Diabetes is often called the silent killer because of its easy-to-miss symptoms. "Almost every day people come into my office with diabetes who don't know it,"
The best way to pick up on it is to have a blood sugar test. But if you have these symptoms, see your doctor.
Individuals can experience different signs and symptoms of diabetes, and sometimes there may be no signs. Some of the signs commonly experienced include:
If you need to urinate frequently particularly if you often have to get up at night to use the bathroom it could be a symptom of diabetes.
The kidneys kick into high gear to get rid of all that extra glucose in the blood, hence the urge to relieve yourself, sometimes several times during the night.
The excessive thirst means your body is trying to replenish those lost fluids.
These two symptoms go hand in hand and are some of "your body's ways of trying to manage high blood sugar.
2)Weight loss
Overly high blood sugar levels can also cause rapid weight loss, say 10 to 20 pounds over two or three months but this is not a healthy weight loss.
Because the insulin hormone isn't getting glucose into the cells, where it can be used as energy, the body thinks it's starving and starts breaking down protein from the muscles as an alternate source of fuel.
The kidneys are also working overtime to eliminate the excess sugar, and this leads to a loss of calories (and can harm the kidneys). "These are processes that require a lot of energy.
3)Hunger
Excessive pangs of hunger, another sign of diabetes, can come from sharp peaks and lows in blood sugar levels.
When blood sugar levels plummet, the body thinks it hasn't been fed and craves more of the glucose that cells need to function.
4)Skin problems
Itchy skin, perhaps the result of dry skin or poor circulation, can often be a warning sign of diabetes, as are other skin conditions, such as acanthosis nigricans.
"This is a darkening of the skin around the neck or armpit area,"People who have this already have an insulin resistance process occurring even though their blood sugar might not be high. When I see this, I want to check their blood sugar."
5)Slow healing
Infections, cuts, and bruises that don't heal quickly are another classic sign of diabetes.
This usually happens because the blood vessels are being damaged by the excessive amounts of glucose traveling the veins and arteries.
This makes it hard for blood needed to facilitate healing to reach different areas of the body.
6)Yeast infections
"Diabetes is considered an immunosuppressed state. That means heightened susceptibility to a variety of infections, although the most common are yeast (candida) and other fungal infections, she says. Fungi and bacteria both thrive in sugar-rich environments.
Women, in particular, need to watch out for vaginal candida infections.
7)Fatigue and irritability
"When people have high blood sugar levels, depending on how long it's been, they can get used to chronically not feeling well, "Sometimes that's what brings them into the office."
Getting up to go to the bathroom several times during the night will make anyone tired, as will the extra effort your body is expending to compensate for its glucose deficiency.
And being tired will make you irritable. "We see people whose blood sugar has been really high, and when we bring the blood sugar down, it's not uncommon that I hear, ‘I didn't realize how bad I felt.
8)Blurry vision
Having distorted vision and seeing floaters or occasional flashes of light are a direct result of high blood sugar levels.
"Blurry vision is a refraction problem. When the glucose in the blood is high, it changes the shape of the lens and the eye.
The good news is that this symptom is reversible once blood sugar levels are returned to normal or near normal. But let your blood sugar go unchecked for long periods and the glucose will cause permanent damage, possibly even blindness. And that's not reversible.
9)Blood tests
Several tests are used to check for diabetes, but a single test result is never enough on its own to diagnose diabetes (the test has to be repeated).
One is the fasting plasma glucose test, which checks your blood sugar after a night (or eight hours) of not eating.
Blood glucose above 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) on two occasions means you have diabetes.
The normal cutoff is 99 mg/dL while a blood sugar level of 100 to 125 mg/dL is considered prediabetes, a serious condition on its own.
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, the bodies of people with type 2 diabetes make insulin. But either their pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin well enough. This is called insulin resistance. When there isn't enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, glucose (sugar) can't get into the body's cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, the body's cells are not able to function properly. Other problems associated with the buildup of glucose in the blood include:
Damage to the body. Over time, the high glucose levels in the blood can damage the nerves and small blood vessels of the eyes, kidneys, and heart and lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries that can cause heart attack and stroke.
