Diabetes
What is Diabetes?
According to the CDC’s website, diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. It’s caused by the way your body uses glucose, or sugar, in your blood. There are 3 types of Diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes (acquired while pregnant). Per the CDC, there are more than 122 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes.
If you have diabetes, your body can’t use insulin properly or it doesn’t have enough to move the glucose from your blood to your cells. As a result, your blood sugar rises and other health complications can develop. Nearly 10% of American adults have diabetes. It’s a condition that causes excess sugar to collect in your blood, leading to other health complications. Diabetes requires lifelong management.
The most common forms of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes can develop in childhood. Type 2 diabetes appears when your body becomes resistant to insulin or it can’t make enough. Being overweight is closely linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes, but not everyone who has Type 2 diabetes is overweight.
If you have diabetes and you need acute care, visit Temecula Family Medicine or Temecula 24 Hour Urgent Care. Temecula Family Medicine can help you manage your diabetes. If you would like to make an appointment, you can call the office today at 951-501-0049 or simply-walk in. Appointments are not needed.
What factors put me at risk of Type 2 diabetes?
The exact cause of diabetes is still unknown. Prediabetes is a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. A patient with prediabetes has high blood sugar levels but doesn’t have diabetes yet. Some people with risk factors develop prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, while others never develop the condition.
Certain risk factors are strongly linked with the development of diabetes, including:
- Excess weight
- Low activity level
- Genetics/a family history
- Race
- Age
- High blood pressure
As you age, the risk to develop diabetes increase. Also, people who are overweight or are not active are more likely to develop diabetes. Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian people are more likely to develop diabetes than white people. Also, if you have a family history of diabetes, your risk to develop it increases.
What complications can diabetes cause?
Type 2 diabetes and complications develop over time. The longer you have the condition and the longer your blood sugar remains uncontrolled, the higher your risk of complications. Some common complications include:
- Cardiovascular & heart disease
- Possible nerve damage
- Kidney damage
- Eye damage
- Wounds that don’t heal
- Alzheimer’s disease
Be sure to closely monitor your blood sugar levels to manage your diabetes and prevent complications. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, can help prevent complications and is a great way to live a more fulfilled life.
With chronic conditions like diabetes, sometimes you need immediate care. At Temecula Family Medicine, you can walk in for diabetes care without scheduling an appointment. Call the office today to learn more at 951-501-0049 or to make an appointment. No appointment is needed; walk-ins are welcome.