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The first step in preventing diabetes is knowing if you are in an
at-risk group for getting diabetes. The next step is recognizing the
symptoms of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 2 is a serious disease with
long-term health concerns and, if caught early, can be treated by
simply changing one’s eating habits and adding exercise to the daily
routine. Early detection is possible if you know what you are
looking for.
Some of the factors that put you at risk for getting diabetes 2 are
genetics, ethnicity, age, obesity and where you carry the weight,
i.e., an apple-shaped figure more prone to diabetes than
pear-shaped, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, sedentary
lifestyle and, for women, a history of diabetes in pregnancy or
having a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds at birth. If these
risk factors are present in your profile, you should be tested for
diabetes regularly.
Because the symptoms of diabetes closely resemble the signs of aging
or problems resulting from obesity, they can sometimes be missed or
ignored. Some people may have been living with diabetes for years
without knowing it. Untreated diabetes can lead to severe
complications including heart disease, nerve damage, loss of vision
and kidney failure.
Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst; because the body is
getting rid of more urine due to the excess levels of sugar, the
brain thinks it needs to dilute the blood. Increased urination is
another symptom, the body gets rid of extra sugar by excreting it in
urine, and this process takes a lot of water out of the body, too.
Increased insulin production also triggers hunger, so overeating is
a symptom. Scrapes and cuts do not heal well due to the increased
level of blood sugar; white blood cells are kept from their healing
and anti-infection functions. It is common for people with diabetes
to feel constantly lethargic or fatigued. The cells are not getting
the fuel they need from glucose and they are metabolizing fat cells
instead. This requires more energy, causing a sense of tiredness.
Unexplained weight loss is another result of the body metabolizing
fat cells and excreting more urine.
Some may also experience other symptoms of diabetes such as blurred
vision, altered mental state, headaches and dry mouth. Anyone
experiencing any of these symptoms should get their blood glucose
level checked by a health care professional. Early diagnosis can
prevent long-term complications if a treatment plan is implemented
and followed.
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