“When I work, a lot of times I have to lose weight, and I do that, but in my regular life I was not eating right, and I was not getting enough exercise. But by the nature of my diet and that lifestyle – boom! The end result was high blood sugars that reach the levels where it becomes Type 2 diabetes. I share that with a gajillion other people.”
– Tom Hanks
November is American Diabetes Month, an important time to spread awareness about a disease affecting millions of people in the United States.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects over 34 million Americans and occurs when the levels of blood sugar are too high. The incidence of diabetes has doubled in the last 20 years alone, as the American population has aged and has become more overweight or obese.
There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes, seen more commonly in children, teens, and young adults, occurs when the body doesn’t produce insulin or enough of it, and accounts for 5-10% of the diagnosed cases. Insulin is a hormone that allows sugar to produce energy for the body. Currently, there is no known way to prevent Type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 is the most common type observed and accounts for 90-95% of cases. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t make sufficient insulin or use it efficiently (insulin resistance). Mostly found in adults, this condition is increasingly being diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes (more on this later).
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy for the first time, and when left untreated and uncontrolled, it can create medical complications for the baby and the mother.
Additionally, it’s important to note that another condition called prediabetes, a diagnosis which precedes type 2 diabetes. One in three adults in the U.S. have prediabetes, and most are unaware that they have it.
Prediabetes is a serious health condition and occurs when the fasting blood sugars are higher than the normal (100-125 mg/dL) but it is not high enough to be diagnosed for type 2 diabetes (126 mg/dL and higher).
How diabetes can affect your body?
According to the CDC, over time, diabetes can adversely affect various parts of your body when left untreated.
- Heart: People with diabetes are twice more likely to develop heart disease than those without it. The high blood sugar damages the nerves and blood vessels controlling the heart.
- Kidney: 1 in 3 people with diabetes develop Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The high blood sugar levels destroy the cells in the kidney that can affect the ability of the kidneys to filter out waste. Over time, this can lead to kidney failure.
- Nerves: About half of those who have diabetes have nerve problems affecting the body in two ways. One kind of nerve damage involves the hands and legs, leading to mild numbness and pain, and makes it difficult to do regular activities. The other type of nerve damage is to the heart, stomach, urinary bladder, and other organs in your body which can affect the optimal functioning of those organs.
- Sense organs: Diabetes can affect your oral health, vision, and hearing. People with diabetes are prone to developing plaque, leading to tooth decay, gum disease, and, eventually, tooth loss. They are twice as likely to develop a loss in hearing and balance as the high blood sugar damages the nerves and vessels inside the ear. A common outcome of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, where the impaired growth of the new vessels affects the vision in both the eyes. People who have diabetes are also more prone to developing cataract and glaucoma.
- Mental Health: Diabetes distress is a side effect condition that can affect some people with diabetes. It is the stress that arises from battling with the disease daily. It may lead the person suffering from it to fall into unhealthy lifestyle habits that worsen his or her diabetes.
Some of the above conditions may show no symptoms at all, and it makes it even more crucial to schedule regular health and wellness checkups with Dr. Arun Villivalam, one of the Los Gatos family doctors to stay on top of your health.
Simple Lifestyle Tips to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes and Manage it
If you are at risk for Type 2 diabetes or are prediabetic, you stand a good chance at preventing it or delaying the condition. Simple lifestyle changes can bring about significant changes in your journey toward diabetes prevention or management.
The suggested changes to your lifestyle below will keep you energetic while also lowering your risk of developing and managing complications from Type 2 diabetes.
- Stay Active and Exercise Regularly
Staying physically active and exercising, especially aerobic exercise, coupled with strength training, has direct positive effects on diabetes. It helps to lose weight, improve your insulin levels, and lower and stabilize blood sugar. Exercise also helps ease stress and boosts your mental health.
- Make Healthier Diet Choices
Having diabetes doesn’t mean having to punish yourself for the rest of your life with bland food. On the contrary, variety and portion control are your allies in preventing or managing the condition. Less processed or more fibrous foods are your best bet because of their low glycemic index, which has a beneficial impact on your sugar levels — hink whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans. Aim for lesser fat and sugar in your diet. Also, consider less red meat, and less processed meats!
- Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol
Smoking has no positive health effects and can cause serious health issues, including raising your blood sugar levels. Quit the habit for your good. Consumption of alcohol casts an extra burden on your liver of eliminating the alcohol from your bloodstream besides regulating the blood sugar levels. If you’re on certain medications, drinking alcohol can drop your sugar levels to a dangerous low, which is detrimental to your health.
- Reduce Stress
Stress has a negative impact on your diabetic condition as it makes your blood sugar or glucose levels shoot up. When you’re stressed, you’re more prone to engage in risky behaviors and an unhealthy lifestyle. You can consult your doctor for advice, counseling, and therapy. You can also reach out to your trusted family and friends to share your emotional burden.
- Schedule Regular Doctor Appointments
If you’re overweight, prediabetic, and/or pregnant,, you should regularly get your blood glucose screened. Additionally, if you generally follow an unhealthy and inactive lifestyle or have a family history of diabetes, it’s a good idea to schedule a screening. If you’re 45 years and above, you should get blood glucose screening once every three years.
If you already have diabetes, keep in regular touch with your doctor to adjust your insulin or medicine dosage.
Following the above steps will help control your blood sugar levels. If you need consultation for diabetes during the pandemic, call Los Gatos Doc, Primary Care Physicians and Family Medicine Doctors in Saratoga CA, at 408-520-6040 or schedule a visit at visitlosgatosdoc.com.