World Diabetes Day

Diabetes affects one in ten people worldwide, making it a significant global health issue. World Diabetes Day, held on November 14 annually, aims to raise awareness about diabetes, its types, symptoms, and treatments.

This year's theme, "Education To Protect Tomorrow," focuses on increasing access to high-quality diabetes education. Promoting a healthy, active lifestyle is essential to lowering the risk of Type I and Type II diabetes, emphasizing the role of families in diabetes management, care, prevention, and education.

Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term health disorder that affects how the body converts food into energy and results in high blood glucose levels. This happens when the body either doesn't create enough insulin or doesn't use the insulin as efficiently as it should.

When insufficient insulin is produced, or cells stop reacting to insulin, excess blood sugar stays in the body, leading to significant health problems such as kidney disease, heart disease, and vision loss over time. Diabetes medication, self-management, education and support, and maintaining health care appointments can help reduce the risk of diabetes.

Know the Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is brought on by an autoimmune response that prevents the body from producing insulin. Type 1 diabetes affects about 5-10% of people with diabetes. This is a common diagnosis among children, teenagers, and young adults.

Type 2 Diabetes

The body does not use insulin properly in type 2 diabetes and cannot maintain normal blood sugar levels. It develops over time and is commonly diagnosed in adults. Because the symptoms are not noticeable, it is important to have blood sugar levels tested.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes can occur in pregnant women who have never had diabetes. If the mother has gestational diabetes, the baby may be at greater risk of health complications. This diabetes usually resolves once the baby is born, but it raises the chance of acquiring type 2 diabetes later in life.

Prediabetes

This stage comes before type 2 diabetes. However, blood glucose levels in prediabetes are higher than usual but are not diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

Early detection is critical for all types of diabetes. It can save lives, prevent medical emergencies, and lower the risk of life-altering complications later on. That's why we want to ensure everyone knows the warning symptoms and their risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes.

Signs of Diabetes

Here are the early signs of diabetes:

• Sudden weight loss
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Increased hunger and thirst
• Urinary tract infection
• Erectile dysfunction
• Extreme fatigue
• Dry and Itchy skin

Tips for Diabetes Control and Management

Lifestyle changes can help to prevent the onset of the disease if people have prediabetes, which is high blood sugar that has not yet led to a diabetes diagnosis. Maintaining blood sugar levels within the doctor's advised range can be challenging, and that's because various factors can cause blood sugar levels to change, often without warning.

The most prevalent form of diabetes, type 2, can be stopped with lifestyle changes. Prevention is essential if you already have type 2 diabetes or are at an elevated risk of developing it. Incorporating the following lifestyle changes can help control diabetes.

• 1. Lose extra weight
• 2. Be more physically active
• 3. Eat healthy plant foods
• 4. Eat healthy fats
• 5. Medication and monitoring

Timely check-ups and lifestyle changes can greatly impact how this condition is treated and help millions of people overcome it. This World Diabetes Day 2024, say no to Diabetes.

Frequently Asked Questions