Diabetes is a disease that affects your body's ability to produce and use insulin. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas. Insulin allows glucose (sugar) from the food we eat to get into the cells of our body where it is used for energy. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or it can't use the insulin it produces very well. So, glucose builds up in the blood.
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Type 1 usually appears in children or young adults, while Type 2 diabetes usually appears after age 40. However, children who are overweight are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Another type of diabetes, gestational diabetes, appears during pregnancy. Women who develop gestational diabetes are at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
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Extreme thirst, frequent urination, numb/tingling feet, blurry vision, fatigue, weight loss, or sores that don't heal are all signs of diabetes. Unfortunately, many people with undiagnosed diabetes have no warning signs at all. Don't wait for warning signs if you are at risk of developing diabetes!
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People with a family history of diabetes, people who are overweight, over age 40, people who are not very active, and women who had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds are at the highest risk. People of African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian American/Pacific Islander ancestry are also at high risk of developing diabetes.
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Diabetes is the leading cause of heart disease, kidney disease, adult onset blindness, amputations, and stroke. Diabetes is also the 7th leading cause of death by disease in the United States.
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Approximately 346,500 Mississippians have diabetes, and 115,000 of those people have the disease and
do not even know it.
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Your doctor or health care worker can do a simple blood test to see if your blood sugar is in the normal range or if it is
too high.
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There is no cure for diabetes - yet, but diabetes can be delayed and possibly prevented. There are new diabetes medicines to help keep your blood sugar under tighter control, and new blood sugar monitors to give you fast, accurate readings. Several studies have also shown that very good control of blood sugar lowers your risk at developing complications from diabetes. So, if you have diabetes, it really pays to keep your blood sugar in good control!
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Studies have shown that diet and exercise can sharply reduce the chance that people with a pre-diabetes condition called "impaired glucose tolerance" (IGT) will develop diabetes. So,
- stay active
- try to keep your body mass index below 27 (see chart)
- reduce the stress in your life,
- don't smoke, and
- have your blood sugar checked as part of your yearly physical.
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At least two large national studies have shown that keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible slows the onset and progression of eye, kidney, and nerve diseases caused by diabetes.
Your normal fasting blood sugar should be less than 100 mg/dl and two hours after eating less than 140 mg/dl.
Check your blood sugar at least once daily and keep a record of your results.
Have a hemoglobin A1C (pronounced he me glo bin A-one-C) done 3 to 4 times each year. It is the best way to know your sugar is under control. People with diabetes who keep their A1C less than or equal to 6.5% are in better health and have fewer causes of eye and kidney disease, and nerve damage.
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High blood pressure is one of the major factors in the development of heart and kidney problems for people with diabetes. It's very important to keep your blood pressure under control. Return to top |
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Your total cholesterol should be greater than 45 mg/dl for men and 55 mg/dl for women. An ideal LDL ("bad" cholesterol) level would be less than 100 mg/dl. Triglycerides ideally would be less than 150 mg/dl. Return to top |
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Call the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi for more information (1-877-336-2873) or (601) 957-7878 or see a dietitian for suggestions. Return to top |
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Improve your quality of life by moving around as much as you are able. Exercise at least 30 minutes three times a week. Get a friend to join you! An increase in physical activity typically reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Return to top
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If you need help to quit, talk to your health care provider. Return to top |
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Check your feet daily. Look for cuts, blisters, red spots and swelling. (Look at the bottom of your feet with a mirror or get help from a friend). Check the warmth of your feet. Both feet should feel the same. Return to top |
You can show your support by becoming a member of The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. There are a variety of membership levels to choose from, and you are sure to enjoy your subscription to the Diabetes Self-Management and In Touch newsletters. Click here to become a member today.
The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi welcomes gifts through workplace giving campaigns. You may be able to designate a small amount of each paycheck, or arrange a single payroll deduction, to support diabetes research. Click here to learn more.
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