Understanding Diabetes 

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. It also has to do with insulin, which is the hormone that moves sugar from your blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. For someone with diabetes, their body either doesn’t make enough insulin or it doesn’t effectively use the insulin that it does make.

If high blood sugar from diabetes goes untreated, it could cause damage to your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs in the body.

Types of Diabetes

There are a few different types of diabetes, including:

• Type 1 Diabetes – This is an autoimmune disease. With type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys cells within the pancreas where insulin is made.
• Type 2 Diabetes – This is when the body becomes resistant to insulin and sugar builds up in the blood.
• Prediabetes – When blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
• Gestational diabetes – High blood sugar during pregnancy caused by insulin-blocking hormones produced in the placenta.

Symptoms of Diabetes

The symptoms of diabetes are caused by rising blood sugar.

In general, the symptoms of diabetes include:

• Increased hunger
• Increased thirst
• Weight loss
• Frequent urination
• Blurry vision
• Extreme fatigue
• Sores that don’t heal

For men, symptoms can include erectile dysfunction and poor muscle strength. In women, they can include urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and dry, itchy skin.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can include:

• Extreme hunger
• Increased thirst
• Unintentional weight loss
• Frequent urination
• Blurry vision
• Tiredness
• Mood changes

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include:

• Increased hunger
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Blurry vision
• Tiredness
• Sores that are slow-healing
• Recurring infections

Regarding gestational diabetes, many pregnant women don’t have any symptoms at all. The condition is most commonly detected during a routine blood sugar test or glucose tolerance test between the 24th-28th week of pregnancy.

Diabetes Prevention

Type 1 diabetes is not preventable because it is caused by issues with the immune system. There are certain causes of type 2 diabetes that cannot be controlled either, like your genes or your age. But there are certain risk factors that are under your control, and many diabetes prevention strategies are straightforward and simple – they entail making adjustments to your diet and fitness routine.

If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, here are some things you can do to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes:

• Get at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week
• Cut out saturated fats, trans fats, and refined carbohydrates from your diet
• Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Eat smaller portions
• If you are overweight or obese, try to lose 7% of your body weight

There are more ways that exist to prevent diabetes. Talk to your doctor to find strategies that work for you.