Dehydration. The buildup of sugar in the blood can cause an increase in urination, causing dehydration.
Diabetic coma (hyperosmolar nonketotic diabetic coma). When a person with type 2 diabetes becomes very ill or severely dehydrated and is not able to drink enough fluids to make up for the fluid losses, they may develop this life-threatening complication.
Type 2 Diabetes in Children
More and more children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Find out about type 2 diabetes symptoms in children, the diagnosis, and the treatment of type 2 diabetes in childhood. If your child is at risk for childhood diabetes, it’s important to learn specific self-care tips to help prevent diabetes.
Who Gets Type 2 Diabetes?
Anyone can get type 2 diabetes. But those at highest risk for the disease are those who:
Are over 45
Are obese or overweight
Have had gestational diabetes
Have family members who have type 2 diabetes
Have prediabetes
Don't exercise
Have low HDL cholesterol or high triglycerides
Have high blood pressure
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can cause serious health complications. That's why is very important to know how to spot type 2 diabetes symptoms. Even prediabetes can increase the chance of heart disease, just like type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Talk to your doctor about preventive measures you can take now to reduce the chance of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes due to high blood sugar may include:
Increased thirst
Increased hunger (especially after eating)
Dry mouth
Frequent urination
Unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry)
Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
Blurred vision
Headaches
Loss of consciousness (rare)
Contact your health care provider if you have any type 2 diabetes symptoms or if you have further questions about type 2 diabetes. It's important to get diabetes testing and start a treatment plan early to prevent serious diabetes complications.
Type 2 diabetes is usually not diagnosed until health complications have occurred. Most often, there are no diabetes symptoms or a very gradual development of the above symptoms of type 2 diabetes. In fact, about one out of every four people with type 2 diabetes don't know they have it.
Other symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include:
Slow-healing sores or cuts
Itching of the skin (usually around the vaginal or groin area)
Frequent yeast infections
Recent weight gain or unexplained weight loss
Velvety dark skin changes of the neck, armpit, and groin, called acanthosis nigricans
Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
Decreased vision
Impotency.
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a number of diseases that involve problems with the hormone insulin. While not everyone with type 2 diabetes is overweight, obesity and lack of physical activity are two of the most common causes of this form of diabetes. It is also responsible for nearly 95% of diabetes cases in the United States, according to the CDC.
This article will give you a better understanding of the causes of type 2 diabetes, what happens in the body when type 2 diabetes occurs, and specific health problems that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Each section links to more in-depth information on that topic.
In a healthy person, the pancreas (an organ behind the stomach) releases insulin to help the body store and use the sugar from the food you eat.
Diabetes happens when one of the following occurs:
When the pancreas does not produce any insulin.
When the pancreas produces very little insulin.
When the body does not respond appropriately to insulin, a condition called "insulin resistance."
Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes produce insulin; however, the insulin their pancreas secretes is either not enough or the body is unable to recognize the insulin and use it properly (insulin resistance). When there isn't enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, glucose (sugar) can't get into the body's cells and builds up in the bloodstream instead. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it causes damage in multiple areas of the body. Also, since cells aren't getting the glucose they need, they can't function properly.
The Role of Insulin in the Cause of Type 2 Diabetes
To understand why insulin is important, it helps to know more about how the body uses food for energy. Your body is made up of millions of cells. To make energy, these cells need food in a very simple form. When you eat or drink, much of the food is broken down into a simple sugar called "glucose." Then, glucose is transported through the bloodstream to these cells where it can be used to provide the energy the body needs for daily activities.
The amount of glucose in the bloodstream is tightly regulated by insulin and other hormones. Insulin is always being released in small amounts by the pancreas. When the amount of glucose in the blood rises to a certain level, the pancreas will release more insulin to push more glucose into the cells. This causes the glucose levels in the blood (blood glucose levels) to drop.
