Now that the series of holidays is around the corner, I suggest you be mindful about consuming sugary products.
Every year I see a lot of new folks diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes by January and February. Let’s us learn some quick basics of diabetes.
WHAT IS DIABETES?
DIABETES is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, or blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your primary energy source and comes from the food you eat.
Instead of water flowing through your pipelines, it is sugar syrup flowing through your pipelines. Imagine how sluggish that would flow.
Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells for energy.
Sometimes your body does not make enough—or any—insulin or does not use insulin well. Glucose then stays in your blood and doesn’t reach your cells.
Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems.
WHAT ARE THE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES?
Symptoms of Diabetes are very subtle and may take a long time to show up. Many people have it for 5-10 years before they are diagnosed with it.
- Increased thirst and urination
- Increased hunger
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
- Sores that do not heal
- Unexplained weight loss
- Erectile dysfunction
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIABETES?
The most common types of Diabetes are type 1, 2, and gestational Diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
- If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin.
- Children and young adults are usually diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
- People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to stay alive.
Type 2 Diabetes
- If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin well. You have what is called insulin resistance.
What is insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance is when the cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up sugar from your blood. As a result, your pancreas makes more insulin to help sugar enter your cells. As long as your pancreas can produce enough insulin to overcome your cells’ weak response to insulin, your blood glucose levels will stay in the healthy range. After some point, it cannot keep up, and sugars stay floating in your blood circulation, causing Diabetes.
- You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, which occurs most often in middle-aged and older people over 45. Several factors, including lifestyle factors and genes, cause Type 2 Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes develops in some women when they are pregnant. Most of the time, this type of Diabetes goes away after the baby is born. However, if you’ve had gestational Diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Sometimes Diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy is type 2 diabetes.
HOW COMMON IS DIABETES?
About 1 in 3 Americans has prediabetes,
More than 37 million Americans have Diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% have type 2 diabetes.
Diagnosed: An estimated 27 million people of all ages have been diagnosed with Diabetes (8.2 percent of the U.S. population).
Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over 45, but more and more children, teens, and young adults are also developing it. About 210,000 adolescents under the age of 18 have D.M.
Undiagnosed: An estimated 7.3 million adults ages 18 years or older have Diabetes but are undiagnosed (21.4 percent of adults with Diabetes).
WHAT CAN DIABETES DO TO YOUR HEALTH?
Over time, high blood glucose leads to problems such as
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Eye problems
- Dental disease
- Nerve damage
- Foot problems
RISK FACTORS FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES
Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes depend on a combination of risk factors such as your genes and lifestyle. Although you can’t change risk factors such as family history, age, or ethnicity, you can change lifestyle risk factors such as your eating habits, physical activity, and weight.
You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you,
- are overweight or obese
- are age 45 or older
- have a family history of Diabetes
- are African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander
- have high blood pressure
- have a low level of HDL (“good”) cholesterol or a high level of triglycerides
- have a history of gestational diabetes or gave birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more
- are not physically active
- have a history of heart disease or stroke
- have depression
- have polycystic ovary syndrome NIH external link, also called PCOS
- have acanthosis nigricans—dark, thick, and velvety skin around your neck or armpits
- are taking certain medications: anti-psychotic medications and statins increase your blood sugar levels.
TESTING FOR DIABETES
FASTING BLOOD SUGAR (FBS)
The FBS blood test measures your blood sugar level at a single time. For the most reliable results, it is best to have this test in the morning, after you fast for at least 8 hours. Fasting means having nothing to eat or drink except sips of water.
A1C test
The A1C test is a blood test that provides your average blood glucose levels over the past three months.
| Diagnosis | A1C (percent) | FBS (mg/dL) | OGTT (mg/dL) | Random (mg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | below 5.7 | 99 or below | 139 or below | 200 or above |
| Prediabetes | 5.7 to 6.4 | 100 to 125 | 140 to 199 | – |
| Diabetes | 6.5 or above | 126 or above | 200 or above | – |
The goal is to keep your A1c under 7
WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT DIABETES?
You can take steps to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by losing weight if you are overweight, eating fewer calories, and being more physically active. Talk with your healthcare professional about any health conditions listed above that may require medical treatment.
WAYS TO MANAGE DIABETES
Manage your Diabetes ABCs. A1c goal, B.P. goal, Cholesterol, especially LDL
- Follow your diabetes meal plan.
- Make physical activity part of your routine.
- Take your medicine.
- Check your blood glucose levels.
- Work with your health care team.
- Cope with your Diabetes in healthy ways.
- Check your feet visually in the shower every day for any sores/lesions.
- Get a dilated eye exam with an eye doctor annually.
MEDICATIONS:
- Metformin
- GLP1 category of meds
- SGLT2 category of meds
- All these meds help to manage diabetes as well as help with weight loss.
- Statins are given to all individuals with diabetes to lower their risk of heart disease.
We will talk about medication choices in-depth in our later sessions.
I hope this information was helpful.
