Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects the body's ability to process or produce insulin, the process by which the body converts blood sugar into energy. When the body's cells become resistant to insulin or the body does not produce enough insulin, blood sugar levels rise, causing various short-term and long-term symptoms of diabetes. There are four types of "sugar diabetes": prediabetes, type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, although the majority of cases diagnosed each year are type 2 diabetes. other diabetes.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Recognizing the Risk Factors of Different Types of Diabetes
Step 1. Check yourself for gestational diabetes risk
Gestational or gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women. If you are at high risk for gestational diabetes, you may be screened during your first prenatal visit and then rechecked in the second trimester. Women with low risk will be screened in the second trimester, between weeks 24 and 28. Women who have gestational diabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes within ten years of the child's birth. Risk factors for gestational diabetes include:
- Pregnancy over the age of 25
- History of diabetes or prediabetes on personal or family health
- Excess weight during pregnancy (BMI value of 30 or more)
- Women of black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander descent
- Third pregnancy or above
- Excessive fetal growth in the womb (intrauterine) during pregnancy
Step 2. Check for risk factors for prediabetes
Prediabetes is a metabolic condition characterized by a blood glucose (sugar) level that is higher than the normal range (70-99). However, this blood glucose level is still lower than the recommended level treated through medication to control blood glucose. Risk factors for prediabetes include:
- Age 45 years or older
- Overweight
- Family history of Type 2 diabetes
- Less active lifestyle
- High blood pressure
- Have you ever had gestational diabetes?
- Have ever given birth to a baby weighing 4 kg or more
Step 3. Evaluate your own risk of Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is sometimes referred to as "full-blown" diabetes. In this condition, the body's cells become resistant to the effects of leptin and insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels rise and lead to the long-term symptoms and effects of Type 2 diabetes. Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are similar to those for prediabetes, including:
- Age 45 years or older
- Overweight
- Lack of physical activity
- High blood pressure
- History of gestational diabetes
- Have ever given birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kg
- Family history of diabetes
- Prolonged stress
- You are of black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander ancestry.
Step 4. Check for risk factors for Type 1 diabetes
Experts believe that Type 1 diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors.
- White people have a higher incidence of Type 1 diabetes.
- Cold weather and viruses can trigger the development of Type 1 diabetes in susceptible people.
- Early childhood stress or trauma
- Children who are breastfed and eat solid foods later in life are less likely to develop Type 1 diabetes, even though they have a genetic predisposition.
- If you have an identical twin who has Type 1 diabetes, you have about a 50% chance of getting it too.
Part 2 of 4: Monitoring Diabetes Symptoms
Step 1. Get a gestational diabetes test while pregnant
Women with gestational diabetes often have no symptoms at all. Therefore, you should always request a gestational diabetes related screening if you have any risk factors. Gestational diabetes is quite dangerous because this disease affects you and the baby in the womb. Early examination and treatment is important because gestational diabetes can cause long-term effects on the child.
- Some women feel very thirsty and need to urinate frequently. However, this also includes the general signs of a normal pregnancy.
- Some women report that they feel uncomfortable after eating foods high in carbohydrates or sugar.
Step 2. Watch for symptoms of prediabetes
As with gestational diabetes, there are usually very few symptoms of prediabetes. Symptoms of diabetes are caused by very high blood sugar levels, this does not apply to people with prediabetes. If you have risk factors for prediabetes, you should be vigilant, have them checked regularly, and keep an eye out for invisible symptoms. Prediabetes can turn into diabetes if left untreated.
- You may have prediabetes if you have "acanthosis nigricans" in certain areas of the body. "Acanthosis nigricans" is a thickening and darkening of areas of the skin that often appear on the armpits, neck, elbows, knees, and joints.
- You may feel uncomfortable after eating foods high in carbohydrates or sugar.
- Your doctor may test for prediabetes if you have elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, or another hormonal imbalance, such as metabolic syndrome, or if you are overweight.
Step 3. Evaluate the presence of symptoms of Type 2 diabetes
Whether you have the risk factors or not, you can still develop Type 2 diabetes. Be aware of your health condition and pay attention to the following signs that could indicate an increase in blood sugar:
- Weight loss for no apparent reason.
- Blurred vision or changes in visual acuity.
- Increased thirst due to high blood sugar.
- Increased urge to urinate.
- Fatigue and strong drowsiness (drowsiness), despite getting enough sleep.
- A tingling or numb feeling in the feet or hands.
- Recurrent or frequent infections of the bladder, skin, or mouth.
- Shaking or hungry in the early morning or late afternoon
- Cuts and scrapes appear to take longer to heal.
- Dry, itchy skin or unusual lumps or blisters.
- Feeling hungrier than usual.
Step 4. Watch out for Type 1 diabetes with sudden onset of symptoms
Although this type of diabetes generally appears in childhood or adolescence, Type 1 diabetes can also develop in adulthood. Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes can appear suddenly or be present subtly for a long period of time, and can include:
- Excessive thirst
- Increased frequency of urination
- Vaginal yeast infection in women
- Excessive sensitivity to stimuli (irritability)
- Blurred vision
- Weight loss for no apparent reason
- Unusual frequency of bedwetting in children
- Great hunger
- Feeling tired and weak
Step 5. Seek immediate medical attention when needed
People often ignore the symptoms of diabetes, allowing the condition to progress to a more dangerous stage. Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes appear slowly over time. However, in Type 1 diabetes, the body can immediately stop producing insulin. You will experience more severe symptoms that are potentially life-threatening unless treated immediately. These include:
- Deep and fast breathing
- Reddish face, dry skin and mouth
- Breath smells like fruit
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Feeling confused (dazed) or lethargic
Part 3 of 4: Checking for Diabetes
Step 1. See a doctor immediately if you experience symptoms of diabetes
Your doctor will need to do several tests to determine if you have diabetes. If you are positive for diabetes or prediabetes, you need to follow up by taking regular medication according to the doctor's instructions.
