How Does Blood Sugar Affect Kidneys?

Studies have shown that about 30 percent of type 1 diabetes patients and 10 to 40% of the people who have diabetes are likely to have kidney complications at some point in their life. Diabetes is considered the primary threat of causing kidney-related complications in people of all ages.

India is the abode of the diabetic patient almost 77 million diabetic patients, which makes India the second most affected country globally, after China. This means that every third home in India has a family history of diabetes.

 

If you're in your 20s and probably not thinking much about your health, then this article will be just a wake call for you. Indeed, that your immune system is working at its peak to protect you against many common health diseases, such as flu, cold, or infection, but this is not in the case of diabetes. High blood sugar level problem is not limited to adults now because of the sedentary or inactive lifestyle found more commonly in children than adults in India.

Sedentary behaviour among children has become a growing public health concern among teenagers. Currently, screen time is a primary key factor that can cause serious health effects on a mental and physical level. Along with that, it's been found that people who spend a long time sitting for hours in one place with multiple meals are vulnerable to gaining weight—being overweight or obese triggers all causes of mortality by doubling your risk of having some serious health problems, including diabetes.

Research suggests that obese people are likely to have type 2 diabetes because due to excessive weight, their bodies cannot make insulin or use it properly for breaking down glucose ( sugar) into the form of energy used for supporting and completing various processes of your body.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a very common health condition in which your pancreas fails to make enough insulin or a condition in which your body cannot properly use insulin. Diabetes is a lifelong disease that prevents your body from properly using insulin that increases sugar levels in the bloodstream. Our body has a unique ability to collect sugar ( glucose) from the food we eat. Insulin is released by the pancreas when the glucose level in your bloodstream is high. Insulin is a hormone that primarily works by lowering the blood sugar level in your blood into energy that is used for supporting and completing various processes of your body.

How can we detect diabetes?

The symptoms of diabetes vary depending on the level of sugar in your blood. Some people with type 2 diabetes might not feel any symptoms at the beginning. However, they might have some visible symptoms of diabetes as it progresses with time. The symptoms may include the following-

  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Increased thirst
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Slow-healing sores
  • Fatigue
  • Extreme hunger
  • Having ketones in the urine
  • Frequent urges to pass urine

How does diabetes affect your kidneys functioning?

Insulin is a vital component that is in charge of controlling the level of glucose in your body. After you have your meal, the carbohydrates you consume from the food break down into glucose ( sugar), which is your body's primary energy source, entering your bloodstream. And this is where your body needs insulin to let glucose absorbed by cells in order to be used for energy or storage. When your body fails to make proper use of insulin, the level of sugar increases in the bloodstream, making your blood thick and hard to get filtered by your kidneys.

This gradually causes inflammation inside the kidneys' filtering units, and your kidneys start losing their functioning with time. Diabetes, if not controlled, can also lead to a permanent loss of your kidneys' functioning.

How can we detect kidney damage?

Kidney failure is a chronic health condition that progresses with time and affects your kidneys' functioning. A person with CKD might not feel any visible symptoms of kidney failure until the problem gets severe over time. The symptoms may include the following-

  • Blood in urine
  • Having frequent urges to pass urine
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sudden weight loss without even trying
  • Having foamy and bubbly urine
  • Itching and dry skin
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling exhausted
  • Confusion
  • Feeling pressure or pain in the chest
  • Muscle twitching
  • Peeing less than normal
  • Fever
  • Rash
  • Nosebleed
  • Swelling, joint pain
  • Come in severe cases

Is there any special diet for diabetic patients?

Diabetic patients are restricted from consuming certain foods high in sugar contents or artificial sweeteners that can increase their blood sugar level. With high blood sugar levels, they'll get more prone to serious health issues, such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, and other chronic complications. Living with diabetes doesn't necessarily mean feeling deprived. Knowledge is the power; with the right knowledge and making right food choices, you can learn to control your blood sugar levels by making some healthful and enjoyable food choices, which include-

  • Eat lean protein
  • Avoid refined carbohydrates
  • Avoid artificial preservatives and additives
  • Consume fresh fruits and vegetables

Foods to avoid

Knowing what not to eat can help you control your blood sugar levels and reduce the complications related to diabetes. Hence, it's crucial to avoid certain foods and beverages which are high in calories, include the following-

  1. Sweetened and carbonated beverages
  2. Trans fat
  3. White bread and pasta
  4. Flavoured yoghurt
  5. Sweetened cereals
  6. flavoured coffee
  7. Processed or canned foods
  8. Processed fruit juice
  9. French fries

We hope that you’ve gained enough information about diabetes. If diabetes get uncontrolled it can bring some severe health complications which can also be life-threatening. With Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes you can control diabetes naturally before it starts affecting your life.

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