The Importance of Keeping your Blood Sugar in Check
With the holiday season fast approaching, there are so many things that everyone has on their mind. Cooking and eating are some of those top thoughts for most. But what also needs to accompany those chart topping images is whether or not you are keeping your blood sugar in check.
My life changed when I was only 27 years old. No, I was not diagnosed with full-blown Type 2 diabetes, but I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes while I was pregnant with my second child. It would again happen at age 30 when I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and at age 31 when I was expecting my fourth bundle of joy. I learned early on the importance of watching my “numbers” and how important diet and exercise can be to keeping that number down.
Signs to Watch For
So what symptoms do you need to keep an eye on? There are several that are considered the most common or well known symptoms. Those are:
- Extreme Thirst
- Frequent Urination
- Rapid Weight Gain or Weight Loss
- Constant Fatigue
Other important symptoms to watch for are:
- Blurred Vision
- Wounds that take an extended time to heal
Treatment Options
If you are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes after testing, you will be given many different treatment options that may work for you. First on the list will be diet and exercise. Next will be various medications that have been approved by the FDA to properly treat the symptoms of diabetes. Some of the most commonly prescribed medications are Insulin, Metformin, Trulicity, and Jardiance. It is important to remember that there is NO CURE for diabetes.
Complications from Diabetes
It is also pertinent to realize that diabetes can lead to other more life threatening issues. One of the most concerning being heart disease. That is very quickly followed by kidney and vision issues. Uncontrolled diabetes has also been known to lead to amputation of extremities. Check out WebMD for a rundown of how diabetes can affect your body.
Prevention
So what can you do to help prevent sliding down the hill into diabetes? Most importantly, you need to know where you fall as far as risk. The American Diabetes Association has a quick and easy 60 Second Risk Test to help you learn what might be contributing to your risk of developing diabetes.
After assessing your risk level, there are other things that you can do to help slow your slide or even help you climb back up the hill away from diabetes. The two biggest preventative steps are DIET and EXERCISE.
There are several websites out there that can help with a diagnosis or with steps in preventative care. One of my favorites has to be Get Real About Diabetes. The link also has a section on actor, Anthony Anderson, and his life since diagnosis. Another link that I have found helpful is the Mayo Clinic.
Also, it is important to remember that there are individuals out there fighting Type 1 diabetes. For up-to-date information on the life-long disease, check out the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation resources page.
So does life need to be all about deprivation after diagnosis? No, but it does need to be about knowledge and action.
- Know your numbers
- Know the symptoms, preventative steps and treatment steps
- Be willing to put in the work to take care of your body….it’s the only one you are given.
