kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant.
As you can see, diabetes is not a condition to be taken lightly. This article has discussed just some of the damage that diabetes can cause. However, it can also weaken many of your other organs too. Fortunately, a lot of this damage can be avoided by following a sensible diabetes treatment plan, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Many people do not realise how serious contracting diabetes is. I hope this article has shown you just how important proper treatment can be.
Every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative but it is intended for general information only. Diabetes is a medical condition and this article is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your doctor or a qualified medical practitioner. If you have any concerns regarding any form of diabetes you should seek the advice of your doctor immediately.
Source: Tom Parker
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