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November is Diabetes Awareness Month. This month, we aim to provide more information on the disease including risk factors, symptoms, and prevention options.
The Center for Disease Control reports one in ten Americans have diabetes. That’s over 34 million, and an estimated 88 million have pre-diabetes.
A disease affecting this many people is alarming. That’s why so many researchers and doctors are paying attention and taking action. One of the most critical steps in helping Americans combat this disease is education. This Diabetes Awareness Month, Burt’s Pharmacy strives to educate our patients on diabetes.
The more you know, the more powerful you become in prevention, intervention, and for some, a reversal of diabetes.
There are two main types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2, discussed below. But first, read about two crucial factors: insulin and glucose.
Insulin and Glucose Basics
There are a couple of essential processes that contribute to diabetes. One is how insulin works in your body. Insulin is a hormone that comes from the pancreas. The cycle begins when the pancreas releases insulin into your bloodstream. As the insulin moves around, glucose is released into your cells, preventing glucose buildup in your bloodstream and keeping your sugar levels low. The glucose or blood sugars become fuel for your mind and body once they enter your cells.
When you have Type 1 diabetes, your immune system attacks your pancreas cells that produce insulin. This means insulin cannot send sugars (glucose) into cells, and you experience sugar buildup in your bloodstream.
In those with Type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells become resistant to insulin and its ability to send sugar into your cells for energy. This resistance causes the pancreas to go into overdrive. It wants to make more insulin, but it cannot keep up. The sugars get stuck in the bloodstream, causing a buildup.
You may ask, how does a person get diabetes? The answer lies in risk factors that have been commonly found in those with the disease.
Common Risk Factors
For both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, there are risk factors that do not guarantee you will get diabetes. They mean you may be predisposed to the disorder.
Genetics can play a considerable role in Type 1 diabetes. If you are born with specific genes, you risk the chance of developing diabetes. Family history also plays a role. Many people diagnosed with diabetes have relatives who also have diabetes.
Genetics and family history are also risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. They are not the only ones, however. Weight is a significant contributor. The more fatty tissue you have, the more your cells become resistant to insulin.
Women who have a polycystic ovarian syndrome, having gestational diabetes, inactivity, poor nutrition, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels can factor in developing Type 2 diabetes.
You should look for specific symptoms when trying to figure out if you should be tested for diabetes.
Symptoms of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes symptoms include:
- Extreme thirst and drinking many liquids to try and satisfy that thirst
- Frequent urination
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Sleepiness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
Type 2 diabetes include:
all the above, similar to Type 1 diabetes. However, the longer you avoid controlling glucose levels with treatment, you can experience additional symptoms:
- Yeast infections
- Dark patches on your skin
- Neuropathy
- Foot pain
As time goes on, dark patches can spread and may appear in creases on your body like your armpits, groin, and around the neck. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans.
Because diabetes affects your immune system, infections become harder to fight. Besides yeast infections, conditions can include skin, vaginal, bladder, and other viral or bacterial infections.
Eyesight may worsen, and you face the chance of having irreversible nerve damage if your diabetes is not controlled. Wounds heal slower, and some people have lost extremities due to this disease.
There are many things you can do to prevent these negative symptoms or consequences from happening.
What You Can Do
The first step is to begin spreading awareness this Diabetes Awareness Month. If you are concerned, work with your doctor, or endocrinologist, to get an accurate diagnosis. Your physician should use lab work to help determine if you have diabetes. The Hemoglobin A1C test, fasting plasma glucose test, and an oral glucose tolerance test are among the most used assessments.
If you are diagnosed with diabetes, work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan, including medication. But medication alone will not work long-term. Your doctor will teach you how to monitor your blood glucose daily.
Your treatment plan will include lifestyle changes—specifically, diet and exercise. Working with a diabetes nutritionist is a great benefit that is often covered by your insurance. You can learn foods that help you control diabetes and foods to avoid.
Changing your diet is not always easy, especially if you have other family members who can eat junk food and not gain weight. But just because they don’t gain weight doesn’t mean they are at their healthiest.
If you can get your family and friends involved in diet and exercise changes, all of you will benefit. Support is key to successful lifestyle modifications. Your support team can include friends, family, doctors, counselors, and even your local pharmacist, who can provide a great deal of information on your type of diabetes.
If you learn you do not have diabetes or want to avoid the chance of getting diabetes altogether, there are preventative steps you can take now.
Prevention
There is no known way to prevent Type 1 diabetes today. But for Type 2 diabetes, there are many. If you are having symptoms and want to take action now to avoid complications later, be proud. You realize how vulnerable physical and mental health can be when it is not a priority. You can succeed in preventing a diabetes diagnosis.
Prevention truly is critical. Manage your weight with diet and exercise. If you are low in vitamins and minerals, ask your local pharmacist which supplements can help you get healthy. They can tell you the purest, most effective items.
Keep researching and talking to professionals to learn more about diabetes. Remember, knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your health.
This Diabetes Awareness Month, spread this information on diabetes to help keep you and loved ones safe and healthy.
