Chronic Conditions
Diabetes
During digestion the starches and
sugars in the food you eat are converted to glucose, a sugar that your body
uses for energy. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps control
the amount of glucose in blood. Without insulin, your body cannot use or store
glucose, so too much sugar stays in your blood. Over a long period of time,
high blood sugar levels may damage blood vessels and nerves, increasing your
risk for problems that can affect the eyes, heart, kidneys, legs, and feet.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas
makes little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in childhood or
adolescence but can develop at any age. People with type 1 diabetes must give
themselves insulin shots every day.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas
cannot make enough insulin to meet the body's needs or when the body does not
use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes often develops in adults, especially those
who are overweight and over age 40. Many people with type 2 diabetes are able
to control their blood sugar through weight control, regular exercise, and a
healthy diet. Some may need insulin shots or oral medications to lower their
blood sugar.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes
include:
Having a family history of type 2 diabetes.
-
Being overweight (20 percent more than ideal weight).
Having an inactive lifestyle.
Being of African-American, Hispanic, Pacific Island, or Aboriginal
origin.
Having a history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational
diabetes).
The symptoms
of diabetes are vague. A person may believe that his or her symptoms are due
to an illness or to aging, not diabetes. Symptoms include:
Dry mouth and increased thirst.
Frequent urination (especially at night).
Increased appetite (type 1 diabetes only).
Unexplained weight loss (type 1 diabetes only).
Feeling weak, tired, and dizzy.
Frequent skin infections and slow-healing wounds.
Recurrent vaginal infections.
-
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.
Your doctor needs to do a blood test
to accurately diagnose diabetes.
At this time, there is no known
way to prevent type 1 diabetes.
The risk for developing type 2
diabetes runs in families. However, even if you have a history of type 2 diabetes
in your family, you may be able to delay or prevent its onset by maintaining
a healthy body weight and exercising regularly.
If insulin or other medications are prescribed to control
your blood sugar, take them as directed. If you improve your diet and
exercise regularly, you may need less medicine. Check with your doctor
before making any changes in your medication.
Eat a healthy diet to help keep your blood sugar in control
and maintain a healthy weight. Pay special attention to eating low-fat
foods and to the other diet recommendations in Nutrition.
Get regular aerobic exercise to help regulate your blood
sugar level, reduce your risk for heart disease,
and control your weight. Work closely with your doctor to determine how
your activity level affects your blood glucose levels and medication needs.
It may help you to keep your blood sugar level within the
safe range if you track the following daily:
The time and content of each meal you eat.
The kind and amount of exercise you get.
How tired or energetic you feel.
If you have a home glucose monitor, check and record
your blood sugar level as often as directed by your doctor. This record
will help you understand how your body reacts to different foods and
exercise, so you can keep your blood sugar level in the safe range.
Take good care of your feet. Diabetes
may damage nerves and reduce blood flow to your feet, increasing your
risk for infection. Take care to avoid cuts and sores, and promptly treat
any injuries to your feet.
Get regular eye exams. Eye changes caused by diabetes often
have no symptoms until they are quite advanced. Diabetic retinopathy is
one form of diabetic eye disease that can cause blindness. Early detection
and treatment of diabetic retinopathy may slow its progress and save your
sight.
Have your doctor check your kidney function. Diabetes can
damage your kidneys, but medication may reduce this damage.
Have regular medical checkups. Talk to your doctor about
how often you need them.
Believe that you can control diabetes. Controlling diabetes requires
making significant, long-term lifestyle changes that may seem overwhelming
at first. However, if you adopt a "take charge" attitude about your
health and focus on making one change at a time, you are more likely to be
successful.
Your local branch of the Canadian
Diabetes Association is a good resource for more information about diabetes.
Call 911
or seek emergency services if a person with diabetes is losing consciousness
or becomes unconscious and you cannot tell if the person's blood sugar is
too low or too high.
Call your health professional:
If signs of high blood sugar develop in a person who has
diabetes:
If signs of low blood sugar last longer than 15 minutes
after a person who has diabetes has eaten something that contains sugar:
-
Fatigue, weakness, nausea
-
-
-
Rapid heartbeat, anxiousness
Confusion, irritability, slurred speech
If your blood sugar level continues to fall outside the
range your doctor has recommended.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and are sick and
need advice.
To get a blood sugar test if you suspect that you have
diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed.
Top of Page