To keep blood glucose levels from getting too low (hypoglycemia or low blood sugar), the body signals you to eat and releases some glucose from the stores kept in the liver; it also signals the body to lower the amount of insulin being released.
People with diabetes either don't make insulin or their body's cells no longer are able to recognize insulin, leading to high blood sugars. By definition, diabetes is having a blood glucose level of greater than or equal to126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) after an overnight fast (not eating anything), or by having a non-fasting glucose level greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL along with symptoms of diabetes, or a glucose level of greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL on a 2-hour glucose tolerance test, or an A1C greater than or equal to 6.5%. Diabetes must be confirmed by meeting at least two of these test criteria, or by repeating one of these tests on a different day.
Health Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is believed to have a strong genetic link, meaning that it tends to run in families. Several genes are being studied that may be related to the cause of type 2 diabetes. If you have any of the following type 2 diabetes risk factors, it’s important to ask your doctor about a diabetes test. With a proper diabetes diet and healthy lifestyle habits, along with diabetes medication, if necessary, can manage type 2 diabetes just like you manage other areas of your life. Be sure to continue seeking the latest information on type 2 diabetes as you become your own health advocate.
Other type 2 diabetes risk factors include the following:
High blood pressure
High blood triglyceride (fat) levels
Gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
High-fat and carbohydrate diet
High alcohol intake
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity or being overweight
Ethnicity: Certain groups, such as African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Japanese Americans, have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.
Aging: Increasing age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes begins to rise significantly at about age 45, and rises considerably after age 65.
Can You Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
You can take steps to help prevent type 2 diabetes.
Focus on the things you can change, like your diet and how active you are, and not on the things that you can't change, like your age or family medical history.
Your doctor can let you know where you stand now. Many people have prediabetes, which means they're on the path toward developing type 2 diabetes. But many of them don’t know they can still turn that around.
First Line of Defense: Weight, Diet, and Exercise
Losing extra pounds, eating better, and becoming more active are some of the most important steps you can take.
There are people who aren't overweight who have type 2 diabetes. But extra weight definitely puts you at risk for the disease.
In one study, being overweight or obese was the single most important thing that predicted who would develop type 2 diabetes. The study results showed that over 16 years, regular exercise -- at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week -- and a low-fat, high-fiber diet helped prevent type 2 diabetes.
Do You Need Medicine?
If you're at high risk for diabetes, your doctor may recommend going on medication to help you prevent getting it.
Several studies show that various types of diabetes drugs, along with a healthy lifestyle, can cut the odds of getting diabetes in a high-risk person.
One clinical trial, the Diabetes Prevention Program done by the National Institutes of Health, showed that people who have a high risk of getting type 2 diabetes could lower that risk by 31% when using the prescription diabetes drug metformin along with lifestyle and diet changes.
That's good. But the NIH study also showed that the risk of diabetes could be lowered even more just by making intensive lifestyle changes .
A Healthy Type 2 Diabetes Diet
Eating right is a big part of managing your diabetes. It can make a big difference in keeping your blood sugar level under control.
When you're building your diet, four of the main things to focus on are carbs, fiber, fat, and salt. Here's what you should know about each of them.
Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining
Carbs
Carbs give you fuel. They affect your blood sugar faster than fats or protein.
Carbohydrates are mainly found in the following food groups:
Fruit
Milk and yogurt
Bread, cereal, rice, pasta
Starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, and beans
Some carbs are simple, like sugar. Other carbs are complex, like those found in beans, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains.
Complex carbohydrates are better for you because they take longer for your body to digest, giving you a steady source of energy. They also give you fiber.
What Is Carbohydrate Counting?
Carbohydrate counting is keeping track of the carbs you eat each day. Counting grams of carbohydrate, and splitting them evenly between meals, will help you control your blood sugar.
If you eat more carbohydrates than your insulin supply can handle, your blood sugar level goes up. If you eat too little, your blood sugar level may fall too low. These fluctuations can be managed by knowing how to count your carbohydrate intake.
