Diabetes – Initial Symptoms and Prevention

Statistics from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) show that 1 in every 10 adults is living with diabetes Globally. So, it is important to educate yourself about this condition.

In this report, I will discuss the three types of diabetes, initial symptoms, and prevention measures. Please keep reading to learn more.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a prolonged metabolic disorder that alters how the body breaks down food to produce energy. This condition results from the pancreas failing to produce sufficient insulin or the body cells improperly responding to insulin. 

Our bodies convert a considerable portion of food into glucose or sugar and release it into the bloodstream. If your blood sugar level rises, the pancreas releases insulin, which regulates the amount of glucose your body cells take from the blood. 

What Are the Initial Symptoms of Diabetes?

Sometimes, you may not know you have diabetes until you have a diabetic test. Looking out for early indications can help diagnose and begin management in good time before it advances into important stages that are hard to manage. 

Some of the diabetes early signs in adults 35 and older include:  

• All the time feeling hungry
• Blurred vision

• Urinating all the time

• Dark patches on the skin

• Feeling weak or tired

• Yeast infections and itching of the urinary tract

• Numbness, tingling, or painful feet or hands

• Slow-curing or mending wounds and cuts

• Increased thirst

Types of Diabetes

There exist three kinds of diabetes, namely:

• Gestational diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• Type 1 diabetes

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs in expectant mothers without a history of diabetes; it exposes the unborn child to higher health risks. This type of diabetes heals after childbirth but increases the chances of both the mother and baby getting type 2 diabetes. 

Also, the baby might grow obese during childhood or teenage years.

Type 2 Diabetes

If we have diabetes type 2, our bodies cannot adequately regulate blood sugar levels employing insulin. Around ninety to ninety-five percent of diabetic patients have this type. 

This disease takes a long time to show, and we may not see the symptoms early. Diabetes type 2 is more common in adults 35 years and older.  

Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes type 1 occurs when the body mistakenly stops producing insulin due to a lack of pancreatic beta cells. Sometimes, our bodies may experience autoimmune reactions, causing a shortage of insulin-producing beta cells and, eventually, insulin deficiency. 

Type 1 diabetes is common in approximately five to ten percent of diabetic patients, comprising young adults, children, and teens. The body may completely lack insulin as the condition advances, and we must take external insulin to survive.

How Can We Prevent Diabetes?

We can prevent diabetes through lifestyle changes and avoiding some foods that may increase our risk of getting diabetic. Some food and lifestyle changes for diabetes prevention include:

Maintaining A Healthy Body Weight

According to the CDC (the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control), If we are obese or overweight, we are more prone to diabetes. So, we must keep a healthy body weight to lower the risk. 

We can set up a weight loss program with the help of a doctor to reduce the extra weight.

Appropriate In Physical Activity

Exercising can help us:

• Lower our blood glucose level 
• Lose weight
• Lift our insulin sensitivity- which helps regulate our blood sugar level.

We can achieve this through participating in that help us lose weight and keep a healthy weight at least two to three times weekly, such as:

• Aerobic exercises, which may include running, biking, swimming, or brisk walking
• Resistance training, including yoga or weight lifting, to help increase our balance and strength

Eating Healthy Foods, Especially Plants

Plants add carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins to our diet. Carbohydrates contain starch and sugar that our body needs for energy and fiber. Dietary fiber foods are indigestible, and the body can’t absorb them. They help lower diabetes risk by promoting weight loss. 

Doctors advise that we eat a variety of fiber-rich healthy foods, including:

1. Fruits like:

• Tree fruits
• Peppers
• Tomatoes 

2. Non-starchy vegetables like:

• Cauliflower legumes (lentils, chickpeas, and beans)
• Broccoli
• Leafy greens

3. Whole grains including:

• Quinoa
• Oats
• Wholegrain rice
• Whole wheat pasta and bread

The benefits we can get from fiber include:

• Hampering absorption of cholesterol and fats

• Reducing blood glucose by slowing down sugar absorption

• Overseeing heart health risks like blood pressure

• Helping us eat less because foods rich in fiber are energy-rich and filling.

Also, we should avoid taking bad carbohydrates, which contain fewer nutrients or fiber and more sugar, such as:

• Processed foods containing corn syrup concentrated with fructose
• Fruit juices
• White pasta and bread

Eating Healthy Fats

Doctors suggest eating fatty foods in moderation because they contain high calories. To help manage and lose weight, we should include foods containing unsaturated or good fats. 

Unsaturated fats help promote good vascular and heart health and healthy blood sugar levels. Some of the good fat sources include:

• Healthy oils include canola oil, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, and olive oils.

• Seeds and nuts(pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, peanuts, and almonds)

• Fatty fish(cod, tuna, sardines, mackerel, and salmon)

Dairy meats and products contain bad or saturated fats, and we must limit them in our diet. We can substitute them with lean pork and low-fat chicken or dairy products.

Making a Healthier Choice by Skipping Fad Diets 

Most fad diets, including glycemic index, keto, or paleo, can help us lose weight. But, their benefits in helping us prevent diabetes in the long term are unknown. The advisable dietary aim should help us lose and keep a healthy weight. 

So, we must base our healthy nutritional decisions on strategies we adopt as lifestyle habits, including our long-established and accepted food choices.

Truth

It can be hard to detect the initial symptoms of diabetes. But we can reduce our risk of diabetes by practicing lifestyle habits that promote maintaining healthy body weight and adjusting to a healthy diet.

Also, we can periodically visit the doctor for medical checkups and dietary advice. Hopefully, this report has helped you make healthy choices and reduce your risk of diabetes.

Sources

• CDC: Type 2 Diabetes
• IDF Diabetes Atlas  
• Beyondtype1.org: Diabetes Type 1 Statistics 
• The Harvard School of Public Health: Simple Steps to Preventing Diabetes
• CDC: Diabetes Risk Factors
• CDC: Daily Dietary Fat and Total Food-Energy Intakes
• Sage Journals: Social Influence on Fad Diet Use: A Systematic Literature Review
• International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition: Functional food and diabetes: a natural way in diabetes prevention?

By Charles Magesa