Diabetes

Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death in America. About 17 million Americans have diabetes, but about 5.9 million of them don't know that they have diabetes. If diabetes is left undiagnosed and untreated it can be fatal. People with diabetes have dangerously high levels of sugar in their blood, which can cause a host of fatal complications such as kidney failure and stroke.

How Diabetes Affects the Body:

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. It can also cause blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, lower limb amputations and impotence.

Risk Factors

Anyone 45 and over should be tested for diabetes. Individuals who are overweight, physically inactive or who have high blood pressure should be tested at any age. African Americans, Latinos, American Indians and Pacific Islanders are at higher risk for diabetes than any other ethnic groups.

Symptoms

Symptoms for diabetes include but are not limited to frequent urination, unexplained weight loss and irritability, which may be easily overlooked. If you ignore the symptoms and warning signs of diabetes it could be life threatening.

Complications

Kidney failure is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Nervous disorders, which can cause numbness and impotence, are also serious health problems common in people with diabetes, especially for those who have had diabetes for a long time.

Prevention/Planning Ahead

Most important is maintaining a healthy and balanced diet that is low in sugar and fat. And exercise!

Treatment

Treatment for diabetes aims to lower your blood sugar through modified diet, exercise and insulin shots or diabetes pills. There a different types of treatment which depend on the type of diabetes that you have.

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