A person is diagnosed with diabetes when their blood sugar levels constantly remain above normal. The seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., diabetes cases have increased four-fold in the country from 1980 to 2014 with 22 million cases at present, according to the latest figures provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Diabetes is a life-long disease and can cause health issues related to heart and blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, nerves and teeth. Serious complications due to the disease include blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations.

Initial symptoms of the disease are not as obvious or they may seem harmless. Moreover, those with type 2 diabetes have symptoms that often go ignored. Type 2 diabetes is also called adult onset diabetes and type 1 diabetes is known as juvenile diabetes.

Following are diabetes symptoms.

  • Urinating frequent
  • Feeling extremely thirsty
  • Feeling hungry even while eating
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Blurry vision
  • Tingling, pain or numbness in hands or feet
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Very dry skin
  • Healing of wounds take longer
  • Vomiting and stomach ache
  • Lack of interest and concentration

Prediabetes

Prediabetics are those people who have higher than normal blood sugar levels, but not as high for a diabetes diagnosis. They are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Risk factors associated with prediabetes include age (particularly after 45 years of age), overweight or obesity and family history of diabetes.

Research shows people can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes is by losing 5 percent to 7 percent of body weight and exercise for at least 150 minutes a week, according to CDC.

Gestational Diabetes

As the name suggests gestational diabetes occurs only during pregnancy. It is important to manage gestational diabetes to protect the baby as they are prone to be overly large, resulting in complications during delivery. Furthermore, children exposed to diabetes in the womb have chances of becoming obese and develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Gestational diabetes often goes away after childbirth. But women who have had gestational diabetes also have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. In order to avoid or delay the disease it is advised to eat healthy, workout and manage weight.

Prevention

Currently there no methods or medication to prevent type 1 diabetes. However, type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by making changes to lifestyle. Physical activity, maintaining body weight and following healthy diet and no smoking can help people stay from the disease.

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