| If you are not exercising, if you are overweight, and if | | | | condition arrives gradually but usually without warning. |
| you are eating a diet heavy in starchy, sugary goods, | | | | There may be no signs of it or the signs are so |
| you are setting yourself up for diabetes. | | | | insignificant that no one pays attention. However, if you |
| When you have diabetes you cells are not getting | | | | are 45 years or older, pay attention, because that is |
| enough energy-producing sugar or glucose. With Type | | | | the age when problems with blood sugar control |
| 1 diabetes you probably lack the insulin you need to | | | | usually begin. |
| regulate the amount of glucose that goes to your cells | | | | Also known as impaired glucose intolerance by the |
| which results in a high sugar blood level. This type of | | | | medical profession, prediabetes is a term that refers to |
| diabetes is generally found in children and young adults | | | | the 41 million people in the U.S. who have blood glucose |
| and its source may be genetic or a virus. | | | | levels higher than normal but not high enough to be |
| With Type 2 diabetes, there is not enough insulin | | | | classified as diabetes.Recognizing the importance of |
| present to make it effective. This is the most common | | | | diagnosing prediabetes because treatment of the |
| diabetes among overweight adults usually in their 50s | | | | condition may prevent type 2 diabetes as well as all |
| and 60s. However, children as young as 12 have been | | | | those complications associated with type 2 diabetes. |
| reported to have Type 2 diabetes. | | | | Doctors now know that the complications associated |
| It is important to pay attention to these signs because | | | | with prediabetes, such as heart and blood vessel |
| they may indicate that your body is no longer able to | | | | disease and eye and kidney disease, take place |
| control your blood sugar. | | | | before the diabetes diagnosis is made. |
| - Frequent urination; | | | | You are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes if you |
| - Extreme thirst; | | | | fall within one of these categories: |
| - Weight loss without dieting; | | | | - Have a family history of type 2 diabetes; |
| - Weakness and fatigue; | | | | - You are a woman who had gestational diabetes or |
| - Blurred vision; | | | | had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds; |
| - Tingling or numbness in legs, hands or feet. Untreated, | | | | - You are a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome |
| diabetes can lead to blindness, heart disease and | | | | PCOS; |
| kidney disease. Your are also more susceptible to | | | | - You are African American, Native American, Latino, |
| infection and your cuts do not heal as well as they | | | | or Pacific Islander, minority groups that are more |
| should.Your doctor can test you for glucose | | | | affected by diabetes; |
| intolerance which is a prediabetic condition. All this | | | | - You are overweight or obese especially around the |
| means is that you are not in the diabetic range but you | | | | abdomen; |
| are getting close to it. | | | | - You have high cholesterol, high triglycerides and high |
| You should also know that diabetes cannot be cured | | | | blood pressure; |
| but it can be treated. You can live a healthy life when | | | | - You are inactive; |
| you keep your blood sugar under control. Sometimes | | | | - You are over 70 because as people age they are |
| just modifying your life slightly can keep your blood | | | | less able to process glucose the right way. |
| sugar levels normal. | | | | Treatment for pre diabetes |
| - Eat low-fat, low-calorie foods; | | | | - Eat a healthy diet and lose weight; |
| - Reduce the portion size of your goods; | | | | - A 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in weight makes |
| - Lose weight; | | | | a huge difference. |
| - Limit the time you spend on the couch and the | | | | - Exercise at least 30 minutes for 5 days a week. You |
| computer; | | | | can split the activity up into shorter periods. Select an |
| - Get a yearly diabetes screening from your doctor. | | | | activity you enjoy so you will stay with the exercise. |
| Who is At Risk for Developing Type 2 Diabetes? | | | | - Stop smoking. |
| Before people develop Type 2 diabetes, a condition | | | | - Treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol. In |
| called prediabetes usually takes place. Interestingly, this | | | | other words, choose a healthy lifestyle and stay with it. |