What is diabetes? Diabetes (sometimes called “sugar”) means that your body has problems with a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps your body use the sugar you eat (also called glucose) for energy. When your body doesn’t use insulin the way it should, too much sugar stays in your blood. Too much sugar in your blood can harm the tiny filters in your kidneys. Who is at risk? Anyone can develop diabetes, but you are more at risk if you: Are over 45 years old Are overweight Are African American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian Have a family member with diabetes Have high blood pressure While you can’t change some of these risk factors, you can change others. For example, you can’t change your age, but you can control your weight. These kinds of healthy changes can help you prevent or control diabetes and help protect your kidneys. How will I know if I have diabetes? Diabetes has very few symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to be tested. If you do have symptoms, they might include: Feeling tired Feeling irritable Urinating more than normal Being very thirsty Being very hungry Unexplained weight loss Blurred vision If you think you may have diabetes or if you are at risk for diabetes, ask your doctor about being tested. There are a few simple blood tests that can check for diabetes. Talk to your doctor about which test is best for you.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 12:08:52 +0000
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