What is diabetes, how is it diagnosed, treated, and prevented?

Emphasizing that the rate of increase in diabetes in Turkey is twice the world average and three times the European average, Prof. Dr. Yılmaz said, "This stems from this new way of life. With developing technology, a more sedentary life, poorer nutrition, and an environment of latent subclinical stress come together to increase both insulin resistance and obesity, and consequently, diabetes." Yılmaz also drew attention to the rapid spread of fast food and the consumption of processed foods worldwide.

Sharing his views on high technology in diabetes, Prof. Dr. M. Temel Yılmaz stated, "Especially in the last 10 years, high technology has entered the field of diabetes. A different language is being spoken in terms of both the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. We have moved from point measurement to curve measurement."

Stating that there are two points in diabetes that are as important as medication, namely proper nutrition and regular exercise, Yılmaz continued as follows:

"People generally perceive dieting as starving oneself. However, that is not the issue. The only things restricted in diabetes are rapidly absorbed carbohydrates, white sugar, and white flour. This is already part of healthy nutrition...

One needs to stay away from white flour, simit, pastries, pies, ravioli, etc., and things that contain white sugar. Other than that, we have no restrictions on all vegetables, fish, white meat, red meat, and meals related to these."

Stating that the basic rule of the concept of proper nutrition in diabetes is regular nutrition, natural nutrition, and staying away from processed products, Prof. Dr. Yılmaz said, "One should not stay away from the light of science. One must be careful about the non-scientific suggestions of some people who are keen on making the health field a commodity and being populist in the health field."

Prof. Dr. M. Temel Yılmaz, Second President of the Turkish Diabetes Foundation and specialist in Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, concluded his words as follows:

"Diabetes is a preventable disease. It can be brought under control when found while still in the insulin resistance period or the pre-diabetes period. It is a treatable disease.

Once diabetes emerges, it is a clinical condition that does not restrict human life with just the right management and good planning, and even extends human life because it is managed in a controlled manner. People with diabetes actually do not like to be called 'patients.' We don't like it either. It is not a disease, but a condition related to the insulin hormone in the body. But diabetes is not an event that restricts human life. I especially want to emphasize this."

News Source: 12punto