November is Diabetes Awareness Month

January 20, 2021 at 7:37 am CST

Diabetes is a scary disease, one that anyone could have and not realize it. Understanding the symptoms, risk factors, and treatments for diabetes will help reduce occurrences and increase survival rates in the long run. Over 30 million people are thought to have diabetes, and approximately 25% of them don’t know it. The purpose of Diabetes Awareness Month is to educate people about the condition so those who think they may have it can be tested and treated for it.

Diabetes Awareness Month spotlights both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, which is neither preventable nor curable, is a chronic autoimmune disease that develops when the body’s immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Without insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, the sugar remains in the blood, potentially causing serious damage to organ systems and leading to heart disease. Those with Type 1 diabetes require daily insulin injections to regulate their blood sugar. The late Mary Tyler Moore had Type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by a high level of blood sugar that is mostly caused by the food a person eats, is much more common. With Type 2 diabetes, the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it properly. Too much sugar remains in the blood, potentially causing internal damage. This type of diabetes can be managed and even prevented.

Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes include being overweight, physically inactive, and genetically predisposed to it. A simple blood test can determine if you have the disease. If you have increased hunger, thirst, and urination, are feeling tired or have blurred vision, are experiencing numbness or tingling in your feet or hands, or have unexplained weight loss, you should be tested for diabetes. Symptoms can be very mild and develop slowly, which can make them difficult to notice.

For more information, please contact:

Clarendale of Algonquin

2001 W. Algonquin Rd.

Algonquin, IL 60102

Phone: 847-458-6800

clarendaleofalgonquin.com