Diabetes is a serious health condition that affects 1 in 15 people in the UK. It’s a condition where the glucose level in your blood is too high, we all need glucose in our blood as this is what gives us energy. Our body receives this glucose when the carbohydrates we eat and broke down in our body.
This glucose is then transported to our cells to fuel our body via insulin produced in our pancreas. When you have diabetes this system is not working.
There are 2 main types of diabetes
1: In this type your body cannot make any insulin
2: Insulin your body makes either does not work effectively or your body cannot produce enough of it
Type 2 diabetes is far more common and it is estimated that there are approximately 1 million people in the UK who have type 2 diabetes but are yet to be diagnosed!
Since the glucose is unable to get into your cells properly it just builds up in your blood and too much glucose in your blood can lead to many different problems. To begin with it will lead to the following symptoms of diabetes:
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Frequent urination (going to the toilet a lot) – specially during the night
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Increased thirst
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Feeling mire tired than usual
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Blurred vision
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Unintentional weight loss
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Wounds & cuts healing slower
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Genital itching
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Frequent episodes of thrush
If you have any of symptoms of diabetes you should contact your GP. Just because you have the symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have diabetes, however it is a good idea to get it checked. Early diagnosis and treatment can ensure good control and reduce the chances of any serious diabetes related complications.
Pre-Diabetes
- Pre-diabetes is a term that is now used by healthcare professionals more frequently it means that you blood glucose levels are higher than usual but not high enough for you to be diagnosed has type 2 diabetic.
- However it does mean that you are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, its the warning sign! There will usually be no signs or symptoms of pre-diabetes so if you are worried about it you should ask your GP for a blood test.
symptoms for pre-diabetes
- Since there are generally no symptoms for pre-diabetes it’s important for you to know what the risk factors are for developing type 2 diabetes and what you can do to delay or prevent the development.
- Figures currently show that there 12.3 million people in the UK at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. following online risk tool from Diabetes UK will let you know your risk level. https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start?_ga=2.89905627.193734273.1597656263-2123482393.1597656263
Three out of every five cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented!
Just because you are at risk, doesn’t mean that you will develop type 2 diabetes You can make some healthy changes to your current lifestyle which can help to reduce your risk You can also speak to your healthcare professional about this.
Manage your weight
If you are in the high risk category and are carrying extra weight loosing at least 5% of your body weight can reduce your risk
Balanced and healthy diet –
Avoid a diet that consists of a lot of food and drinks that have a high level of fat.
More active –
This doesn’t mean you need to join the gym. Small changes to your lifestyle like taking stairs instead of the lift, going for short walks can still make a difference!
