Blood sugar levels are uncontrollable in people with diabetes. Diabetes can be classified as Type 1 or Type 2. There are two types of diabetes, Type 2 and Type 1. Type 1 diabetes occurs more often in children and young adults.
Upon eating food, our bodies convert it into glucose, a form of sugar that circulates in our bloodstream. We use glucose as fuel for our cells. A hormone called insulin is needed to help glucose enter cells. Glucose enters our cells through insulin, which opens the cell's door.
Type 1 diabetes patients cannot produce insulin due to their bodies' inability to do so. The cells of people with type 2 diabetes have switched locks, so insulin no longer unlocks the door for glucose to enter. A patient with prediabetes has insulin resistance as a precursor to developing Type 2 diabetes.
There is an elevation of glucose, or sugar, in the bloodstream in both types of diabetes. Our eyes, kidneys, nerves, and more can be damaged if our blood sugar levels are not controlled. Cardiovascular diseases (heart attack and stroke) are twice as likely to kill people with Type 2 diabetes (heart attack or stroke). As a result, early detection and good management of diabetes are essential.
Based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of American adults suffer from diabetes. Approximately 10.5% of Americans have Type 2 diabetes, and 35% have prediabetes. Among people of colour, African Americans are 77% more likely to have diabetes than whites, Latinos and Hispanics are 66% more likely to have it, and Asian Americans are 18% more likely to have it.
By 2014, the World Health Organization estimated that 422 million people had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes worldwide, an increase of 300 million from 1980.
As diabetes can develop without symptoms in its early stages, regular screenings are essential to detect it as soon as possible. Simple blood tests can determine blood sugar levels. Tests for haemoglobin a1c are the most commonly used, but fasting blood sugar levels and oral glucose tolerance tests are also available.
It is possible to evaluate your risk of developing diabetes or prediabetes by checking your insulin levels. Insulin resistance, a common sign of diabetes or prediabetes, can be diagnosed by fasting blood insulin levels.
It is recommended that all adults receive diabetes screenings regularly starting at 45 years of age by the American Diabetes Association. According to the United States Preventive Services Taskforce, those with a Body Mass Index above 25 who are overweight or obese should begin screenings at age 35.
As mentioned before, diabetes and prediabetes can go unnoticed for a long time without any symptoms. Several diabetes symptoms can be experienced by those with diabetes, including:
Uncontrolled diabetes can cause diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA. This condition is characterized by an odour of sweet, fruity breath, sweating, laboured breathing, and vomiting. Because DKA may be fatal, you should seek treatment as soon as possible.
Blood sugar levels are measured by haemoglobin a1c over the past three to six months. The fasting glucose level only captures one point in time, and this gives a better indication of how our bodies manage blood sugar. A1c levels below 5.6 are considered normal. Diabetes is diagnosed at an a1c level of 6.5 or more, while prediabetes is diagnosed at 5.7 to 6.4.
A "goal a1c" for patients with diabetes is determined by both the patient and his or her physician. Typically the goal a1c will be about 7.
Several factors contribute to diabetes, some controllable and others not. As well as genes and family history, our environment plays a role. This includes the environments in which we live now, as well as those in which we were born and raised. As we age, our diabetes risk increases. Health, in general, is also important. Hypertension (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes may lead to diabetes in women. Physical activity levels and diet are also important lifestyle factors. According to studies, physical activity can prevent almost 30 million diabetes cases worldwide (7%).
The presence of excess weight in the abdomen (visceral fat) is another important diabetes risk factor. According to studies, people with obesity are 7-12 times more likely to develop diabetes than people with a normal weight. Approximately half of all Type 2 diabetes diagnoses are related to obesity.
If you are overweight around your abdomen, you may be at a higher risk of illness, including diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Research suggests that ethnic differences may require more specific guidelines. This standard determines that a white man's waist circumference must be greater than 39 inches to be at risk for diabetes. In the case of Asian men and white women, the size is 33.5 inches, while in the case of Asian women, it is 31.5 inches.
Use a tape measure to measure your waist circumference accurately. Keep it horizontal around your body, just above your hip bones. Be sure not to squeeze the skin when holding it snug. As soon as you exhale, take your measurement.
Diabetes is not determined solely by waist circumference. Getting screened for diabetes and discussing your diabetes risk with a healthcare provider is recommended by these guidelines.
People with diabetes and prediabetes can benefit from weight loss and reduce their chances of developing these conditions. Some people may be able to reverse a diabetes diagnosis entirely after losing weight. It can lower A1C levels, improve blood glucose control, and improve our bodies' glucose control capability.
Researchers have found that losing a moderate amount of weight can significantly impact. Based on data from the National Diabetes Prevention Program, reducing body weight by 5-7% can reduce diabetes risk by 58-71%.
Managing weight properly is crucial for people with diabetes, as it helps manage blood sugar levels and protects important organs like the kidneys, eyes, and heart from long-term damage. The number and dosages of medications needed to manage diabetes can often be reduced by weight loss-related improvements in blood sugar control. A person's diabetes diagnosis might be reversed, or they may be able to come off all medications.
Here are some tips for managing or reversing diabetes, regardless of your risk:
Regular health screenings make health conditions easier to manage, regardless of whether you have diabetes.
Using the Weight Loss Coach program, you can work toward this goal by exercising 150 minutes per week or 2.5 hours per week. This can be broken up into shorter periods. Five minutes of walking after two daily meals add up to 30 minutes each weekday. Many activities count as exercise, such as dancing, mowing the lawn, hiking, etc.
This means foods that are more natural (such as whole apples rather than applesauce or apple juice). Consume fewer processed foods. Take in various fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and legumes.
Your diet should be low in refined carbohydrates. The fast-digesting carbohydrates you consume help stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels. Fast digesting carbohydrates include foods like white rice, white flour, white sugar, and potatoes.
There are myths and misunderstandings surrounding every health condition, and diabetes is no exception. Diabetes Type 2 develops only if you are overweight, according to a widespread myth. The study found that about 12% of Americans with Type 2 diabetes are overweight because they have a higher genetic risk for the disease.
The Weight Loss Coach program combines lifestyle modification with individualized accountability coaching to treat obesity, one of the leading causes of diabetes. In addition to reducing refined carbs and sugar in your diet and regular exercise, Weight Loss Coach's Four Pillars of Metabolic Health help you build lasting, healthier habits.
Treatment for metabolic conditions like diabetes and prediabetes requires behaviour change, but it can be challenging. The information and support from a Weight Loss Coach can help you maintain a healthier lifestyle.
As part of the Weight Loss Coach's guidance and support, medications are prescribed to aid you in losing weight and improving blood sugar control. Glucagon-like-peptide 1 receptor agonists are the medications used in the Weight Loss Coach's program. Research has shown that GLP-1 agonists are relatively safe for patients with and without diabetes, improving the body's glycemic (blood sugar) control without causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Typically, members of the Weight Loss Coach lose 10% or more of their body weight, which reduces their risk of developing diabetes and improves their diabetes management. Some members have improved their glucose control to the point that they are no longer taking diabetes medication or have reversed prediabetes.
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