What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a health condition that’s chronic, either your body doesn’t make sufficient insulin or it doesn’t use the insulin properly. There are three types; type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is likely an autoimmune reaction which causes your body not to produce sufficient insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when blood sugar is kept at abnormal levels due to the body not using the insulin properly. Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women with no history of diabetes, increasing the baby’s chances for health problems. As reported by the CDC, it is the seventh leading cause of death within the United States as well as the main cause of blindness in adults, kidney failure, and lower-limb amputations, (CDC, 2020).
Ways to Manage Diabetes
Although there isn’t a cure yet, there are steps that one could take to manage the condition.
- Blood sugar checks as directed by your doctor
- Daily foot check, inspect for cuts, redness, swelling, sore, blisters, or any other changes
- Take your diabetes medication as directed by your doctor
- Make sure you have the appropriate education and support, ask your doctor about Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES)
- Eat a healthy diet, create a healthy eating plan with a dietitian or a diabetes educator
- Prepare for sick days, as blood sugar can be harder to manage
- Maintain a healthy weight and get at least 150 mins of moderate physical activity weekly
Prevent Diabetes Complications
By properly managing diabetes and making lifestyle changes, you’re lowering your risk for developing diabetes complications. Some of those complications being;
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Heart Disease
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Nerve Damage
- Foot Health
- Oral Health
- Hearing Loss
- Vision Loss
- Mental Health
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, June 11). What is diabetes? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html.
Gottselig, N. (2011). Diabetes: Myths and facts. Alive: Canada’s Natural Health & Wellness Magazine, 349, 22–29.
Rodrigo Barros, M. D. (n.d.). Diabetes signs, symptoms, types, causes, treatments and more. Diabetes Signs, Symptoms, Types, Causes, Treatments and More. https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/diabetes.
Robertson, R. (2021, January 13). Controlling your diabetes. CenterLight Healthcare. https://www.centerlighthealthcare.org/blog-1/2019/3/25/controlling-diabetes.