Diabetes Education

ABOUT DIABETES

According to the American Diabetes Association, a recent study showed that many overweight and obese Americans do not believe they are at serious risk for diabetes and are ignoring it as a health risk. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

There are two major types of diabetes:

Type 1 indicates that the body cannot produce any insulin. This most often occurs in children and young adults. These individuals must take daily insulin injections.
Type 2 is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body’s inability to make enough, or properly use insulin. This type makes up 90 to 95 percent of affected population.

Risk Factors

The risk factors for diabetes include individuals with a family history of the disease; adults over the age of 45; individuals who are overweight by more than 10 pounds; individuals who do not exercise on a regular basis; minority populations; individuals with hypertensions or blood pressure greater than 140 over 90; and women who had gestational diabetes or who had a baby weighing 9 pounds or more at birth.

Symptoms

Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.

TYPE 1 DIABETES

Frequent urination
Unusual thirst
Extreme hunger
Unusual weight loss
Extreme fatigue and Irritability

TYPE 2 DIABETES

Any of the Type 1 symptoms
Frequent infections
Blurred vision
Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections

PREVENTION

You can prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes through a healthy lifestyle. Change your diet, increase your level of physical activity, maintain a healthy weight...with these positive steps, you can stay healthier longer and reduce your risk of diabetes.

Diabetes Superfood

LIVING WELL WITH DIABETES

Are you constantly asking yourself, “What can I eat?” It’s time to stop worrying! Living with diabetes doesn’t have to mean feeling deprived or restricted. We’ll help you learn what you can eat (which is just about anything), how much of it you can consume, and how often you can enjoy it. Once you get the hang of eating a healthy diet, you can relax and dig in to a wide variety of delicious meals and snacks. There isn’t research that clearly points to supplementation, so always think first about getting your nutrients from foods.

Download our handy pocket guide!

Click to download our "Living with Diabetes" guide that includes daily superfood suggestions, emergency foods, a blood sugar record chart, and emergency contact information.

English Version | Spanish Version