In Germany alone, more than seven million people suffer from diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease in which sugar (glucose) is no longer completely absorbed from the blood into the body cells. There are different forms of diabetes, all of which have an elevated blood sugar level in common.
Type 1 diabetes
The so-called type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune system destroys the beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin - the metabolic hormone that carries glucose from the blood into the cells - is not produced. Those affected are acutely at risk without treatment. The disease often begins at an early age, but it can also occur in adulthood.
Type 2 diabetes
In type 2 diabetes, the blood sugar level in the blood is elevated because the body cells respond less and less to insulin, which means that too little glucose can be transported from the blood into the body cells. The pancreas tries to compensate for this by producing too much insulin; the sugar accumulates in the blood vessels. This type of diabetes is mainly due to overweight and lack of exercise, and is often inherited.
Other specific types of diabetes
LADA diabetes (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults) is a hidden autoimmune diabetes (special form of type 1 diabetes) in adults. As it only occurs in adults, it is often confused with type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is a condition in which elevated blood sugar levels occur during pregnancy, which can have a lasting effect on the health of both the mother and the unborn child.
Other endocrine diseases - such as pancreatic diseases - which result in increased blood sugar levels, or genetic defects in insulin secretion or action are other less common forms of diabetes.
Risk Diabetes
Many adults do not know that they have diabetes. The estimated number of unreported cases in Germany is about 2 million people. Every year, about 300,000 patients are added. Classical symptoms such as increased urination, increased thirst, weight loss, fatigue, poor performance, itching and susceptibility to infection indicate diabetes.
Chronically elevated blood sugar levels can lead to secondary diseases via changes in the blood vessels (small and large blood vessels), mainly in the eyes, kidneys, heart, brain, legs and nervous system. In addition, diabetes can cause many other diseases or have an unfavourable influence on them.
Best possible care
We offer you (modular) diabetes training and nutrition courses that build on each other during your inpatient stay, in order to provide you with the best possible and detailed advice and information. The more familiar you are with the disease, the better you can adjust your lifestyle to the diagnosis.
As prevention, attention should be paid to regular physical activity, a balanced healthy diet, reducing sugar intake and avoiding overweight.