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You’ve probably heard about diabetes but haven’t thought much about it. Why should you? You would know if you suffer from it. We’re here to tell you that it isn’t exactly true…

Let’s start at the beginning.

Your body changes most of the food that you digest into glucose (a form of sugar). The glucose then enters all the cells of your body, which uses it for energy. This can only happen with the help of insulin, which is the hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. When your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly, diabetes is diagnosed.

There are two types of diabetes.

Type one diabetes (Insulin dependant)
Type one diabetes develops when your body’s insulin producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed by your immune system. These special cells are the only ones that produce the insulin hormone. As a result, no insulin is produced by your body’s pancreas. There are no known ways to prevent type one diabetes, but it can be treated with insulin replacement therapy.

Type two diabetes (Insulin dependant)
In type two diabetes, the body produces insulin however, either the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin adequately. This is called insulin resistance. When there isn’t enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, glucose cannot get into the body cells. As the need for insulin rises, the pancreas gradually loses its ability to produce it. Between 90- 95 % of people diagnosed with diabetes suffer from type two.

Symptoms
The early stages of diabetes have very few symptoms. The most consistent symptom of diabetes is elevated blood sugar levels. However, high blood sugar is not something that can be seen physically. Thus, it is useful to know the side effects of high blood sugar, which are commonly recognised as noticeable symptoms.

These early warning signs of diabetes include frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability. Less recognisable symptoms include frequent infections, blurred vision, slow healing bruises or cuts, recurring infections of the skin, gum and bladder and numbness in the hands or feet.

Am I at risk?
If your parents or siblings already suffer from type one diabetes, you are at greater risk of suffering from it yourself.  Type two diabetes is also hereditary, however, your risk of suffering from type two diabetes is stronger if you’re over the age of 45, overweight, have high blood pressure and don’t exercise regularly.

So, what’s next?
Bestmed cares about your wellness and that is why we urge you to take care of yourself. Although there is no cure for diabetes there are ways for you to stay healthy. Simple lifestyle changes to your diet, regular exercise, and taking your prescribed medicine will make a difference in reducing or preventing the damage that diabetes can cause. As a Bestmed member you will have peace of mind with diabetes screenings and our preventative care benefits.  The earlier you know you have diabetes, the sooner you can make these important lifestyle changes.