OK, here’s a quiz for you:
How many adults and children in the United States live with diabetes each day? And how many more are at risk for the disease?
You might be shocked to learn that nearly 24 million American have the disease right now, and another 57 million have prediabetes, which means they are at high risk for developing it. Further, if recent trends continue, one out of every three children born in the United States today will face a future with diabetes.
What can you do about that? Make an effort to learn about diabetes prevention, symptoms, and treatment. And since this is November, which is American Diabetes Month, it’s the perfect time to start.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition marked by high glucose levels in the bloodstream, which result from the body’s inability to effectively produce insulin.
- Type 1 Diabetes: This is a chronic condition in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys cells that produce insulin. Consequently, sugar can build up in the bloodstream.
- Type 2 Diabetes: This condition develops over time as a person’s cells become resistant to insulin. This also results in sugar build-up.
- Gestational Diabetes: Pregnant women can develop diabetes if their babies’ placenta produces hormones that make their cells resistant to insulin.
How Can You Prevent Diabetes?
There is no strategy to prevent type 1 diabetes. No one is quite sure what causes it, although there are indications that it could be partially genetic. You are at high risk if close family members have it.
Everyone is different, but there are ways to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. Try these guidelines:
- Stay active. Being sedentary can result in diabetes, so aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
- Watch your diet. Build your meals around fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and try to avoid simple carbohydrates, such as white bread and sweets.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Extra fatty tissue has been linked to insulin resistance.
- Get checked out. Find out what your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are, since high readings can lead to diabetes or make diabetes worse.
You can lower your chances of developing gestational diabetes by maintaining a healthy weight before you get pregnant. However, if a family member has type 2 diabetes, you may still be at risk.
How Do You Know If You Have Diabetes?
You can’t be sure until your doctor has run the appropriate blood tests, but here are some symptoms to watch out for. If you experience any of these, don’t hesitate to get to be screened.
- Being thirsty more often
- Experiencing extreme fatigue
- Feeling the need to urinate frequently
- Having blurry vision
- Developing frequent infections, including those of bladder, vagina, skin, or gums
- Losing weight without intending to
- Having wounds that are slow to heal
How Is Diabetes Treated?
Treatments vary, depending on what kind of diabetes you have. In general, they include these:
- Getting insulin therapy, which means receiving insulin through injection, catheter, or other means
- Taking medications that help the pancreas produce more insulin
- Monitoring blood sugar, which will help patients stay on track and see how they respond to different foods, stress, and illness
- Eating a healthy diet, focusing on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limiting animal products and sweets
- Getting exercise, which helps lower blood sugar and increases sensitivity to insulin
If you are diagnosed with diabetes, it is important that your follow the treatment guidelines. Diabetes can put your health at risk. In fact, it is the leading cause of kidney failure and the leading cause of new cases of adult blindness. Educate yourself, so you can keep your condition in check.
To learn more about diabetes prevention and treatment, contact Plantation General Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-866-442-2362. Serving Plantation and surrounding Broward County, we’re here to answer all your questions.
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Take a Bite out of the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Benefits of Maintaining a Healthy Weight
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