8 Do's & Don'ts of Diabetes

Diabetes, often referred to by physicians as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic diseases where a person has high blood glucose either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin, or both. 

If you are someone with diabetes, you are at risk of heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, lower extremity amputations, and depression. The seventh leading cause of death in the United States is from diabetes.

If you feel any of the following symptoms, you may be pre-diabetic or diabetic:

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Weight loss
• Frequently hungry 
• Changes in vision 
• Numbness in hands or feet
• Exhaustion
• Dry skin
• Sores that heal slowly
• More infections than usual

Those who experience the onset of type 1 diabetes otten have stomach pains, nausea or frequent vomiting. Those with type 1 diabetes are usually children, young adults or adults with extreme sugar spikes and lows.

Medically described as juvenile onset diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type I diabetes accounts for about 10 percent of the cases that are determined to be diabetic. In addition to early onset, there are also genetic, environmental and autoimmune factors involved in the development of type 1 diabetes.

Adult-onset diabetes (Type 2) accounts for up to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Risk factors include obesity, prior history of gestational diabetes (if you are a women), older age, family history, glucose intolerance, ethnicity and lack of physical activity.

Diabetes can also result from genetic syndromes, sugary foods, drugs, malnutrition, and infections. About 2 percent of all diagnosed diabetics contracted their diabetic condition from these causes.

Know the do's and don'ts of diabetes

Type 2 diabetics need to control their diets, use home blood glucose testing, exercise, and lose weight. It has been studied and proven that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Obesity may lead to type 2 diabetes, and losing weight is an excellent treatment.

There is no cure for either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. However, there are treatments that will help you live a full and prosperous life.