30.3 million people in the US have diabetes
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
By Teresa Bigham/The Hesperian-Beacon—
FLOYD COUNTY – Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems, such as heart disease, nerve damage, eye problems and kidney disease.
According to the American Diabetes Foundation an estimated 30.3 million people in the United States, or 9.4 percent of the population, have diabetes. About one in four people with diabetes do not even know they have the disease. An estimated 84.1 million Americans aged 18 years old or older have prediabetes.
In understanding Type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. The body breaks down the carbohydrates you eat into blood sugar that is uses for energy and insulin, which is a hormone that the body needs to get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. With the help of insulin treatment and other treatments, it is possible to learn to manage the condition and live a long and healthy life. This is a disorder that can be treated by living a healthy lifestyle filled with exercise and proper diet.
The American Diabetes Association says that Type 2 diabetes is the most common for form of diabetes. While some people can manage their blood sugar with a proper diet and exercise, others may need medication or insulin to get it under control.
A key part of managing Type 2 diabetes is maintaining a healthy diet. Fitness is another key to managing Type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy, but you can manage this type of diabetes as well. By working with a physician, it is possible to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. The key to treating it is to act quickly, because as treatable as it is, gestational diabetes may hurt the mother and baby, says the American Diabetes Association. Work with a doctor to keep blood sugar levels normal through special meal plans and regular physical activity. Treatment could also include daily blood sugar testing and insulin injections.
When it comes to prediabetes, there are no clear symptoms, so it is possible to have it and not yet know it. Before the body develops Type 2 diabetes, it almost always has prediabetes, says the American Diabetes Association. If prediabetes is discovered, remember that it does not guarantee that the body will develop Type 2 diabetes, particularly if a treatment plan is followed. Remember, even small changes can have a big impact on managing this disease or even preventing it all together.
The American Diabetes Association says there are many factors available to control. Prediabetes is a condition that can lead to Type 2 diabetes and even heart disease. The chances of having prediabetes go up for persons aged 45 years or older, who have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes, or for persons who are overweight and physically inactive or takes medicines for high blood pressure, had diabetes during a pregnancy or were diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.
For more information on diabetes talk to your general physician.
