March 27 is Diabetes Alert Day
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Are you worried about getting Diabetes?
The statistics are staggering.
For example, according to The American Diabetes Association:
- 8.3% of all Americans have Diabetes
- It is estimated that 7 million people are walking around with Diabetes and have not been diagnosed.
- 79 million people have “prediabetes.”
- 1 in 400 children have Diabetes
- In 2007, Diabetes played a role in 231,404 deaths.
Do you have any of the Warning signs of Diabetes?
- Wounds that don’t heal
- Blurry vision
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
- Recurring infections
- Extreme thirst and/or constant hunger feelings
Not sure if you should be worried about Diabetes?
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Take a quick Diabetes Risk Test. (should take less than a minute)
If you have any of these warning signs, see a doctor to rule out Diabetes or prediabetes. Your doctor will then give you an exact set of rules, including but not limited to checking blood sugar regularly, regulating a diet plan, exercise, and possibly taking insulin.
What exactly is Diabetes?
The definition of Diabetes is that the body no longer produces insulin, or the body has become immune to the amount of insulin released and chooses to ignore it. Insulin is necessary for blood sugar regulation, and without it, glucose builds up in the blood instead of the glucose going into the cells. Glucose is the body’s basic source of energy.
What are the effects of Diabetes on the body?
Possible outcomes of untreated or undertreated Diabetes include:
- Blindness
- Skin infection and disorders
- Neuropathy
- Loss of feeling and subsequent loss of life in feet and extremities
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Hearing loss
- Gum disease
- Kidney disease
- Stroke
All of these are serious complications and require additional medical attention.
What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes is diagnosed through abnormal blood sugar levels. The goal at this point is to reverse the blood sugar problem and possibly recover. The doctor will prescribe eating well and exercising to reverse these symptoms.
Is Diabetes reversible?
Some people do actually keep their diabetes symptoms under control through diet and exercise. Many people who are diagnosed with Type II (“adult”) Diabetes are overweight and eat improper diets.
“People who carry excess weight, especially in their midsection, are more likely to develop type 2 Diabetes because the fat in their tissues causes an imbalance of insulin in the body. The condition is called insulin resistance. If they can eliminate that fat by exercising and limiting carbohydrates and alcohol, then many can drop their glucose levels. And for some, they can drop them back into the normal range.” (Source: CNN, “Reversing Diabetes is Possible,” Val Willingham, 01-28-2011).
Feel alone if you have Diabetes?
Don’t. Diabetes happens. It may be scary at first, but folks that take it seriously can reverse their symptoms and learn from their experiences. For example, check out this slide show of many famous people who have been diagnosed with diabetes.