Diabetes is a major health concern today because it has become one of the most common diseases that people are dealing with. Diabetes is a disease that is distinguished by having high blood sugar. While diabetes is one specific disease, there are three different types of diabetes that people can develop, which includes gestational diabetes, Type 1 diabetes, and Type 2 diabetes. Each one of these types of diabetes has different causes and can be resolved in different ways.
Who is at Risk?
While gestational diabetes is of course found in only women, the other types of diabetes can affect either sex. As a general rule, women seem to have a higher risk of developing diabetes than do men. However, a great number of men are developing this disease as well. Interestingly enough, those who are Latin American or African American have a higher risk of getting diabetes. Age also can affect your risk of developing diabetes, although diabetes can affect people of all ages, both young and old. Once you are over the age of 40, the risk gets higher, with people over the age of 60 having the highest risk of developing diabetes. Other risks that may affect your chances of developing diabetes is your diet, weight, and even your family history.
Early Warning Signs
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can be effectively treated, especially when you catch the warning signs early. One of the first early signs that may be pointing towards diabetes is excessive thirst. Along with the excessive thirst comes the frequent need to urinate, since the kidneys are working extra hard to get rid of the extra sugar that is present in your body. Other warning signs can include blurry vision, fatigue, numbness in extremities, weight loss, or frequent hunger.
Lowering Your Risk
There are a variety of ways that you can lower your risk of getting the disease. One way that you can drastically lower your risk of developing diabetes is to maintain an ideal bodyweight or simply lose weight. Just losing 5% of your current body weight can make a significant difference and drastically lower your risk. In addition, increasing the amount of exercise that you do is a great way to lower your risk for diabetes as well. If you combine weight loss and exercise together you can lower your risk of developing diabetes by more than fifty percent. Other ways that you can lower your risk are to stop smoking, eat more whole grains, and to limit the amount of processed carbohydrates that you eat each day.
Diabetes truly is a disease that is affecting many people today, from the old to the young. Thankfully there are ways that you can work to lower your risk, and even if you catch the early warning signs, sometimes a change in lifestyle can accomplish a lot. No matter what age or gender you may be, you can start today and work towards lowering your risk of developing this disease.
Make it a great day!
Chris Walker
The why can't I lose weight expert!
www.chriswalkersfitness.com
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