Diabetes is on the rise and it’s not a condition you want to develop!
In light of American Diabetes Month, AFC Urgent Care New Britain wants to help educate those who are at risk of developing diabetes so that they can manage their blood sugar levels and prevent full blown diabetes. Maybe it’s been a while since you had blood work or a screening for diabetes. If so, then it’s time to come on in!
Here’s what you should know:
Diabetes is a serious health condition and it has more than one type
How does diabetes affect the body? Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. Our pancreas produces a hormone called insulin that uses sugar for energy. If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes as well as it should. Once diagnosed, people living with diabetes, whether it be Type 1 or Type 2, have to continue daily treatment and management in order to live a healthy life.
There are actually 3 main types of diabetes, which includes Type 1, 2 and then there is gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Type 2 is the most common diabetes that affects adults later in age, but can be easily influenced by lifestyle choices like poor diet, smoking and lack of exercise. People who have a family history can also increase the risk of developing diabetes.
Lastly, if you count prediabetes as a 4th type, then you should know that this group has a higher number than those diagnosed with full blown diabetes.
Diabetes Continues To Rise In Both Diabetics And Pre Diabetics
Every year the CDC updates their database with information on diabetes, risk factors and management. 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.
Pay Attention For These Signs And Risk Factors Of Diabetes
- Have prediabetes
- Are overweight
- Are 45 years or older
- Family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol
- Little to no physical activity per week
- Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Have high blood pressure or take medicine for high blood pressure
- Increased thirst and urination
- Increased hunger
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
- Sores that do not heal
- Unexplained weight loss
Don’t Ignore Diabetes As It Can Lead To Other Health Complications
Lifestyle choices and behaviors can easily be managed so that you don’t develop other health complications. According to NDDIK having diabetes puts you more at risk of developing heart disease. Heart disease is ranked as one of the top leading causes of death in the United States. Having diabetes also puts you at risk for heart attacks, stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and more. If smoking is a part of your lifestyle this can increase the risk even higher as your arteries will thin out and make your heart weaker.
American Diabetes Month is not the only time to focus on your blood sugar levels. We know that the holidays are coming and this could be your motivation to get in the habit of making healthier lifestyle choices and getting a checkup more often.
If you check your blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cholesterol/triglycerides regularly you have a better chance at managing diabetes or preventing it.
A1C Tests And Diabetes Screening At AFC Urgent Care New Britain 7 Days A Week!
AFC Urgent Care New Britain can help you stay on track of your blood sugar levels with a simple a1c test and a full checkup. We can also help point you in the right direction to better manage your diabetes or prevent you and your loved ones from developing it.
You can walk into our AFC Urgent Care located at 135 East Main Street, New Britain CT 06051 any day of the week. We also accept appointments and we accept most insurances.
