How to identify if you are at Risk of Diabetes/Comment Identifier Les Risques pour le Diabète

When your body is not able to produce sufficient insulin to counter the sugar levels in your bloodstream, you are at risk for diabetes. This disease is likely to stick with you for life, but catching it early and making some changes in your (diet and exercise) combined with medication can reduce your chances of having to live with diabetes.

Types of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes: In this case, the pancreas ceases to produce insulin, paving the need for daily glucose level monitoring and insulin therapy.

Type 2 diabetes: In case of type 2 diabetes, the tissues in the body become insulin resistant, and the course of treatment includes an improved diet, exercise and frequent diabetes monitoring. If you have a family history of diabetes, you can avoid type 2 diabetes by keeping your weight in control and by following an active and healthy lifestyle.

Gestational Diabetes: A small percentage of women tend to develop gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. In most cases, the symptoms fade away once the baby is born. However, these people are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Pre-diabetes: Pre-diabetes is often the prognosis before diabetes when symptoms of elevated blood sugar levels are an indication. This can be avoided with exercise and diet.

Common causes and symptoms of diabetes

If you are 40 years or older, it’s best to get your blood sugar levels tested regularly. If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, you run the risk of inheriting it too. Similarly, if you have a previous history of pre-diabetes or gestational diabetes, your chances of developing type 2 diabetes is higher. Your ethnicity too could factor in if you belong to a high risk population like people from Asian, African, Hispanic or Aboriginal descent.

The most common risk factor for type 2 diabetes is being overweight, especially if you tend to carry the excess weight around your abdomen. High blood pressure, heart disease and high cholesterol levels are all contributing factors as well.

A few common symptoms that can help you spot the disease include: relentless thirst, increased urine output, blurred vision, weight gain or loss, constant fatigue, numbness in your hands or feet and injuries that are slow to heal.

Effects of diabetes in your body

Without sufficient insulin in your system, your body cannot convert the sugar and glucose from your food into energy for the body. The built up glucose levels could affect your vision, cause kidney malfunction or heart disease, loss of hearing, breakouts in the foot, nerve damages or even skin disorders. This makes diabetes a fatal threat to those suffering from prior medical conditions, making timely diagnosis and treatment a huge priority.