HealthyPlusno3Jan5 - Flipbook - Page 22
Diabetes prevention
Tips for taking control
iabetes is a rapidly growing health
crisis in America. According to the
American Diabetes Association (ADA),
nearly one in ten American adults—that’s 37.3
million individuals—now has diabetes. Perhaps
more disturbing is the fact that 80% of those
individuals don’t even know they have it.
In the U.S., diabetes is:
D
or doesn’t use it well. As a result, glucose builds up
in your blood leading to problems ranging from
increased thirst and blurred vision to fatigue and
headaches. Left untreated, problems can escalate
to heart disease, impaired or lost vision, organ
failure and death.”
While there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, there
are ways to prevent it.
• the leading cause of blindness
Know the signs
• the seventh leading cause of death
• a contributing factor to heart disease, stroke,
kidney failure, nerve damage to the feet that
may necessitate amputation, and an increased
risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The early warning signs of Type 2 diabetes are not
always obvious. They may develop slowly over
time, and may include:
• Peeing a lot, often at night
• Heavy thirst or dry mouth
Understanding diabetes
• Losing weight without trying
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how your
body turns food into energy. Diabetes results in too
much glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood which,
over time, can damage the body's organs.
While there are three main types of diabetes:
type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (diabetes
while pregnant), type 2 is the most common.
A family nurse practitioner at SVMC, Carolyn
Goodwin explains, “In order to use glucose as
energy, your body needs insulin. But with type 2
diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin
• Increased hunger
• Blurry vision
• Numbness or tingling in the
hands or feet
• Feeling tired
• Dry or itchy skin
• Slow healing cuts, bruises
or wounds
• Frequent infections
“ In order to use glucose as energy, your body needs insulin. But
with type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or
doesn’t use it well … Left untreated, problems can escalate to
heart disease, impaired or lost vision, organ failure and death.”
– Carolyn Goodwin, NP, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
20 | HEALTHY+ | WINTER –SPRING 2023