As November rolls in, so does the festive holiday season. After last year's disruptions, we can finally look forward to enjoying Grandma's delicious stuffing and an array of holiday treats. However, before indulging in the festivities, it's crucial to pay attention to your blood sugar levels. Diabetes can pose a serious health risk that might cast a shadow over your celebrations.
At AFC Urgent Care Natick, we want to help you stay informed during American Diabetes Month, empowering you to take proactive measures against diabetes. Let’s simplify the essentials.
Understanding Diabetes: The Different Types
It's vital to recognize that diabetes isn't a single condition but encompasses several types. The main types are Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, along with gestational diabetes, which affects women during pregnancy.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that disrupts how your body converts food into energy. Your pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that enables your body to use sugar for energy. If you have diabetes, your body either doesn't produce enough insulin or can't use it effectively.
Here are the three primary types of diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes: Typically diagnosed in children, adolescents, and young adults, this type occurs when the body cannot produce insulin, requiring daily insulin injections.
- Type 2 Diabetes: The most common form, primarily affecting adults, though it can develop at any age. It’s often linked to unhealthy lifestyle choices, including poor diet, lack of exercise, and smoking.
- Gestational Diabetes: This type occurs during pregnancy in women who previously had no diabetes history, resulting from the body’s inability to produce adequate insulin during pregnancy.
The Growing Concern of Diabetes
Diabetes is becoming an increasingly serious issue in the United States. As of 2019, about 37.3 million Americans—approximately 11.3% of the population—were living with diabetes, including nearly 1.9 million individuals with Type 1 diabetes. Family history and unhealthy lifestyle choices can heighten your risk of developing diabetes. Furthermore, those with diabetes face a greater risk of heart disease and stroke, highlighting the importance of addressing this condition.
Additionally, prediabetes is becoming more common, and many individuals may not even realize they are prediabetic.
Recognizing Symptoms and Risk Factors
Common risk factors for diabetes include:
- Prediabetes
- Being overweight
- Age 45 or older
- Family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, or cholesterol issues
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Gestational diabetes during pregnancy or having given birth to a baby over 9 pounds
- High blood pressure or the use of medication for it
Symptoms of diabetes can present as:
- Increased thirst and frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- Slow-healing wounds
- Unintentional weight loss
Managing Diabetes to Avoid Complications
It's crucial to manage your lifestyle choices to prevent complications related to diabetes. The condition increases the risk of heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. It can also lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes, especially in smokers.
This year, American Diabetes Month emphasizes the relationship between diabetes and cardiovascular health. Regular monitoring of your blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol is essential for effective diabetes management and prevention.
AFC Urgent Care Natick Can Check Your Blood Sugar
AFC Urgent Care Natick offers routine blood tests for diabetes management. If you're unable to get an appointment with your primary care doctor, visit us—we're open seven days a week, and no appointment is needed. We accept most insurance plans.
Taking control of your health is a proactive move towards a happier, healthier life. Plus, our convenient online payment system allows you to handle your bills with just a few clicks, no matter where you are.
