Diabetes; The Types, Symptoms and Prevention

Diabetes affects 20.8 million adults and children in the United States alone. This is a frightening number, but what is more frightening is that, according to the American Diabetes Association, 6.2 million people don't even know that they have diabetes!

Diabetes comes in two forms, Type 1 and Type 2. They are different from each other. Diabetes Type 1 occurs when the body fails to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body fails to properly use insulin. This is the type of diabetes most Americans have. According to the American Diabetes Association, 5-10% of Americans with diabetes have Type 1, the rest with Type 2. Aside from Type 1 and 2 diabetes, there exists Gestational diabetes that occurs in pregnant women; about 4% of pregnant women each year will be affected.

There are also people that don't have diabetes, but do have pre-diabetes. It's a condition where the blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes Type 2. According to the American Diabetes Association, 54 million Americans have pre-diabetes. Add that number to the number of actual diabetes cases and you have quite a large number.

Risk factors and Symptoms

It's important to keep an eye out for the symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes can affect anyone, but is more likely to affect people who are overweight, have an immediate family member with diabetes, if you're over 45, are in a high-risk ethnic group, gave birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds, have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, according to the Foundations of Wellness.

Symptoms might include, but are not limited to: frequent need to urinate, feeling thirsty all the time, always hungry, unusual weight loss, feeling more and more fatigued, feeling irritable, and having blurred vision.

Prevention of diabetes

According to the Foundations of Wellness, there are many things you can do to help prevent diabetes. You can lessen your intake of high-carbohydrate foods, consume more fiber, cut out sugary soft drinks, and eat less white bread, potatoes, and white rice. You'll want to eat more whole-grain foods to help reduce your risk. It's also important to exercise regularly to help maintain your weight. The Foundations of Wellness also suggests taking Magnesium. A study found that magnesium has a protective effect against diabetes.

Conclusion

All in all, diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of Americans each year. While it can't always be prevented, there are measures you can take to reduce your risk for diabetes. Always eat healthy, exercise and make good choices. Keep in mind that diabetes is not a disease to fool around with, if you feel you are at risk or have any of the symptoms, make sure you get checked by your doctor. Don't wait until it's too late, and don't be one of the many Americans that don't know they have diabetes.

Sources:

American Diabetes Association, "Diabetes Information". American Diabetes Assocation.
Health Letter Associates, "Diabetes Prevention: The Test". Foundations of Wellness.