| The
most important tool in preventing complications is EDUCATION! |
|
| The evolution
of tools for diabetes self-management have made controlling the disease
easier. |
|
|
| A variety
of insulin
are available and these allow individuals, with their doctors, to
customize
insulin treatments. |
|
|
| Home
glucose monitoring systems let people with diabetes accurately measure
their own blood sugar levels as often as necessary each day. |
|
|
| A diet
is an important part of managing diabetes. Healthy eating can help you. |
|
|
|
Our
pages are created to provide medically accurate information that is
intended
to complement, not replace or substitute in any way the services of
your
physician.
Any
application of the recommendations set forth in the following pages is
at the reader's discretion and sole risk. Before undergoing medical
treatment,
you should consult with your doctor, who can best assess your
individual
needs, symptoms and treatment. |
|
|
|
D I
A B E T E S
By managing
the diabetes disease carefully, a person can substantially reduce the
risk
of complications. |
|
|
WHAT
IS DIABETES?
Diabetes
is a chronic disease that affects the body's ability to use glucose
(sugar)
for fuel.
Insulin,
a substance produced by the pancreas, enables your body to use sugar
for
energy. When a person has diabetes, the pancreas is either not
producing
enough insulin, or the body is unable to use what it produces
effectively.
When insulin is not available, the sugar from the food you eat stays in
your blood-stream, causing blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes
is a serious problem. With help and education, people
with diabetes can live full and
satisfying
lives. If they succeed, all society will benefit. |
YOU MAY
HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES IF:
 You
are overweight.
You
are inactive.
You
have hypertension.
You
have an immediate family member parent or sibling with diabetes
You
are of Aboriginal,"Hispanic or African descent. |
|
|
|
THE
SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES:
- Frequent
urination.
- Changes
in appetite.
- Extreme
fatigue.
- Unusual
thirst.
- Unexplained
weight loss.
- Irritability.
- Nausea
or stomach cramps.
- Tingling
or numbness in hands or feet.
- Slow-to-heal
cuts, sores or skin infections.
|
|
|
|
WHAT
ARE THE CAUSES OF DIABETES?
The cause
of diabetes is not yet known. Four out of every ten people with
diabetes
will develop complications such as: cardiovascular, eye and kidney
disease.
By managing the diabetes disease carefully, a person can substantially
reduce the risk of complications. Keep blood sugar levels as near to
normal
as possible to prevent complications from developing. Diabetes is
responsible
for more cases of new blindness in adults than any other disease.
Diabetes
is responsible for 50 % of all amputations not caused by
accidents. |
|
|
|
WHAT
ARE THE TYPES OF DIABETES?
|
| TYPE
1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce any
insulin at all. Approximately 10 % of all people with diabetes
have this form of the disease. It usually occurs before age 40. |
| TYPE
2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin
or when the body does not effectively use the insulin that is produced.
It is far more common and usually develops in adulthood. Approximately
90 % of people with diabetes have this form. |
TO
TREAT TYPE 1 DIABETES
Individuals
must inject insulin daily to help the sugar in food enter the body's
cells.
Healthy meal plan and regular exercise are aspects of treatment. |
TO
TREAT TYPE 2 DIABETES
People
with type 2 diabetes often can be treated through diet and exercise
alone,
or in combination with oral medications or insulin injections. |
|
|
|
WHAT
IS GESTATIONAL DIABETES?
|
| It
is a type of diabetes that may develop during pregnancy when hormones
produced
by the placenta prevent the body's insulin from working effectively. In
most cases, when the placenta is removed at childbirth, the hormone
levels
return to normal. Woman who has had gestational diabetes may have 30-60
% higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
