How Do You Know Have Diabetes

Is It Possible To Cure Diabetes

With prediabetes, typically, if you take steps like changing your diet and adding exercise, you can prevent it from going into complete diabetes, says Simcox. And even full-blown diabetes can be treated and even reversed by making some modest lifestyle changes.

Change up your plate: Cutting calories, reducing refined carbs , getting more fiber, and adding veggies and fruit to your diet can dramatically improve your health.

Dont forget to include fruit, says Dr. Bale. Fruits like blueberries, apples, and pears are superb at helping prevent diabetes. Treats are also on the menu. Eating a tiny piece of 85% dark chocolate before a meal reduces the post-meal sugar surge, he explains. That can have powerful effects, report investigators in the journal BMJ, who found that people who regularly indulge in chocolate reduce their risk of developing diabetes by 31 percent.

Make time for movement: The long-term benefits of exercise on blood sugar and insulin health are unquestionable, so squeezing in physical activity is keybut a little bit can go a long way. In a 10-year government study, participants who did 30 minutes of exercise a day paired with a healthy diet reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent.

Whats more, that small weight loss will lower your risk of other complications like high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and arterial damage that can lead to stroke or heartdisease.

If You Ignore The Signs Of Diabetes

Its hard to ignore the signs of type 1 diabetes because symptoms can often appear quite quickly. But leaving it untreated can lead to serious health problems, including diabetic ketoacidosis, which can result in a potentially fatal coma.

Although the majority of people with type 1 diabetes are diagnosed in childhood and early adulthood, the symptoms are the same at any age. Adults with type 1 diabetes may not recognise their diabetes symptoms as quickly as children, which could mean their diagnosis and treatment may be delayed.

Type 2 diabetes can be easier to miss as it develops more slowly, especially in the early stages when it can be harder to spot the symptoms. But untreated diabetes affects many major organs, including your heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Being diagnosed early and managing your blood sugar levels can help prevent these complications. Use our Know Your Risk tool to check your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Risk Factors For Diabetes

There is no way to predict whether you will get type 1 diabetes. Since type 2 diabetes often occurs before any symptoms are displayed, it is important to understand whether you are at high risk for the condition. If you know diabetes is a risk, you can discuss a plan of action with your healthcare professional to stay alert for warning signs.

People at high risk for type 2 diabetes include:

• Individuals with close family members with the condition.
• Members of certain ethnic groups, including Aboriginal, Asian, South Asian, Hispanic and African groups.
• Those who are overweight.
• Individuals with diabetes-related health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
• Women who had gestational diabetes or who delivered a baby over nine pounds.

You can check your risk for diabetes by getting screened by a healthcare provider, or by doing the Canadian Diabetes Risk questionnaire. Just remember that having risk factors doesnt mean you will get diabetes. It just indicates that your risk of getting the disease is greater than that of the general public. Find more on diabetes risk factors and ways to reduce them here.

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Overweight Obesity And Physical Inactivity

You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are not physically active and are overweight or obese. Extra weight sometimes causes insulin resistance and is common in people with type 2 diabetes. The location of body fat also makes a difference. Extra belly fat is linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart and blood vessel disease. To see if your weight puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes, check out these Body Mass Index charts.

Early Signs Of Diabetes

Both types of diabetes have some of the same telltale warning signs.

• Hunger and fatigue. Your body converts the food you eat into glucose that your cells use for energy. But your cells need insulin to take in glucose. If your body doesn’t make enough or any insulin, or if your cells resist the insulin your body makes, the glucose can’t get into them and you have no energy. This can make you hungrier and more tired than usual.
• Peeing more often and being thirstier. The average person usually has to pee between four and seven times in 24 hours, but people with diabetes may go a lot more. Why? Normally, your body reabsorbs glucose as it passes through your kidneys. But when diabetes pushes your blood sugar up, your kidneys may not be able to bring it all back in. This causes the body to make more urine, and that takes fluids. The result: You’ll have to go more often. You might pee out more, too. Because you’re peeing so much, you can get very thirsty. When you drink more, you’ll also pee more.
• Dry mouth and itchy skin. Because your body is using fluids to make pee, there’s less moisture for other things. You could get dehydrated, and your mouth may feel dry. Dry skin can make you itchy.
• Blurred vision. Changing fluid levels in your body could make the lenses in your eyes swell up. They change shape and canââ¬â¢t focus.

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Your Dog Seems Stiff Or Weaker Than Usual

Your dog may stumble, appear to be stiff or have difficulty lying down.