You monitor how much carbohydrate (sugar and starch) you eat daily. One carbohydrate serving equals 15 grams of carbohydrates.
A registered dietitian can help you figure out a carbohydrate counting plan that meets your specific needs. For adults, a typical plan includes three to four carbohydrate servings at each meal, and one to two carbohydrate servings as snacks.
With carbohydrate counting, you can pick almost any food product off the shelf, read the label, and use the information about grams of carbohydrates to fit the food into your type 2 diabetes meal plan.
Carbohydrate counting is most useful for people who take multiple daily injections of insulin, use the insulin pump, or want more flexibility and variety in their food choices. But anyone can use it.
Fiber
Fiber comes from plant foods. It helps with digestion and blood sugar control. Fiber also makes you feel fuller, so you eat less, which is a plus if you need to lose weight.
High-fiber diets are linked to lower odds of getting high blood pressure and heart disease.
Most Americans don't eat enough fiber. The best way to get more fiber is to eat more of these fiber-rich foods:
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Cooked dried beans and peas
Whole-grain breads, cereals, and crackers
Brown rice
Bran products
Fat
Diabetes makes you more likely to get heart disease. So limiting fat, especially saturated fat and artificial trans fats, is key.
The main sources of saturated fats are cheese, beef, milk, and baked items.
Avoid artificial trans fats, which are bad for your heart. Check the ingredients list for "partially hydrogenated" oils. Also, know that if a product says "0 grams trans fat," it may actually have up to half a gram of trans fat per serving, which can add up.
Try these tips for choosing and cooking low-fat foods:
Choose lean cuts of meat.
Don't fry foods. Instead, you can bake, broil, grill, roast, or boil.
Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Include them in your daily carbohydrate count.
Use low-fat vegetable cooking spray, or consider using cholesterol-lowering margarine containing stanols or sterols.
Use liquid vegetable oils instead of solid fats.
Select lower-fat margarines, gravies, and salad dressings, and check the carbohydrate count on condiments and dressings.
A registered dietitian can give you more information on how to prepare and choose low-fat foods.
Salt
Diabetes makes you more likely to get high blood pressure. Too much salt can add to that risk. Your doctor or dietitian may ask you to limit or avoid:
Salt and seasoned salt (or salt seasonings)
Boxed mixes of potatoes, rice, and pasta
Canned meats
Canned soups and vegetables (with salt)
Cured or processed foods
Ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, other spreads, and canned sauces
Packaged soups, gravies, and sauces
Pickled foods
Processed meats: lunch meat, sausage, bacon, and ham
Olives
Salty snack foods
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Soy and steak sauces.
Low-Salt Cooking Tips
Use fresh ingredients and foods with no salt added.
For favorite recipes, you may need to use other ingredients and eliminate or decrease the salt you would normally add.
Try orange or pineapple juice as a base for meat marinades.
Check the sodium on food labels.
Choose frozen entrees that have 600 milligrams or less of sodium. Limit yourself to one of these frozen entrees per day.
Use fresh, frozen, no-added-salt canned vegetables, or canned vegetables that have been rinsed before they are prepared.
If you buy canned soup, look for lower-sodium products.
Avoid mixed seasonings and spice blends that include salt, such as garlic salt.
What Seasonings Can Replace Salt?
Herbs and spices are the answer to improving the natural flavors in food without using salt. Below are some mixtures to use for meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, soups, and salads.
Spicy Blend
2 tablespoons dried savory, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
Saltless Surprise
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon powdered lemon rind or dehydrated lemon juice
Herb Seasoning
2 tablespoons dried dill weed or basil leaves, crumbled
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
A pinch of freshly ground pepper
Spicy Seasoning
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon coriander seed (crushed)
1 tablespoon rosemary.
What to Know Before You Exercise With Diabetes:
Exercise may do more things for you than you realize, if you have diabetes.
You probably already know that it's good for your heart, and that it can help you lose weight. But did you know that it will lower your blood sugar levels by prompting your body to use insulin more effectively? It may also help you need less medication, insulin, or other therapies.
