Salud

Diabetes Mellitus

is a condition affecting a high percentage of our people throughout the U.S. Type 2 diabetes consists of high levels of sugar build up in your blood. This can lead to serious health complications. Controlling your blood sugar is key to managing diabetes. High blood sugar can harm your organs and raise your risk of heart disease and other major organs in the body. Diabetes is known in different categories: Pre-diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes and gestational diabetes. Of all the diagnosis the most prevalent is Type 2 diabetes. Pre-Diabetes If you have pre-diabetes, you’re at increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. It means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. If you take action to manage your blood sugar when you have pre-diabetes, you may be able to delay or prevent Type 2. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 41 million Americans have pre-diabetes. Although people with pre-diabetes may have no symptoms, studies show that most people with the condition develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years. People with pre diabetes are also at greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Dealing with pre-diabetes Just like people with Type 2 diabetes, your doctor will want you to make changes to eat healthier and get more exercise. Your doctor will probably want you to lose weight (through diet and moderate exercise, such as walking, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week). Even if you can’t reach your ideal body weight, a loss of just 10 to 15 pounds can make a difference. Other main types of diabetes include: 

• Type 1 diabetes, which often affects children (although adults can develop it, too). In this form of diabetes, the body can’t make insulin. The immune system mistakenly attacks the cells in the pancreas that make and release insulin. As these cells die, blood sugar levels rise. People with Type 1 need insulin shots to live.

• Gestational diabetes, which occurs in some pregnant women. It cancause problems during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Women who get gestational diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes five to ten years after having their baby. (According to a study done by University of Southern California) 

Life with type 2 diabetes

Don’t be surprised if you sometimes feel like there’s lots to do to manage Type 2 diabetes. Managing Type 2 diabetes means making some changes to how you live. Talk with your doctor about which changes are right for you.

For example, it helps to:

• Eat healthy, and lose weight if your doctor says you should

• Be more active

• Test your blood sugar regularly

• Have your doctor check your A1C level (your average blood sugar over the past two to three months 120 days)

• Take one or more diabetes medicines as prescribed by your doctor

Stay mo tivated

• If you are having trouble managing your diabetes, consider what the problem may be.

• Ask yourself what you need to do to get on track. Find one step that could get you started. Choose something fairly easy.

• Find things you can do to keep the problem from happening again. Focus on your successes, not your slip-ups.

• It’s normal to feel overwhelmed with the demands of managing diabetes. Accepting that you have diabetes doesn’t mean that you have to like it.

• The more you know about diabetes, the easier it is to manage. Read books and visit respected web sites about diabetes. Consult with a diabetes educator at least once a year for more tips.