Warning Signs Diabetes

"How to Prevent Diabetes as You Age"

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What is Diabetes?

Warning signs diabetes are easy to detect if you know what you are looking for. But before we talk about this, it will help if we understand a little about what the condition is.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot produce insulin or cannot use insulin to its full potential. It is characterized by high blood glucose levels. Much of the food we eat is turned into sugar, which our bodies use for energy. The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin to help this sugar (glucose) enter the cells of our bodies.

Sometimes the body does not make enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it creates efficiently, which causes sugar to build up in the bloodstream.

Unfortunately, this situation can cause serious problems including heart disease, and kidney failure. It can also lead to blindness and loss of the lower extremities, which can develop gangrene and have to be amputated.

The two videos below will give you a better understanding of this disease and how it can be managed.

If you do not have Type 1 diabetes, which usually starts in childhood, there is good news. Type 2 can be controlled by simple lifestyle changes and these same changes can prevent the development of the disease.

Early Symptoms Diabetes

Although there are many symptoms that appear before these extreme health issues occur, the diabetic often ignores them or they are not diagnosed properly.

Some of these symptoms are continual urination and insatiable thirst, tingling or numbness in the arms legs and feet, weakness, tiredness, blurred vision and dry or itchy skin. If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should consult your doctor.

The two major types of diabetes

Type 1 or insulin-dependent

Type 1, also called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a disorder of the body's immune system. As the name juvenile diabetes suggest typically developed as a child or young adult. The immune system it attacks is the means by which the body protects itself from bacteria, viruses and other invaders. Unfortunately the disease also destroys cells in the pancreas and this means no insulin protection is possible.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms often appear suddenly and include high levels of sugar in the blood and urine, frequent urination, hunger, thirst, weight loss, weakness, tiredness, mood swings, nausea and vomiting. The disease cannot be controlled by life-style changes and has to be controlled through injections of insulin.

A third form of diabetes, called monogenic diabetes, is sometimes mistaken for type 1 diabetes.

The pancreatic cells which are attacked by the disease normally produce ia hormone that helps the body move the glucose contained in food into cells throughout the body, which use it for energy.

But when these cells are destroyed, no insulin can be produced, and the glucose remaina in the blood, where it eventually causes serious damage to all the organs and systems of the body.

People with diabetes must carefully balance their food intake and their exercise to regulate their blood sugar levels, in an attempt to avoid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), which can be life threatening.

People with type 1 diabetes have to control their condition through daily insulin injections or have insulin delivered through a pump. They also have to test their blood sugar several times a day.

The specific warning signs of type 1 diabetes include sugar in urine; extreme thirst; frequent urination; drowsiness or lethargy; sudden weight loss; sudden vision changes; increased appetite; and people with the disease often have a fruity, sweet, or wine-like odor on breath. More serious symptoms include heavy, labored breathing; stupor; and unconsciousness.

Scientists do not yet know exactly what causes type 1 diabetes, but they believe that genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Type 2 Diabetes

The most common form of the illness that hits elderly people is Type 2, which can be controlled by losing weight, changing eating patterns and exercise.

The considerably more common variety of the disease, Type 2 is directly linked to an unhealthy diet and inactive lifestyle. Up to 95% of the millions of people affected by diabetes are suffering from Type 2 diabetes.

This form of the disease typically affects people over the age of 45, who are also overweight. Those suffering from type 2 are unable to produce enough insulin, and sugar builds up in the bloodstream.

Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes can produce insulin; but they either don't produce enough or their body is insulin resistant and cannot process this insulin efficiently.

When glucose or sugar builds up in the bloodstream instead of being channeled to the different cells of the body and the body is of deprived of energy and reacts with the following symptoms:-

Dehydration - This is the most common problem and is caused by an increase in urination as the body tries to rid itself of the buildup meaning a large amount of water is also lost causing dehydration.

Diabetic Coma - If the diabetic then is unable to drink enough fluid to make up for the water loss, they may go into a coma, which can be life-threatening.

Damage to the body - Over time, the high glucose levels may damage the nerves and small blood vessels of the eyes, kidneys, and heart. This can lead to hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis or even lead to heart attack or stroke.

Type 2 symptoms include thirst and a regular need to urinate, irritability nausea and tiredness. Other early symptoms of diabetes include skin infections, blurry vision, tingling or dry skin, although often these symptoms are very mild.

The most common form of the illness that hits elderly people is Type 2, which can be controlled by losing weight, changing eating patterns and exercise.

We have already talked about the signs of diabetes, but below we are going to recap on these diabetes symptoms, as it is important to manage the disease before it has the time to cause any lasting damage.

Warning Signs Diabetes

So what are the warning signs of diabetes we should be on the lookout for? The signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are very similar. In both cases, as explained in this article, there is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. Your body reacts with these warning signs and you may have any combination of the eight diabetes symptoms mentioned below:

1. Frequent need to urinate

Are you visiting the bathroom much more frequently that you used to and having to look for a toilet whenever you are in a strange place? If you feel like you are urinating almost non-stop.

2. Unquenchable Thirst

Unquenchable thirst is another of the signs of diabetes. If you need to drink more or less non stop, but you are still thirsty, it could be a sign of diabetes, especially if it seems to go hand in hand with frequent urination.

3. Losing Weight Without Trying

This symptom is more noticeable with Type 1 diabetes. In Type 2 diabetes the weight loss happens more gradually.

4. Weakness and Fatigue

If you feel tired and run down all the time and for no obvious reason, this could also be a warning of diabetes.

5. Tingling or Numbness in Your Hands, Legs and/or Feet

This is called neuropathy and is caused by damage to the nerves because, particularly in Type 2 diabetes, people do not realize they have the disease until damage has been done. Neuropathy can very often improve when the blood sugar levels become balanced again.

6. Blurred vision is another problem that can indicate that a person has diabetes and should never be ignored.

7. Skin that is dry and itchy is often a problem for people as they age and is also often a sign of problems with the blood sugar.

8. Frequent infections and skin problems, cuts or bruises which take a long time to heal.

If you notice any of the above signs, schedule an appointment with your doctor or go to the pharmacy to have a blood sugar test.

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes as we Age

One way of avoiding developing this disease is by keeping your weight down, through watching what you eat and exercising regularly. In fact, obesity is the number one reason that diabetics are becoming more numerous throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization there were 177 million people living with the disease in 2000, but they predict this will rise to over 300 million by 2025.

If you are diagnosed with Type 2, or if you are suffering from a pre-diabetic condition your doctor will probably send you to a dietitian who will explain to you which foods you can eat as well as what to avoid. Normally, you will be advised to have five or six small meals a day, instead of three meals.

A Word of Caution

Eating healthily and exercising regularly helps to slow down the aging process and prevent avoidable diseases.

Although the web is a fantastic resource for finding out as much as possible about different illnesses, remember that this advice cannot replace the diagnosis of a doctor who has studied medicine for many years and has the practical experience to analyze the different symptoms.

Continue to Diabetes Resources Links

Always consult a doctor if you are worried about your health