Throughout the month of November time is set aside to raise awareness for diabetes, which is a complex disease. Once a person is diagnosed with diabetes it affects the disease everyone around them including family and friends. There are many things to educate oneself about when it comes to diabetes. Read on to learn more about different types of diabetes, and ways to bring awareness to this disease.
Healthy Tip Tuesday is brought to you in partnership with Trinity Health Systems.
Type 1 Diabetes is caused by the inadequate production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas. When that happens, the body is unable to properly metabolize sugars, which build up in the bloodstream; these sugars (also called glucose) cannot be used by the body and are excreted in the urine.
This leads to the major symptoms of diabetes:
- Increased urination
- Thirst
- Increased appetite
- Weight loss
It is critical to note in regard to Type 1:
- The peak age for diagnosing is 5-6 and 11-13 years old
- Potential bedwetting
Type 2 Diabetes can happen to anyone at any time, and while there are risk factors that can increase a person’s likelihood of getting this form of diabetes, it knows no bounds. Type 2 simply means that a person’s body is unable to use insulin properly.
Common Symptoms:
- Urinating often
- Feeling very thirsty
- Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet
Simply being aware of these symptoms could help save a person’s life if the symptoms are caught quickly enough and the person is diagnosed. Consider getting blood work checked to make sure you and everyone in your family’s blood sugar levels are in a healthy range.
