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takes, diabetes also carries severe, devastating health complications such as heart disease, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease — even amputations. The race to cure diabetes is not an easy one.
The disease can be found in many forms, but fits in one of two categories: Type 1 diabetes — previously
known as juvenile diabetes — is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In Type 1 diabetes, the body
does not have the ability to produce insulin — the hormone needed to convert glucose into energy. In Type 2
diabetes, the body loses its ability to produce a sufficient amount of insulin and usually strikes later in life.
Ninety to 95 percent of all diabetes cases are of the Type 2 variety.
The need to cure this disease is becoming greater by the minute. Diabetes — mainly Type 2 diabetes —
is an epidemic in the United States. The number of cases of Type 2 diabetes is skyrocketing in the United
States due to obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise. While the number of Type 1 diabetics is also climbing, it pales when compared to the rise in Type 2. Seventy-five percent of Novo Nordisk’s business comes
from the sales of diabetes medicines — making it the world’s largest producer of diabetes medicines. The
company offers a comprehensive and innovative catalog of diabetes medicines and delivery devices. For
example, Novo Nordisk created the first insulin pen that made it easier for diabetics to measure and inject
their dosage of medicine.
While Novo Nordisk develops medicines and treatments for both prevalent types of diabetes, the Seattle research facility will focus on
researching Type 1 diabetes.
In the past decade, Type 2 diabetes
has been the main focus among diabetes researchers and pharmaceutical
companies because of the dramatic
rise in the number of people living
— Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen
with the disease. Unfortunately, this
“With the new Type 1 diabetes research and development
center, we hope to accelerate the process of finding new and
innovative ways of treating people with this disease. Our vision
is to prevent, treat and ultimately cure diabetes.”
While many autoimmune diseases are not preventable —
common types of diabetes can be. Here are some tips to prevent
you from getting or offsetting the effects of diabetes.
• Fitness is key in fighting diabetes. Regular exercise makes
a big difference in keeping blood sugar in check. Also more
vigorous, active exercise routines — like running, rock
climbing, swimming — make a bigger impact compared
lower impact exercise such as walking.
• Maintaining a healthy weight. There is a direct correlation
between obesity and your risk to diabetes.
• Watch what you eat. Avoid foods that are high in saturated
fats and carbohydrates such red meats, most fast foods,
cheeses, candies, and sodas. Foods which are good for
helping prevent diabetes are vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, fishes and high-fiber foods.
Source: American Diabetes Association
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