Diabetes

Warning Signs Of Diabetes

Many of the warning signs of diabetes for both type 1 and type 2 are similar. In both, there is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. High glucose levels in Type I are due to a lack of insulin because the insulin producing cells have been destroyed. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's cells become resistant to insulin that is being produced. In both cases, your cells aren't getting the glucose that they need, and your body lets you know by giving you the following warning signs and symptoms of diabetes.

v     Frequent trips to the bathroom: Urination becomes more frequent when there is too much glucose in the blood. Are you visiting the bathroom much more lately? If insulin is nonexistent or ineffective, the kidneys can't filter glucose back into the blood. They become overworked and try to draw extra water out of the blood to dilute the glucose. This makes your bladder full and it keeps you running in and out of the bathroom.

v     Unquenchable Thirst: Does it feel like you can't get enough water and you're drinking much more than usual? It could be a warning sign of diabetes. If your body is pulling extra water out of your blood and you're running to the bathroom more, you will become dehydrated and feel the need to drink more to replace the water that you are losing

v     Losing Weight Without Trying: This symptom is more noticeable in those with Type 1 diabetes. In Type 1, the pancreas stops making insulin, possibly due to a viral attack on pancreas cells or because an autoimmune response makes the body attack the insulin producing cells. The body quickly looks for an energy source because the cells aren't receiving glucose. It starts to break down your muscle tissue and fat for energy. Type 2 happens gradually with increasing insulin resistance so weight loss is not as noticeable.

v     Weakness and Extreme Fatigue: Glucose from the food we eat travels into the bloodstream where insulin is supposed to help it transition into the cells of our body. The cells use it to produce the energy we need to live our every day lives.  When the insulin isn't there or if the cells don't use it anymore, then the glucose stays outside the cells and enters into the bloodstream. The cells become energy starved and you feel tired and run down.

v     Tingling and/or Numbness in Your Hands, Legs and Feet: This warning sign of diabetes is called neuropathy. It occurs gradually over time as consistently high glucose in the blood damages the nervous system, particularly in the hand, legs and feet. Type 2 diabetes has a gradual onset, and people are often not aware that they have it. Therefore, blood sugar might have been high for more than a few years before a diagnosis is made. Nerve damage can affect you without your knowledge. Neuropathy can very often improve when blood glucose control is maintained.

v     Other Warning Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes That Can Occur: Blurred vision, dry, itchy skin, frequent infections or cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal are also signs that something is wrong. 

Before people develop Type 2 diabetes, they usually have pre-diabetes.  This is when their blood sugar levels are higher than what is normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as a diabetic.  Recent studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes can return their blood glucose levels to normal by making changes in their diets and increasing their daily physical activity.