Taking Control of Your Diabetes: Proactive Steps to Live with the Disease

We all know the symptoms of diabetes: frequent thirst and urination; blurry vision; and skin infections that take an act of God to heal. You may have noticed your weight is rising, but you still feel hungry. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your health-care provider soon.

Diabetes happens when your body fails to make enough insulin, or if it does, the body doesn't use it properly. Insulin is the hormone that helps balance the amount of sugar in your blood by changing it into the energy needed for daily activities.

There are certain ethniticies that are more prone to diabetes. Studies show that one in four African-Americans has been diagnosed with diabetes. It is the fourth-leading cause of death, but 730,000 people do not know they have it. One in four African-American women over the age of 55 has diabetes. Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans are also affected more so than other ethnicities. Diabetes is very common in middle-aged and older American Indians and Alaskan natives, as well.

To be tested for diabetes, your doctor will do a simple blood draw after you have swallowed a sugary drink. If the glucose levels are higher than normal, it is possible that the pancreas isn't producing enough insulin. There are two types of diabetes.

Type I is Juvenile Diabetes and is a chronic condition that occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. This most often occurs in children and young adults. People with Type 1 Diabetes must take daily insulin injections.

Type 2 Diabetes is most common form of Diabetes. Type 2 can occur in all age groups but it is diagnosed most often in adults over 45. It is treated with exercise and changes in diet. If this doesn't work, an oral hypoglycemic drug may be prescribed.

Diabetes is a lifelong disease and treatment is essential. If you follow your doctor's orders, you can help prevent the slow progression of complications, like kidney failure, poor circulation or blindness, and heart disease that lead to early death.

If you have diabetes, you are at high risk for heart attack and stroke. You can be proactive though and take control of your disease. First, your doctor may test you for an A1C test which measures your average blood gluose over the last 3 months. This number should be below 7. Your optimal blood pressure range should be below 130/80, as high blood pressure makes your heart work harder. Also, watch your cholesterol level and keep your LDLs below 100.

Take control of your diabetes with action. Get some type of exercise every day, such as walking your dog, doing water aerobics, or gardening. Eat less fat and salt and more fiber. Maintain a healthy weight, stop smoking, and take any medications as the doctor prescribed. You may also want to wear an ID bracelet to alert others that you are a diabetic.

With a few simple plans of action, you can add many more healthy years to your life!