According to American Diabetes Association statistics compiled in 2019, approximately 11.3 percent of Americans have some form of diabetes.
If you are at elevated risk for diabetes or have recently been diagnosed with it, you need to understand its causes and symptoms.
You may also need some tips regarding how to lead as normal a lifestyle as possible while managing the disease. That information is provided below.
Defining Diabetes
Diabetes is a family of conditions that cause a person’s body to have difficulty producing insulin or regulating insulin levels and usage. Insulin is a hormone. It helps human cells process sugar.
Sugar is used as an energy source. A diabetic person may feel constantly tired and run down because his or her body is not producing or processing insulin properly.
Diabetes Causes
The causes of diabetes are not well known. However, some factors can contribute to the odds of developing diabetes. One is heredity. Family histories of diabetes seems to make certain people more likely to develop it.
Obesity also puts people at higher risk for developing diabetes. Other potential contributing factors include:
- Drinking Too Much Soda
- Eating Too Many Sugary Snacks
- Skipping Meals
- Eating Too Much Butter or Other Foods Containing Other Unhealthy Fats
- Not Getting Enough Sleep
Another potential cause of diabetes is pregnancy. Women going through pregnancy go through several hormonal changes.
Those changes can impact blood sugar levels. Such gestational diabetes is dangerous for both mothers and their unborn babies. That is one of many reasons pregnant women need proper medical monitoring.
Controlling Diabetes
There are several types of diabetes. Some diabetics must take insulin for their entire lives once diagnosed. Others can control their diabetes symptoms to at least some degree by changing their lifestyles.
Changes like the following can help certain diabetics maintain better health:
- Eating Healthy Foods
- Scheduling Regular Meals
- Monitoring Blood Sugar Levels and Eating Appropriate Snacks When Levels Fluctuate Too Much
- Adding More Exercise to Daily Routines
One of the most important aspects of controlling any type of diabetes is sticking to a schedule. That includes scheduled enough sleep, regular mealtimes, and blood sugar monitoring.
When you go too long between meals or binge on unhealthy snacks, your body goes through periods of indulgence and starvation. Those major swings can cause high and low blood sugar spikes.
By becoming a creature of habit, you can potentially reduce those spikes and lead a longer, healthier life with diabetes.
By Admin –