Dogs with diabetes can develop muscle weakness as a result of the lack of glucose going to their muscles, says Dr. Romine.

Another less common cause is diabetic neuropathy, which can lead to chronic or progressive hindlimb weakness, knuckling, muscle atrophy, and general weakness.

Although not as common, a diabetic dog can develop dropped hocks, a condition in which the rear legs are closer to the ground than where they should be, says Dr. Behrend. Owners can notice that the dog is standing weirdly or walking weirdly. Its kind of subtle.

Is Diabetes Affecting Your Eyes 7 Signs Of Diabetic Eyes

Diabetes is becoming an increasingly alarming problem in the US. The estimated number of people over the age of 18 with diabetes, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, is 30.2 million-or roughly 30% of the population. The effects of diabetes can be disastrous, especially on the eyes, known as diabetic eyes. At Southside Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia, our vision is to set the standard in affordable, quality healthcare, including diabetic eye exams.

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Can Diabetes Be Prevented

Type 1 diabetes cant be prevented.

You may be able to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by managing your weight, staying active, and following a healthy diet. However, genetics and other risk factors may increase your risk despite your best efforts.

If you have any risk factors for diabetes, its important to get regular checkups with your doctor or healthcare professional. This will help prevent diabetes from progressing and causing other serious health complications.

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

Apart from a blood test, the best way to know if you have diabetes is to look out for the symptoms. For type 1 diabetes, the first thing you need to consider is age. If you are a younger person, then you are more likely to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. However, type 1 diabetes only accounts for up to 10% of diabetes patients, the rest being type 2 and other diabetic conditions.

The symptoms are also clearer in children and they can appear rather suddenly. This doesn’t mean the condition has appeared suddenly. It’s possible to have type 1 diabetes for some time before feeling the adverse effects. This is why yearly blood tests are recommended for those with an increased predisposition of diabetes. This includes those with a close relative who may have the same condition or having other autoimmune issues.

The symptoms to look out for in type 1 diabetes include:

• Excessive urination
• Dry mouth
• Increased thirst
• Short rapid breaths
• Vomiting
• Blurry vision

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What Are The Types Of Diabetes

Diabetes refers to a collection of diseases in which the human body has some sort of issue with insulin. In some instances of diabetes, the body doesnt make enough of the crucial hormone whereas, in other situations, the body cant appropriately use whatever insulin is created. In other cases, a combination of both occurs. Each of these situations inhibits the body from drawing sugar out of the bloodstream and distributing it to the cells. This results in high blood sugar levels that require medical attention and management.

We draw a majority of our energy from glucose, which is found in the bloodstream. Insulin helps manage this and, when unavailable, sugar continues to build up in the bloodstream, creating a wide variety of health problems and issues.

Symptoms Of Type 1 Diabetes

You might notice:

• Unplanned weight loss. If your body can’t get energy from your food, it will start burning muscle and fat for energy instead. You may lose weight even though you haven’t changed how you eat. See which foods are high in trans fatty acids.
• Nausea and vomiting. When your body resorts to burning fat, it makes ketones. These can build up in your blood to dangerous levels, a possibly life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketones can make you feel sick to your stomach.

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Every Year About 2000 Children Are Diagnosed With Type 1 Diabetes

Every year about 2,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes but a quarter of them will be seriously ill with DKA, a metabolic catastrophe before the diagnosis has been made.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis is the main cause of mortality and morbidity in children with type 1 diabetes. 10 children a year die from DKA in the UK. Most of these deaths are due to cerebral edema, swelling of the brain tissue, which is more common when DKA occurs.

How Do You Get A Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

If youre experiencing excessive hunger, fatigue, increased thirst, or any more of these vague symptoms, its a good idea to ask your doctor if you might have diabetes, since the condition can pose serious consequences for your health if left untreated. Diabetes impairs the kidneys ability to filter impurities from the blood, and high blood sugar can damage your eyes and cause blindness. Nerve damage caused by the condition can lead to numbness, create digestive problems, and diminish sexual response.

Whats more, diabetes sufferers are up to five times more likely to get heart disease or have a stroke. So read on to find out how to know if you have type 2 diabetes.

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Back Upremind Me What Diabetes Is Again

Diabetes isn’t just one disease. There are actually three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Most people with diabetes have type 2it happens when your body doesn’t use insulin well and is unable to keep your blood sugar stable, per the CDC.

Type 1 diabetes is much less commononly about 5 percent of those with diabetes have type 1and it’s essentially an autoimmune disease where your body stops making insulin at all .

And gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant womenit usually goes away after you give birth, but it can increase your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes later on, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases .

All three types of diabetes can easily be detected though a blood test. The test, essentially, checks to see if your blood glucose is too high. But be warned: You can’t diagnose yourselfnot even with an OTC blood glucose meter, per the NIDDK.

Unfortunately, many people are walking around with undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes because the symptoms are super-subtle, says Poorani Goundan, M.D., an endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center.

These sneaky diabetes symptoms might indicate that it’s time to head into your doctor’s office for a test.

How To Know When You’ll Need Insulin

Injecting insulin above and to the side of the belly button can result in more consistent results.

There’s no simple way to tell when a patient with type 2 would do best on insulin, says Richard Hellman, MD, former president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. But there are guidelines.

“In general if a patient has a hemoglobin A1C that is higher than the agreed upon goal and they are not on insulin, we recommend insulin therapy,” Dr. Hellman says. The American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C of 7% or below, and the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommend an A1C of 6.5% or below.

If you can’t lower your A1C with diet, exercise, or other medications, you may need insulin to do the job.

Exceptions to the insulin ruleThere are exceptions, of course. Someone who otherwise seems to be a good candidate for insulin may not be able to manage such a regimen if he or she has limited vision and dexterity and no family support. Good News About Today’s Improved Insulins

• Why Insulin Use Isn’t Always Permanent

If you do need insulin in the short- or long-term, your doctor may prescribe one of four different types. These vary by how quickly or slowly they reach the bloodstream , the amount of time they work at maximum strength , and how long they continue to be effective .

According to the American Diabetes Association , your need for insulin is based on several factors.

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Who Is At Risk Of Getting Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, and the causes arenât known, but people with a family history of the condition are at higher risk of developing it than those with no familial connection.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in people who are overweight , who have very low levels of physical activity and who eat an unhealthy diet.

âThings like family history, obesity, poor diet â and by poor diet, I mean processed foods, high-carbohydrate foods, ice-cream, soft drinks, processed food⦠theyâre all risk factors,â says Hamish.

• Ageing

• Women who are overweight and have polycystic ovarian syndrome

• Being older than 35 and from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Pacific Island, Indian subcontinent or Chinese cultural background

• Having had gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

Living a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes â think: maintaining a healthy weight, moving regularly, eating a balanced diet and not smoking. If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, managing those is also important.

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How Is Diabetes Treated

Diabetes can be treated in several ways. Diet, physical activity, and careful monitoring are important if you have diabetes, no matter which type of diabetes you have.

If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need to take insulin for the rest of your life. Thats because your pancreas doesnt produce the insulin your body needs.

If you have type 2 diabetes, it may be possible to control your diabetes with lifestyle changes, such as diet, weight loss, and exercise. You may also need to take oral or injectable medications, including insulin or metformin, to manage your blood sugar levels.

If you have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, youll need to carefully track your diet to prevent your blood sugar levels from getting too high. This generally means watching your carbohydrate intake as well as limiting over-processed, low fiber foods, such as:

• sugary sodas
• fruit-flavored yogurt
• flavored coffee drinks

Your doctor will work closely with you to develop a treatment plan to help you control your blood sugar levels.

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Your Night Vision Has Changed

How clearly can you see other cars on the road when you drive? What about street signs? Often times, the first hint that something is wrong with your vision is when your night vision begins to get worse. Common symptoms include seeing halos around lights and difficulty distinguishing objects at night.

Symptoms Of Type 1 Diabetes Onset In An Infant Or Child

The young child who is urinating frequently, drinking large quantities, losing weight, and becoming more and more tired and ill is the classic picture of a child with new-onset type 1 diabetes. If a child who is potty-trained and dry at night starts having accidents and wetting the bed again, diabetes might be the culprit.

Although it is easy to make the diagnosis diabetes in a child by checking blood sugar at the doctors office or emergency room, the tricky part is recognizing the symptoms and knowing to take the child to get checked. Raising the awareness that young children, including infants, can get type 1 diabetes can help parents know when to check for type 1 diabetes.

Sometimes children can be in diabetic ketoacidosis when they are diagnosed with diabetes. When there is a lack of insulin in the body, the body can build up high levels of an acid called ketones. DKA is a medical emergency that usually requires hospitalization and immediate care with insulin and IV fluids. After diagnosis and early in treatment, some children may go through a phase where they seem to be making enough insulin again. This is commonly called the honeymoon phase. It may seem like diabetes has been cured, but over time they will require appropriate doses of insulin to keep their blood sugar levels in the normal range.

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