What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (Long lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar (also called glucose) and release into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin.
There are three main type of diabetes:type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes (diabetes in pregnancy).
Symptoms of Diabetes
• Urinate (pee) a lot, often at night
• Are very thirsty
• Lose weight without trying
• Are you hungry
• Have blurry vision
• Have numb or tingling hands and feet
• Feel very tired
• Have very dry skin
Food causes Diabetes
sugar-sweetened beverages (juice, soda, sweet tea, sports drink) sweeteners (table sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, molasses) processed foods (chips, microwave popcorn, processed meat, convince meal)
Method to check Diabetes at Home
Prick the side of your fingertip with the lancet provided with your test kit. Gently squeeze or massage your finger until a drop of blood forms. Touch and hold the edge of the test strip to the drop of blood. The meter will display your blood glucose level on a screen after a few seconds.
Color of urine in Diabetes
Diabetes can cause cloudy urine when too much sugar build up in your urine. Your urine may also smell sweet or fruity. Diabetes can also lead to kidney complications or increase risk of infections in urine, both of which can also make your urine appear cloudy.
Main cause of Diabetes
Although not everyone with type 2 diabetes is overweight, Obesity and an inactive Lifestyle are two of the most common causes of type 2 diabetes. These things are responsible for about 90% to 95% of diabetes cases in the United States.
Information about Insulin
Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas, an organ located behind your stomach. Your pancreas releases insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin acts as the “key” that unlocks the cell wall “door,” which allows glucose to enter your body’s cells. Glucose provides the “fuel” or energy tissues and organs need to properly function.
Risk factors of Diabetes
- Having a family history (parent or sibling) of Type 1 diabetes.
- Injury to the pancreas (such as by infection, tumor, surgery or accident).
- Presence of autoantibodies (antibodies that mistakenly attack your own body’s tissues or organs).
- Physical stress (such as surgery or illness).
- Exposure to illnesses caused by viruses.
Risk factors for gestational diabetes include:
- Family history (parent or sibling) of prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
- Being African-American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian-American.
- Being overweight before your pregnancy.
- Being over 25 years of age.
Gestational diabetes tests: There are two blood glucose tests if you are pregnant. With a glucose challenge test, you drink a sugary liquid and your glucose level is checked one hour later. You don’t need to fast before this test. If this test shows a higher than normal level of glucose, an oral glucose tolerance test will follow (as described above).
- Eat a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean or Dash diet. Keep a food diary and calorie count of everything you eat. Cutting 250 calories per day can help you lose ½ pound per week.
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