Over time, it can help your A1C level, which reflects your blood sugar control over the past 3 months. Plus, exercise makes you less likely to get heart disease, and it can help you lose weight when coupled with dieting.
Start with these 7 simple strategies:
10 Muscle Moves to Help Tame Diabetes
1. Check in with your doctor first.
Your doctor will make sure you're ready for whatever you want to do. Just a few things, like lifting heavy weights, can be dangerous if diabetes has damaged the blood vessels in your eyes, or if you have cataracts or glaucoma. And if you have diabetes-related nerve damage in your feet, you may need to choose activities that don't put too much pressure on your feet. There will still be plenty of things you can do. Your doctor should be able to advise you on what you can do, and may also recommend taking an exercise stress test.
2. Do what you like.
You can generally do just about any type of exercise you enjoy when you have diabetes. Walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, and other cardio activities are great for torching calories and getting your heart pumping. Your goal: Build up to at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity.
3. Add some strength training to your routine twice a week.
Using weights or working with resistance bands helps build muscle. More muscle activity also boosts your metabolism, so you'll burn more calories throughout the day and night, even after your workout.
4. Check your meds and your blood sugar.
Be sure to ask your doctor about how any medicine you're taking might affect you during exercise. Some drugs may make your blood sugar drop too low, causing dizziness, fainting, or seizures. Simple steps, such as testing your blood sugar before you work out and eating a snack if your level is below 100, can help a lot. You may also want to keep some juice or glucose tablets on hand for a quick boost if your sugar does drop unexpectedly. If you take insulin or other medications, ask your doctor if you need to adjust them on days you exercise or just before heading to the gym.
10 Muscle Moves to Help Tame Diabetes
1. Check in with your doctor first.
Your doctor will make sure you're ready for whatever you want to do. Just a few things, like lifting heavy weights, can be dangerous if diabetes has damaged the blood vessels in your eyes, or if you have cataracts or glaucoma. And if you have diabetes-related nerve damage in your feet, you may need to choose activities that don't put too much pressure on your feet. There will still be plenty of things you can do. Your doctor should be able to advise you on what you can do, and may also recommend taking an exercise stress test.
2. Do what you like.
You can generally do just about any type of exercise you enjoy when you have diabetes. Walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, and other cardio activities are great for torching calories and getting your heart pumping. Your goal: Build up to at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity.
3. Add some strength training to your routine twice a week.
Using weights or working with resistance bands helps build muscle. More muscle activity also boosts your metabolism, so you'll burn more calories throughout the day and night, even after your workout.
4. Check your meds and your blood sugar.
Be sure to ask your doctor about how any medicine you're taking might affect you during exercise. Some drugs may make your blood sugar drop too low, causing dizziness, fainting, or seizures. Simple steps, such as testing your blood sugar before you work out and eating a snack if your level is below 100, can help a lot. You may also want to keep some juice or glucose tablets on hand for a quick boost if your sugar does drop unexpectedly. If you take insulin or other medications, ask your doctor if you need to adjust them on days you exercise or just before heading to the gym.
5. Start safely.
When it's time to get moving, warm up before and cool down after. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise so you don't get dehydrated. It's normal to have some mild soreness after you start working out, and you should be breathing harder when you're exercising. It's unlikely, but if you have any sudden pain; or if you can't catch your breath after slowing down or stopping; or if you get lightheaded – stop, and let your doctor know about any problems.
6. Get the right gear.
When you have diabetes, you have to be on the lookout for foot problems. Check your feet before and after you exercise for any blisters or irritation. Moisture-wicking socks and gel insoles can help protect your feet.
It's also a good idea to wear a medical ID tag so that others will know about your condition in the event of an emergency.
7. Hire help.
If you're new to exercise, consider booking a few sessions with a personal trainer -- ideally someone who has experience working with people who have diabetes. A professional can help you learn the basics, including how to avoid injury, and guide you in setting a routine you can stick with.
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