Diabetes is a serious health condition that affects millions of Americans every year. This is why this American Diabetes month it’s important to educate and understand this chronic health condition so that you or a loved one can avoid getting full blown diabetes. More often than not, it is easily preventable and manageable if you do have it.

AFC Urgent Care Danbury has put together a guide so that you can better understand diabetes and your risks of developing it so that you can be more informed on how to avoid it.

Diabetes has more than one type

Lifestyle choices can be one of the factors that can cause diabetes. However, each type can also develop because of genetics or a family history of diabetes. Let’s explore each type of diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes is caused by an immune reaction where the body attacks itself by mistake. It’s less common than type 2, however this type of diabetes can stop your body from making insulin. Insulin is supposed to enable blood sugar to enter the cells in your body to be used for energy. Without insulin, blood sugar can’t get into the cells and builds up in the blood. High levels of blood sugar often leads to other health complications with the heart, kidneys and central nervous system. This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children, teens and young adults. If you are diagnosed with this type you’ll need to take insulin everyday to survive as high blood sugar may cause complications to other vital organs 

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes that affects millions of people in the United States. It’s usually diagnosed in adults, but can develop at any age. Normally, bad lifestyle habits and behaviors like smoking, not getting enough exercise and poor diet can lead to diabetes type 2. Someone with type 2 diabetes has trouble with insulin regulation. As the body does not respond normally to insulin the body will produce more of it, which can often lead to higher levels of blood sugar. Once diagnosed with type 2,  many individuals struggle with daily management and other health related complications.

Diabetes during pregnancy or “gestational diabetes” can be one of the more serious types as it can affect both you and your newborn. During pregnancy, a woman's body produces more hormones and goes through other changes, such as weight gain. According to the CDC all women have some insulin resistance during late pregnancy, which makes them more susceptible to developing gestational diabetes and even type 2 diabetes after pregnancy. 

Diabetes is on the rise and statistics don’t lie

Every year the CDC updates their database with information on diabetes, risk factors and management and it appears that numbers continue to rise as opposed to the previous years. If you don’t check your blood sugar levels regularly consider these statistics:

• Prevalence: In 2019, 37.3 million Americans, or 11.3% of the population, had diabetes.
• Nearly 1.9 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, including about 244,000 children and adolescents
• Diagnosed and undiagnosed: Of the 37.3 million adults with diabetes, 28.7 million were diagnosed, and 8.5 million were undiagnosed.
• Prevalence in seniors: The percentage of Americans age 65 and older remains high, at 29.2%, or 15.9 million seniors (diagnosed and undiagnosed).
• New cases: 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year.
• Prediabetes: In 2019, 96 million Americans age 18 and older had prediabetes as opposed to 84 million Americans in the previous year.
• In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled as the American population has aged, eaten poorly and/or become more overweight or obese.
• People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke than people without. 

If it’s been a while since your last blood work you’re probably wondering if you have prediabetes or diabetes.

Knowing your risks so you can avoid diabetes

Before getting into preventative care, first understand that there are warning signs for diabetes. If you notice any of these symptoms and risks, it’s imperative that you go to the doctor to get evaluated and blood work done. These symptoms and risks include one or more of the following:

What are your risks of developing diabetes?

• Being overweight ( in children be aware of childhood obesity)
• Family history of diabetes
• Not physically active
• High blood pressure or take medicine for high blood pressure
• Have low HDL cholesterol and/or high triglycerides
• Had diabetes during pregnancy
• Have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Watch out for these symptoms as these are associated with early onset diabetes:

• Increased thirst and urination
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Unexpected weight loss
• Increased hunger
• Slow-healing sores and frequent infections
• Red, swollen gums
• Tingling or numbness in your hands or feet

Are You Worried About Your Blood Sugar Levels Before The Holidays? Get Them Checked At AFC Urgent Care Danbury

Are you worried about your blood sugar levels and can’t get an appointment with your primary care? We can help at any of our AFC Urgent Care Locations in Danbury. We have 3 located on:

• 2 Main St.
• 100 Mill Plain Rd.
• 76c Newtown Rd.  

An A1C test can help you determine where your blood sugar levels are at. From there you can speak with your doctor about prevention. A lifestyle change like dieting, exercise and routine blood work and monitoring, may be needed to keep your blood sugar in check. 

AFC Urgent Care is open 7 days a week with no appointment needed. You can walk-in, or make an appointment online and we’ll take care of you!