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What
is diabetes?
Diabetes
is a disease in which the body fails to produce or effectively
use insulin. Insulin is necessary to provide fuel to the body
and people with diabetes either produce little or no insulin,
or do not respond to the insulin their cells are producing.
Recognized
as one of the leading causes of death and disability, diabetes
affects almost every part of the body and is responsible for
numerous complications including blindness, heart and blood
vessel disease,
strokes, kidney failure, amputations and nerve damage.
Who
gets diabetes?
Diabetes
affects men and women equally, but certain
groups have a greater risk of getting the disease.
American Indians, African Americans, Hispanic
Americans, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native
Hawaiians and some Pacific Islander Americans, are more likely
than whites to develop Type 2 diabetes.
While Northern Europeans, like those from Finland and Sweden,
develop Type 1 diabetes at a high rate.
Although the exact cause of diabetes is not known, heredity
and environmental factors such as a lack of
exercise and obesity seem to contribute to the incidence of
diabetes
Diabetes
facts:
- 6.3%
of the U.S. population has diabetes (18.2 million people)
- 1/3
of diabetes sufferers are unaware they have the disease
(5.2 million people)
- One
in every 400 to 500 children and adolescents have Type 1
diabetes
- 1.3
million people aged 20 years or older are diagnosed with
diabetes each year
What
are the types of diabetes?
Type 1
diabetes accounts for 5% to 10 % of all diabetes cases and
most often develops in childhood. Type 1 diabetes happens
when the body fails to produce insulin.
Type 2
diabetes accounts for 90% to 95% of all diabetes cases and
usually develops in adulthood. Type 2 diabetes occurs when
the body fails to effectively use insulin. Pre-diabetes occurs
when high blood glucose levels are present, but not high enough
for a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.
20.1 million
Americans are estimated to have pre-diabetes. This does not
include the 18.2 million Americans already believed to have
diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs when the body does not make enough
insulin or is unable to use all of the insulin needed during
pregnancy. Approximately 4% of all pregnant women are affected
by gestational diabetes, accounting for 135,000 cases in the
U.S.
each year. If detected early and treated properly, mothers
with gestational diabetes have an excellent chance of having
an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery. Women with gestational
diabetes who are obese before pregnancy have a 40% risk of
developing Type 2 diabetes within four years.
What
are the warning signs of diabetes?
If left
undetected, diabetes can cause serious medical complications.
To protect your health, pay attention to the warning signs
that may indicate diabetes. The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes
include:
- Increased
thirst or hunger
- Frequent
urination
- Unexplained
weight loss
- Extreme
fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
- Tingling
or numbness in the hands or feet
- Blurred
vision
- Dry
mouth , labored, abnormal breathing
- Headaches
- Loss
of consciousness (rare)
The
symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include:
- Slow-healing
sores or cuts
- Itching
of the skin (usually in the vaginal or groin area)
- Yeast
infections
- Velvety
dark skin changes of the neck, armpit, and groin
- Changes
(blurring) vision
- Recent
weight gain
- Numbness
or tingling of the hands and feet
- High
blood glucose levels
- Impotence
or erectile dysfunction
If you
experiencing any symptoms of diabetes, request testing immediately.
People may not experience symptoms and still be diagnosed
with diabetes.That is why it is important to have a blood
glucose test if these symptoms occur or if over the age of
45. Even people with pre-diabetes might have an increased
risk of
heart disease.
Complications
from diabetes include:
- Heart
disease and stroke - 65% of all
diabetes-related deaths are a result of heart
disease and stroke. Heart disease is the
leading cause of diabetes-related deaths and
people with diabetes are two to four times
more likely to die from a heart attack or
stroke.
- High
Blood Pressure - 73% of
adults with diabetes have high blood
pressure or require prescription
medication for hypertension.
- Blindness
- Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among adults
accounting for 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each
year.
- Kidney
disease - Diabetes is the number one cause of treated end-stage
renal disease, making up 43% of all new cases.
- In
2000, nearly 130,000 people with diabetes faced dialysis
or received a kidney transplant.
- Nervous
system damage - Impaired sensation or
pain in the feet or hands affects 60% to 70% of
people with diabetes.
What
tests are given to check for diabetes?
To avoid serious complications, such as heart
attack, kidney disease or impaired eyesight, you
should consider being tested for diabetes
before age 45 if you smoke, are overweight
or have any of these risk factors:
- A
parent or sibling with Type 2 diabetes
- Hispanic,
Native American, Asian-
American, Pacific Islander or African-
American ancestry
- High
blood pressure or high cholesterol
- High
levels of emotional stress
- Physical
inactivity
- Gestational
diabetes or a baby exceeding 9 pounds at birth
Treatment
options
How to manage your diabetes
Diabetes
can't be cured, but it can be controlled. People with Type
1 diabetes are advised to carefully monitor their diets and
take daily insulin shots. People with Type 2 diabetes may
be treated with oral medications or may control their blood
sugar through diet and exercise. If oral medications, diet
and exercise prove ineffective, those with Type 2 diabetes
may require insulin.
To
manage your diabetes:
- Keep
blood glucose levels in check by balancing food intake with
medication and activity
- Maintain
your blood cholesterol and triglyceride (lipid) levels by
reducing saturated fat and cholesterol (decrease the total
amount of fat to 30% or less of your total daily calories)
- Control
your blood pressure. Ideal blood pressure is 125/80 or less
- Plan
what you eat and follow a balanced meal plan
- Exercise
regularly
- Take
medication, if prescribed, and closely follow the guidelines
on how and when to take it
- Monitor
your blood glucose and blood pressure levels at home
- Keep
your appointments with your healthcare providers and laboratory
tests as ordered by your doctor
Diabetes
may be avoided by maintaining a healthy
weight and exercising regularly.
Healthy
eating
Plan ahead,
to make the best food choices to control your diabetes. Healthy
choices will include a balance between all of four of the
food groups.
They are:
- Fruits
and vegetables (oranges, apples, bananas, carrots, and spinach)
- Whole
grains, cereals, and bread (wheat, rice, oats, bran, and
barley)
- Dairy
products (whole or skim milk, cream, and yogurt)
- Meats,
fish, poultry, eggs, dried beans, and nuts
While
you are at it:
- Don't
avoid carbohydrates - just limit your portion size
- Choose
high-fiber carbohydrates like 100% whole grain breads, whole-wheat
pasta, or brown rice.
- Learn
to read food packaging labels and measure serving sizes
- Reduce
your risk of heart disease by limiting high fat food items
While most people would prefer to be handed a list of the
good and bad foods to deal with their diabetes, good nutrition
requires professional assessment and personalization. To develop
a food plan that works for you, register for Florida Hospital
Diabetes Center's nutritional counseling program.
Education
classes are offered al all seven Florida
Hospital locations.
To register
for a class or for a physician referral, call the Florida
Hospital Health Services Line at 407-303-1700.
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