Diabetes isn't Terrible!

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make.

Symptoms of diabetes

The general symptoms of diabetes include:

· increased hunger increased thirst

· weight loss frequent urination

· blurry vision extreme fatigue

· sores that don’t heal

These symptoms are seen in millions of cases around the world. Nearly 3% of global blindness can be attributed to diabetic retinopathy, which occurs as a result of long-term accumulated damage to the blood vessels in the retina.

Diabetes is also among the leading causes of kidney failure. Reduced blood flow and nerve damage in the feet caused by diabetes can lead to foot ulcers, and the associated infections and complications can lead to the need for limb amputation, as well as severe and life-long health problems.

Diabetes complications

High blood sugar damages organs and tissues throughout your body. The higher your blood sugar is and the longer you live with it, the greater your risk for complications.

Complications associated with diabetes include:

· heart disease, heart attack, and stroke

· neuropathy

· nephropathy

· retinopathy and vision loss

· hearing loss

· foot damage such as infections and sores that don’t heal

· skin conditions such as bacterial and fungal infections

· depression

Diabetes prevention

Type 1 diabetes isn’t preventable because it’s caused by a problem with the immune system. Some causes of type 2 diabetes, such as your genes or age, aren’t under your control either.

Yet many other diabetes risk factors are controllable. Most diabetes prevention strategies involve making simple adjustments to your diet and fitness routine.

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

· Get at least 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise, such as walking or cycling.

· Cut saturated and trans fats, along with refined carbohydrates, out of your diet.

· Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

· Eat smaller portions.

· Try to lose 7 percent Trusted Source of your body weight if you’re overweight or obese.