Step 2. Check blood glucose
A blood glucose test, as the name suggests, is a procedure used to check the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. The results will be used to determine if you have diabetes or are at high risk of developing diabetes. This test will be performed under one of three conditions:
- A fasting blood glucose test is done after you have fasted for at least eight hours. In an emergency, your doctor will do a "blood glucose test" (any time) regardless of whether you've eaten recently.
- A two-hour after-meal (postprandial) test is done after you have consumed the prescribed amount of carbohydrates to check your body's ability to manage sugar intake. This test is usually done in a hospital so that health workers can measure the amount of carbohydrates consumed before the examination.
- An oral glucose tolerance test requires you to drink fluids with a high glucose content. Health workers will check your blood and urine every 30-60 minutes to measure the body's tolerance for added sugar intake. This test is not performed if a doctor suspects Type 1 diabetes.
Step 3. Ask for the A1C test
This test is also known as a glycated hemoglobin test. This test measures the amount of sugar bound to the body's hemoglobin molecules. Based on the results obtained, the doctor can determine your average blood sugar level for the past 30 to 60 days.
Step 4. Perform a ketone test if necessary
Ketones appear in the blood when the body is forced to break down fat into energy under conditions of insulin deficiency. Ketones are excreted in the urine, most often in patients with Type 1 diabetes. Your doctor may recommend testing for ketones in your blood or urine:
- If your blood sugar is higher than 240 mg/dL.
- During an illness such as pneumonia, stroke, or heart attack.
- If you experience nausea and vomiting.
- When pregnant.
Step 5. Request regular checkups
If you have or are at risk of developing diabetes, monitor your health and blood sugar levels regularly. High blood sugar can cause damage to the microvascular (micro blood vessels) in the body's organs. This damage can cause problems throughout the body. To monitor your overall health, do:
- Annual eye exam
- Evaluation of diabetic neuropathy in the feet
- Routine blood pressure checks (at least annually)
- Kidney check-up every year
- Teeth cleaning every 6 months
- Routine cholesterol check
- Regular check-ups with a general practitioner or endocrinologist
Part 4 of 4: Treating Diabetes
Step 1. Create the right lifestyle
Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes are often formed because of the lifestyle we choose, more than our genetics. By changing your lifestyle, you can lower your blood sugar level or prevent this condition from forming.
Step 2. Eat less carbohydrates
When the body digests carbohydrates, they are converted into sugar and the body needs more insulin to use them. Reduce consumption of cereals, pasta, sweets, sugary foods, soda, and other foods high in simple carbohydrates, as your body digests these types of foods too quickly and these foods can cause an increase in blood sugar. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about consuming high-fiber complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index to add to your diet. Complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index include:
- Legumes and legumes.
- Vegetables that do not contain starch or starch (almost all vegetables except foods such as parsnips, plantains/bananas for preparation, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, peas, corn).
- Almost all fruits (except for some fruits such as dried fruit, bananas, and grapes).
- Whole grains, such as steel cut wheat, bran/bran, whole cereal pasta, barley/barley, bulgur, brown rice, quinoa.
Step 3. Eat more foods high in protein and healthy fats
While once thought to be a source of heart disease, the healthy fats found in avocados, coconut oil, grass-fed beef, and roasted chicken are now recognized as great sources of energy. These foods can help stabilize blood sugar and reduce excessive hunger.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish such as tuna and salmon can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Eat 1-2 servings of fish per week
Step 4. Maintain a healthy weight
Insulin resistance triggers weight gain. When you can maintain a healthier weight, you can stabilize blood sugar levels more easily. A combination of diet and exercise will help keep your weight within healthy limits. Do exercise for at least 30 minutes every day to help the body process blood glucose without insulin. Exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight and improves sleep quality.
Step 5. Don't smoke
If you still smoke, quit. Smokers are 30-40% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than non-smokers and the more you smoke, the higher your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Smoking also causes serious complications for people who already have diabetes.
Step 6. Don't rely solely on medication
If you have Type 1, Type 2, or gestational diabetes, your doctor may recommend medical treatment to complement your lifestyle changes. However, you cannot rely solely on medication to manage diabetes. Medication should be used to support major changes arising from your lifestyle changes.
Step 7. Take oral hypoglycemic medication if you have Type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes
This drug is taken in pill form and works to lower blood sugar levels throughout the day. Examples of oral hypoglycemic drugs include Metformin (biguanide), sulfonylureas, meglitinides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and combination pills.
Step 8. Take insulin injections if you have Type 1 diabetes
Insulin injection is the single most effective treatment for Type 1 diabetes, although insulin injection can also be used for Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. There are four types of injectable insulin available. Your doctor will determine which is the most effective for controlling your blood sugar. You may take only one type of insulin or use a combination of them at different times of the day. Your doctor may also recommend an insulin pump to maintain insulin levels 24 hours a day.
- Fast-acting insulin (rapid acting insulin) is injected before meals and is often combined with long-acting insulin.
- Short-acting insulin (short-acting insulin) is injected approximately 30 minutes before meals and is usually combined with long-acting insulin.
- Intermediate-acting insulin (intermediate-acting insulin) is usually injected twice a day and is useful for lowering glucose when the function of short-acting insulin or fast-acting insulin stops.
- Long-acting insulin can be used to support insulin needs when the function of short-acting insulin and fast-acting insulin is stopped.
Tips
- Be aware of your diabetes risk factors and seek advice from your doctor if you experience symptoms of diabetes.
- Take special care when you have a fever or chills. These two conditions can increase blood sugar and affect medication and test results.
