National Diabetes Month
National Diabetes Month occurs every November with the goal of bringing awareness to the chronic disease. In the United States, diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions to affect school age youth. Roughly 193,000 Americans under the age of 20 are diabetic. Diabetes occurs when the blood sugar in your body is too high. Sugar, or blood glucose, acts as a source of energy that comes from the food we eat. Insulin is a hormone that makes the glucose travel to your cells so that it can be used for energy later on. However, if your body does not produce insulin well, the energy does not reach your cells and instead stays trapped in your bloodstream, causing diabetes.
Diabetes comes in two forms being type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your immune system attacks the cells needed to produce insulin, therefore depriving the body of energy. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune response more common in young adults and children, and those affected are required to take daily insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 and occurs if your body is lacking sufficient insulin. These people are required to take medications every day or, sometimes, after every meal.
All types of diabetes are serious and require different forms of treatment. Since there is no cure for diabetes yet, we must do everything we can to prevent and detect diabetes before it poses more significant health risks. The best way to control diabetes is through early diagnosis. If you often feel lightheaded, dizzy, sleepy, hungry, or weak, it can either be a sign of low blood sugar or diabetes. If you are experiencing extreme thirst, numb or tingling feet, or fatigue, that can be a sign of high blood pressure. In the case that you have any of these symptoms, it is strongly recommended that you get a blood test done to check your A1C levels. A fasting blood sugar level from 5.6 to 6.9 is prediabetic, and anything above 7 is considered diabetic. It is very important to diagnose diabetes early on in order to determine how to best treat it.
If you are not experiencing any symptoms of diabetes, it is still crucial that you take care of your health to prevent the onset of the disease, which is genetic in some cases. There are many easy steps that we can incorporate into our daily lives in order to prevent diabetes. First, it is important that you follow a healthy eating plan. Your meals should consist of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Eating in moderation is key, so be sure to reduce the amount of sugar and fatty foods you consume on a daily basis. Second, it is always a good idea to get regular exercise to help regulate weight and lower blood sugar levels. Exercising at least 30 minutes a day is vital to saying healthy, while also preventing diabetes and other health risks. Another tip to protect your health is to stay away from smoking, as it reduces the amount of insulin in your body, leaving you at a higher risk for developing diabetes. Lastly, talk to your doctor to see if your blood sugar levels are at a healthy rate.
All in all, diabetes is treatable, but poses certain health risks if not met with the proper care. Early detection and practicing healthy habits are great ways to prevent diabetes.
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