Diabetes: Risk, Symptoms and Prevention

by Jay S. Certified Diabetes Educator

If you have diabetes, your body is unable to properly digest and utilize glucose obtained from the diet There are various varieties of diabetes, each with its own set of causes, but they all have one thing in common: too much glucose in the bloodstream. Medications and/or insulins are used as treatments. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help prevent some types of diabetes.

Diabetes, if not well controlled, can have catastrophic effects, including damage to a variety of organs and tissues in your body, including your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

Types of Diabetes

The following are the different forms of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune illness, which means your body is attacking itself. The insulin-producing cells in your pancreas are damaged in this situation. Type 1 diabetes affects up to 10% of patients with diabetes. It's most commonly found in children and young adults (but can develop at any age). It used to be called "juvenile" diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin on a daily basis. It's also known as insulin-dependent diabetes because of this.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body either does not produce enough insulin or when your cells do not respond to insulin properly. Diabetes mellitus is the most frequent form of the disease. Type 2 diabetes affects up to 95% of diabetics. It mainly affects persons in their forties and fifties. Type 2 diabetes is also known as adult-onset diabetes or insulin-resistant diabetes. It was probably referred to as "having a touch of sugar" by your parents or grandparents.

Prediabetes is the stage before Type 2 diabetes develops. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for Type 2 diabetes to be diagnosed.

Gestational diabetes is a kind of diabetes that develops in certain women during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes normally disappears following the birth of a child. If you have gestational diabetes, though, you're more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Who is at Risk of Developing Diabetes?

The factors that raise your risk vary depending on which form of diabetes you get.

The following are some of the risk factors for Type 1 diabetes:

Family history.
Environmental factors such as exposure to a viral illness likely play some role in type 1 diabetes.
The presence of damaging immune system cells (autoantibodies).

The following are some of the risk factors for Type 1 diabetes:

Weight
Inactive lifestyle
Family history
Age
High BP
High Cholesterol

Symptoms of Diabetes

Symptoms of diabetes include:

Frequent urination.
Frequent unexplained infections.
Increased thirst.
Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.
Slow-healing sores or cuts.
Weak, tired feeling.
Blurred vision.
Unplanned weight loss.
Dry mouth.

Prevention

Type 1 diabetes cannot be avoided. However, the same healthy lifestyle choices that aid in the treatment of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes can also aid in their prevention:

Consume Nutritious Foods

Choose foods that are low in fat and calories while being high in fibre. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should be prioritized. To avoid boredom, strive for variety.

Increase Your Physical Activity

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, or 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity on most days of the week.

Get Rid of Unwanted Weight.

If you're overweight, decreasing even 7% of your body weight — 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) if you weigh 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) — will lower your risk of diabetes.

However, don't strive to lose weight when pregnant. Consult your doctor about how much weight you should acquire during pregnancy.

Focus on long-term improvements to your food and activity habits to maintain a healthy weight. Motivate yourself by recalling the advantages of losing weight, such as a healthier heart, greater energy, and more self-esteem. Use a blood glucose testing machine to keep yourself updated with your blood glucose levels. You can purchase a glucometer online.