When I was a teenager, my Dad was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes; he was the reason that I became a Nurse. I observed my Dad struggle with the lifestyle of being a Diabetic. His unwillingness to accept that he was a Diabetic led him to have other health conditions such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, stroke, and lastly, kidney failure. I educated myself about Diabetes, monitored his blood sugars, provided him with daily insulin injections since he hated needles, and educated him on lifestyle behaviors that he needed to change to reverse this condition. My Dad was resistant to change and felt as if he was managing Diabetes just fine. In retrospect, I've learned that you can provide all the resources to a loved one to promote their health and decrease disease development, but they are the ultimate ones who should desire to change.
Let's talk about the types of Diabetes, diagnostic tests for Diabetes, signs and symptoms, how to prevent Diabetes, and the cost of Diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
Type 2 Diabetes is a preventable and reversible condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 38 million Americans have Diabetes, with approximately 90-95% of them having Type 2 diabetes.
When you eat food, your body breaks most of it into sugar and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar increases after eating, it signals the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body's cells to use as energy.
With Diabetes, your body doesn't release enough insulin, or the cells stop responding to insulin, which leads to elevated blood sugar levels that stay in your bloodstream.
What are the types of Diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake). This reaction stops your body from making insulin. Approximately 5-10% of the people who have diabetes have type 1. Type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed at any age, and symptoms often develop quickly. If you have type 1 diabetes, you'll need to take insulin every day to survive. Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes: With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't use insulin well and can't keep blood sugar at normal levels. About 90-95% of people with diabetes have type 2. It develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults (but more and more in children, teens, and young adults).
Gestational Diabetes: Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women who have never had diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes, your baby could be at higher risk for health problems. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after your baby is born. However, it increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. Your baby is more likely to have obesity as a child or teen and develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
Prediabetes: In the United States, about 98 million adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. More than 8 in 10 of them don't know they have it. With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Prediabetes raises your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
How is diabetes diagnosed?
The hemoglobin A1C (A1C) test is a laboratory test that can determine if you have diabetes or help you know how your treatment plan is working by giving you a picture of your average blood sugar over the past two to three months.
A1C test results are reported as a percentage. If your A1C level is between 5.7 and less than 6.5%, your levels have been in the prediabetes range. If you have an A1C level of 6.5% or higher, your levels are in the diabetes range.
What are the signs and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes?
Urinating often
Feeling very thirsty
Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating
Extreme fatigue
Blurry vision
Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
Weight loss—even though you are eating more (type 1)
Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)
Early detection and treatment of diabetes can decrease the risk of developing complications of diabetes.
How can I prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
If you have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, it is vital to be proactive with your health and educate yourself. You can also work with a Nurse Coach to assist you in lifestyle behavior changes to decrease your risk of becoming a diabetic.
Physical Activity: Talk to your doctor about clearance to engage in physical activity. Once you've gotten the clearance, start slowly and gradually build your momentum. Listen to your body and be patient with yourself. Exercise makes you feel better. Aim for 150 active minutes weekly, but again, if you haven't exercised, gradually increase your activity. It could be walking for 5 minutes, waiting a few hours, and walking another 5 minutes until you can build up to reaching 30 minutes in a day.
Educate yourself on Carbohydrates and Meal Prepping.
There are three main types of carbohydrates in food—starches, sugar, and fiber. As you'll see on the nutrition labels for the food you buy, "total carbohydrate" refers to all three types. The goal is to choose nutrient-dense carbs rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low in added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats.
When choosing carbohydrate foods:
Eat the most of these: whole, unprocessed, non-starchy vegetables.
Eat some of these: whole, minimally processed carbohydrate foods.
Try to eat less: refined, highly processed carbohydrate foods and those with added sugar.
Meal prepping is vital to help you stay on track to healthy eating. When preparing your meals, instead of ordering takeout, you know exactly what ingredients you put in your foods and can nourish your body with healthy food options.
Be mindful of your portion size and follow the Diabetes Plate Method.
Stop Smoking: smoking/vaping decreases the oxygen in the blood vessels and eventually prevents the heart and lungs from getting enough oxygen. If you smoke, you can get help from a Nurse Coach on quitting the habit or enroll in a free smoking cessation program provided by smokefree.gov.
The Cost of Diabetes
The Economic Report, published every five years, found that the total annual cost of diabetes in 2022 is $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in indirect costs. People with diagnosed diabetes now account for one of every four healthcare dollars spent in the U.S.
The expenses associated with living with diabetes can be quite challenging as there are various necessities such as insulin, needles, pills, checking strips, and glucometers. Unfortunately, in our current inflated economy, many people cannot afford the cost of managing their diabetes. Therefore, it is crucial to understand that diabetes is a preventable condition that requires a change in mindset.
If you want to prevent diabetes and improve your health, schedule a confidential Discovery call today.
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