With almost 12% of Americans living with diabetes, chances are you know someone who is managing the disease. But an estimated 8.7 million people with diabetes are undiagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
November’s Diabetes Awareness Month offers a time to understand your risks of developing diabetes and to share resources that can help you or a loved one who may be facing the disease.
Setting the Record Straight
False information about the disease can add to a person’s stress after they receive a diagnosis, says Lois Kuehl, Outpatient Diabetes Education Team Lead for ThedaCare.
“So many diseases are influenced by our lifestyle, but they’re not accompanied by the guilt that there is with diabetes,” she says. “People are incorrectly told that eating too much sugar causes diabetes. This can lead to a lot of shame and anxiety about developing diabetes.”
Diabetes Types
While there are several types of diabetes, the most common are type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body targets cells in the pancreas that make insulin. If you have type 1 diabetes, this sugar builds up in your bloodstream and can lead to complications.
Type 1 often appears when people are young, but it can happen at any age. Researchers aren’t sure what triggers the disease, but family history can play a role.
Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. It happens more often in middle-aged or older adults. However, it’s increasingly occurring in young people as well.
It develops when the body’s cells become resistant to insulin. Over time, the pancreas has trouble making enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels normal. Many people need medications to help maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Treatment also includes improved nutrition and exercise.
Risk Factors
Most people who develop type 2 diabetes have a family history and/or are overweight or obese. However, people at a normal weight or who are moderately overweight also can develop type 2 diabetes, according to the ADA.
People can develop Type 2 diabetes because of other factors as well. These include having visceral fat (at any weight), sedentary lifestyle, excess stress, prediabetes (higher-than-normal blood sugar), or fatty liver disease.
Age and ethnicity also impact risk. Black people and individuals of American Indian, Asian, and Latino descent are at increased risk. Older people also are more likely to develop the disease.
Diabetes places people at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. It nearly doubles the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. It also ups risk for diabetic neuropathy (damage to blood vessels that feed the nerves). This can lead to numbness, loss of sensation, and pain in the feet, legs, and hands. It also can cause other complications.
If you’d like to assess your diabetes risk, you can take the ADA’s quiz here.
Life Impacts
“A diabetes diagnosis can have a major effect on a person’s lifestyle,” Kuehl says. “First and foremost, they’ll need to think about managing their disease on a daily basis, which they didn’t have to do before.”
Diabetes can add financial costs, including medications and monitoring supplies. It also can affect a person’s daily routine, depending on the medications they need to take.
Staying on top of wellness is key, Kuehl says. Diet considerations and meal planning must become a part of the daily routine. The amount of carbohydrates consumed will affect blood sugar, for example.
The main concern is that if blood sugars are elevated for a period of time, it can affect blood vessels and nerves, Kuehl says. This can impact many parts of the body.
“The good news is diabetes is a disease that can be managed,” Kuehl says. “It used to be people with diabetes didn’t live as long as people without the disease. Now people can live long, healthy lives with proper care and attention.”
Disease Management Tips
- Eat meals at the same time each day. Choose high-fiber foods and healthy fats, and manage portion sizes.
- Exercise regularly. “Physical activity reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, helps you lose or maintain your weight, improves blood sugar control, and is good for your well-being overall,” Kuehl says.
- Take needed medications. These may include insulin diabetes pills or injections. Your primary care provider will work with you on the right combinations.
- Track blood sugar levels. This will help you to control your disease.
- Talk to your primary care provider about concerns. Discuss any changes you experience in your health.
Resources and Support
If you’re worried about getting diabetes support, fear not. ThedaCare offers classes and resources to help you better manage your disease and keep yourself healthy. There’s a fee, but insurance often helps cover the cost. Your primary care provider will refer you to get started. In addition, ThedaCare offers one-on-one sessions, depending on insurance benefits.
In these classes, you’ll learn directly from a registered nurse and registered dietitian about key factors in managing your diabetes. They include identifying your treatment plan, monitoring your blood glucose, reducing risks, taking medications, managing stress, getting exercise, and tapping into community resources and support.
You’ll learn about planning meals, counting carbohydrates, grocery shopping, meal timing, and managing your menu during sick days. The team also will cover blood glucose targets, prevention of complications, proper foot care, and stress management while coping with your disease.
“Having all the accurate information about diabetes and how to manage it can help alleviate a lot of the anxiety and stress that goes along with this diagnosis,” Kuehl says. “Our educators are here to help you and answer your questions.”
Learn about our extensive diabetes support tools
If you have concerns about diabetes risk or management, use MyThedaCare to schedule a visit with your primary care provider.
