The American Diabetes Association reported 30.3 million American were diagnosed with diabetes in 2015 with 1.5 million people diagnosed every year. Additionally, in 2015, it was the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S.
What is Diabetes?
There are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually only a diagnosis reserved for children and young adults. Those who suffer from Type 1 diabetes are not able to produce enough insulin which means the body is not able to properly break down sugars into the blood stream.
Type 2 diabetes, also known as hyperglycemia, is typically diagnosed in patients later on in life. Patients with Type 2 diabetes are not able to produce insulin efficiently.
What Diabetes Can Do
Diabetes is a disease plagued with inconvenience. Pulitzer prize winner, Jay Dickman, wrote three different narratives detailing the lives of individuals who live with diabetes.
For Jessica Pena and her 2-year-old daughter Estrella who were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2011, they live an otherwise normal life. But, Pena is responsible for ensuring Estrella receives insulin injections every two hours and keeping a close eye on her diet.
29-year-old Nadia Stewart, another patient featured in Dickman’s writing, has Type 2 diabetes. She has made drastic life style changes since her diagnoses including managing stress and becoming more active in addition to taking medication and checking her blood glucose frequently.
Overall, diabetes is a manageable disease, but it also poses several threats to your health. Those with diabetes are twice as likely to have a heart attack, and they are also prone to facing damage to their eyes, skin, nervous system and kidneys.
What to Look For
Sometimes the symptoms of diabetes are hard to detect, and they may also be confused with symptoms of other diseases. If your body is not able to make enough insulin, you may find you are more hungry or tired than usual.
Urinating more frequently is another reported symptom. If your body is not able to absorb glucose, the kidneys cannot bring in all of your blood sugar. So instead, your body makes more urine.
Those with Type 1 diabetes may experience flu-like symptoms with nausea and vomiting. This symptom is caused by diabetic ketoacidosis and is a medical emergency that requires immediate care.
If you find you have infections frequently or have slow healing wounds, that is a warning sign for Type 2 diabetes.
Additional symptoms include:
- Extreme thirst
- Dry mouth
- Blurred vision
- Yeast infections
Tips for Prevention
Type 1 diabetes is not preventable; however, Type 2 frequently is. To prevent a diagnosis, make sure you maintain a healthy weight as those who are overweight tend to be more at risk. Stay active and eat a healthy diet. Monitor your blood pressure and if possible, stop smoking.
Diabetes is a serious disease and if left untreated can cause symptoms to worsen or can even cause death. If you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms above, make an appointment to speak with a doctor.
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