fit tips
Managing
Diabetes
RIS K FAC TOR S ,
SYMP TO MS , & CAR E
by Jeannie Versagli, RD
Have you ever experienced
constant thirst and occasional
blurred vision, and you ask yourself
what could be the cause? Are you
aware of a disease called diabetes
mellitus? There are an estimated
29.1 million Americans today
with diabetes mellitus, commonly
referred to as just “diabetes”,
according to the American Diabetes
Association.
Diabetes mellitus affects how your body
utilizes food for energy. The foods you
consume are broken down into glucose,
a form of sugar that is released into the
bloodstream and used as energy by the
body. Your pancreas releases insulin into
your blood stream to combat increased
glucose levels. Diabetes is a condition of the
body’s inability to utilize glucose, resulting
in elevated levels of glucose in the blood.
The increase in glucose in the blood stream
causes many side effects and complications
for the body.
There are two forms of diabetes: type 1
is autoimmune in nature. A majority of the
time, people are diagnosed early in life with
type 1 diabetes. The body attacks the cells
of the pancreas, which destroys its ability
to produce insulin. Symptoms from type 1
diabetes tend to come on quickly compared
to symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Although
monitoring diet and exercise will be
important in helping the individual manage
the disease, the individual will be insulin
dependent for the rest of their life.
Meanwhile, the first symptoms of type
2 diabetes may not show up for many
years – meaning the disease can ravage
a person’s body without them realizing
it. Due to high levels of circulating blood
sugar, the individual is at an increased risk
of developing a heart attack, stroke, kidney
disease, and eye and nerve damage. In
type 2 diabetes, the cells of the body slowly
The Mediterranean
diet, which places
an emphasis on
fish and seafood, is
a great option for
those managing
diabetes.
become resistant to the action of insulin.
This, in turn, forces the pancreas to work
harder and harder to pump more insulin
out in an attempt to “turn up the volume”
and allow entry of glucose into our cells
for energy. If not addressed by lifestyle
modifications on the part of the individual,
eventually the pancreas will no longer
be able to keep up and can even stop
producing insulin altogether. This will create
a situation in which an individual with type
2 diabetes becomes insulin dependent.
In the case of type 2 diabetes, education
and prevention is key! Keep reading –
we’ll delve into what you need to know
about type 2 diabetes in order to minimize
your risk of developing and/or limiting the
progression of the disease.
ARE YOU AT RISK?
The following factors greatly influence one’s chances of developing diabetes:
•
•
•
•
Family history of diabetes or
inherited tendency
Prediabetes: prediabetes is a
condition in which your blood sugar
level is higher than normal, but not
high enough to be classified as
diabetes. Left untreated, prediabetes
of ten progresses to type 2 diabetes.
Fat distribution: if your body stores
fat primarily in your abdomen, your
risk of type 2 diabetes is greater
than if your body stores fat else-
where, such as your hips and thighs.
Inactivity: the less active you are, the
greater your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Physical activity helps you control
your weight, uses up glucose as
energy, and makes your cells more
sensitive to insulin.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Being overweight by 20% or more
of your desirable body weight
Physical stress, such as surgery
or illness
Use of certain medication, such
as steroids and blood pressure
medications
Autoimmune disease
High blood pressure
Abnormal blood cholesterol or
triglyceride levels
Age (risk increases with age)
Alcohol (risk increases with years of
heavy alcohol use)
Smoking
History of gestational diabetes or
delivery of baby weighing more than
9 pounds
enhance magazine | NOVEMBER 2017
21