If you or someone you love suddenly becomes extremely thirsty on a regular basis, it could be caused by a change in diet, level of exercise or the weather. However, major changes in patterns of thirst could be one of the early warning signs of diabetes.According to the National Diabetes Education Association, diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. As many as 25.8 million Americans have diabetes—8.3% of the U.S. population. Of these, 7 million do not know they have the disease.
Symptoms of diabetes may include:
- Being very thirsty
- Urinating often
- Feeling very hungry or tired
- Losing weight without trying
- Having sores that heal slowly
- Having dry, itchy skin
- Losing the feeling in your feet or having tingling in your feet
- Having Blurry Eyesight
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy.
There are two major types of diabetes:
- With type 1 diabetes your body does not make insulin. Sometimes called "juvenile" or insulin-dependent diabetes, type 1 diabetes accounts for approximately 5% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults—but more than 215,000 Americans younger than age 20 have type 1 diabetes.
- With type 2 diabetes your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood. Far more common than type 1, type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in U.S. adults—but is increasingly being diagnosed in children and adolescents. You have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes if you are older, obese, have a family history of diabetes or do not exercise.
There are two other diabetic conditions of concern:
- Pre-diabetes is a condition where you have high glucose or blood sugar higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. Most people with pre-diabetes don't have any symptoms—yet too much glucose in your blood can damage your body over time. If you have pre-diabetes, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. If you are over 45 and overweight, your doctor may test you for pre-diabetes.
- Gestational diabetes occurs in 2 to 10% of pregnancies. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a 35 to 60% chance of developing diabetes, mostly type 2, in the next 10 to 20 years.
Living with Diabetes
To control the symptoms of diabetes and pre-diabetes, you need to keep maintain your blood sugar (glucose) as close to normal as possible. To do this, you will likely need to:
- Monitor your blood glucose levels
- Make healthy food choices
- Exercise regularly
- Take any medication prescribed—even when you're not having any symptoms
Monitoring Your Blood Glucose: Your doctor may advise you to check your blood glucose levels on a regular basis if you are pregnant, taking insulin or have:
- A hard time controlling your blood glucose levels
- Low blood glucose levels
- Low blood glucose levels without the usual warning signs
- Ketones from high blood glucose levels
Ketones are produced when the body burns fat for energy or fuel. They are also produced when there is not enough insulin to help your body use sugar for energy. People with diabetes are at risk for building up excess ketones with can lead to a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
As you test and record your glucose levels, you'll become aware of the types of foods you need to eat and the level of activity that will help you keep your blood sugar levels within whatever range your doctor recommends.
Making Healthy Food Choices: It's a myth that people with diabetes need to eat a "special diet." You can eat the same foods as the rest of your family—if your family is eating a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats (think canola, peanut or olive oil rather than butter or margarine).
You also want to keep portion sizes under control and distribute the amount of carbohydrates you eat throughout the day.
Exercising Regularly: Your doctor may advise you to get more active. If you've been largely inactive, set a goal to be more active most days of the week. Start slow by taking short walks several times a day, and slowly increasing the number of minutes you walk each time.
Several times a week you should include exercises that increase your muscle strength, such as using stretch bands, attending yoga classes, doing push ups or heavy gardening (digging and planting with tools).
Taking Your Medications—Even When You're Not Having Symptoms: If you have type 1 diabetes your body produces little or no insulin, which is a vital hormone that helps convert food into energy. Without insulin, you would die. When your blood sugar is under control, you will feel better—but your diabetes hasn't been "cured." You'll need your insulin every day.
Some people with type 2 diabetes are able to keep their blood glucose in a healthy range without medications if they lose weight and keep their weight down, are regularly physically active and eat a healthy diet. However, many people with type 2 diabetes find that despite their best efforts, weight control, exercise and diet aren't enough to keep their blood glucose in a healthy range. It's more important to keep your blood glucose under control than to live medication-free. It's not a competition, it's about your health.
Concerned About Diabetes?
If you're concerned that you or a family member may be experiencing symptoms related to diabetes, contact your medical professional. At VITAL WorkLife we can talk to you about the stress and anxiety related to your diagnosis, and provide tips to help manage the stress.
