(ARA) – Are you taking risks with your life without even knowing it? You may be one of the nearly 6 million Americans who have type 2 diabetes and don’t even know it. 

Diabetes affects nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States and another 57 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you don’t know the risk factors or symptoms for diabetes, you may very well be risking your life to this silent killer. 

Diabetes is a silent killer because many people can live with the disease for years and never find out that they have it until they start experiencing diabetes-related damage that can lead to a heart attack, stroke, vision problems or kidney disease. In fact, most people with type 2 diabetes do not notice the symptoms because some signs of diabetes aren’t easy to recognize. Symptoms of diabetes include: 

* Being very thirsty 
* Urinating often 
* Losing weight without trying 
* Having vision problems, such as blurred vision 

Diabetes is a serious disease, but early diagnosis and treatment can help people with diabetes live healthy and active lives. A person’s risk for diabetes goes up as they get older, gain weight, or if they do not stay active. So how can you find out if you might be at risk for diabetes? Risk factors include: 

* Being overweight or obese 
* Not being physically active 
* Having a family history of diabetes 
* Having high blood pressure 
* Having diabetes during pregnancy or having a baby weighing more than 9 pounds at birth 
* Being older than 45 years of age 

Diabetes is also more common in African Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. 

To find out if you or a loved one are at risk for type 2 diabetes, you can take the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Risk Test. This is a simple test that asks questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for diabetes. Based on your response, you can find out whether you are at low, moderate or high risk for diabetes. You can take the test online at www.diabetes.org/alert or by phone (in English or Spanish) at (800) DIABETES (800-342-2383). 

If you find that you are at high risk for having diabetes, talk with your doctor to find out for sure. Only your doctor can determine if you have diabetes. 

To learn more about diabetes risk factors, diagnosis and treatment, or to take the Diabetes Risk Test, visit the American Diabetes Association’s Web site at www.diabetes.org or call (800) DIABETES (800-342-2383). 

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Diabetes is a condition wherein an individual may have something wrong with his or her insulin production or his muscles may be unable to accept or process insulin well enough. There are three basic types of diabetes, which are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.

What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is the type of condition where the body has an inability to accept or process insulin well enough. Some body tissues may not respond well to insulin or the insulin receptor cells may be abnormal. Due to the inability of the receptors to sense insulin, it is not accepted by our body’s tissues and there is an increased level of insulin in our blood stream.

As the individual gets older, the disease gets worse and there may be need to use therapeutic replacement of insulin for the individual to function well. Fats around the abdominal area are often credited as one of the causes of type 2 diabetes. These produce adipokines that can impair the body’s tolerance of insulin. Other factors to type 2 diabetes are age and a family history of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes usually has a strong inheritance pattern compared to type 1 diabetes.

Treating Type 2 Diabetes

In most cases, type 2 diabetes is commonly treated by asking the patient to lose some or a specific amount of weight and to decrease the intake of carbohydrates. Other individuals may need to take antidiabetic medication to control their type 2 diabetes.  Regular exercise is encouraged in individuals suffering from this particular condition. Another option for curing type 2 diabetes is to undergo gastric bypass surgery, which can alter the pattern of secretion of adipokines and other hormones.

Of course, one can always maintain one’s weight with controlled diet and consistent exercise. Smoking is also a culprit in diabetes; therefore, one must stop smoking in order to improve one’s overall health. These methods of treating and improving one’s diabetic health can be easily done and will not cost much.

To be able to avoid the many complications that may occur when you are diagnosed with diabetes, whether type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it is best to be vigilant in your diet and health. For those individuals who have a family history of diabetes, make sure that you regularly consult your medical practitioner regarding your status. Excessive weight gain may indicate diabetes as well as blurry vision.

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