| If you suffer from diabetes, you body does not make enough of a hormone known as insulin, or you body does not use insulin it has the right way. Insulin helps the human body use sugar (glucose) for energy. Left untreated, diabetes can cause blindness, nerve and blood vessel damage that brings on foot or leg amputation, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and death.
There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 is observed when the human body does not produce insulin at all. People with type 2 either suffer from insulin deficiency, or their cells ignore the insulin their body makes. Around 95% of people who have diabetes suffer from type 2 diabetes. This is sometimes also called "adult-onset" diabetes.
KNOW RISK FACTORS
You are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, if it runs in your family, or if you are in an ethnic minority group. If you gave birth to a baby that weighed more than nine pounds and/or if you had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you are also at risk of developing diabetes. 45-year-olds and older are in the risk group as well.
MAKE CHANGES
You cannot do anything to change your age, your ethnicity or your family history, but there are a few factors that you can take control of. The risk of developing diabetes also heightens, if you are overweight, you do not do physical exercise regularly and/or you have an unhealthy diet.
If you know you are at higher risk, making good choices about what you eat and drink and exercise can help you stay healthy. Studies have demonstrated that being on a healthy diet and exercising can forestall or deter type 2 diabetes.
If you are fat, remember that a large weight gain is the single most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. According to the recent studies, 80%- 90% of people with diabetes are overweight. Losing weight and controlling it can help hold diabetes at bay. Eat a diversity of products, including those containing a lot of fiber. Also, watch your portion.
Note that any amount of exercise is much better than none. Ride an exercise bicycle while you view the evening news program or your favorite talk-show. Most of all, make sure you find an activity that appeals to you, so you will stick with it.
By simply knowing your risk factors and getting into the habit of eating right and exercising, you can control your wellness. |
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