Shedding Light on Diabetes

You probably know someone who has diabetes. But do they know? While almost 8% of the US population has it, 1 in 4 is in the dark. By recognizing the warning signs, you can shed some light on this troublesome but manageable illness.

People with diabetes have elevated blood glucose, which can be caused by an immune response (type 1) or insulin resistance (prediabetes and type 2). Symptoms may include:

Increased thirst and frequent urination

Extreme hunger

Unexplained weight loss, even if you’re hungry and eating well

Fatigue

Blurry vision

Slow-healing sores

Frequent infections of gums, skin, bladder, or other sites.

A diabetes diagnosis would sour anyone’s day. But there are effective treatment plans, including monitoring blood sugar, taking insulin if necessary, addressing related conditions like high blood pressure, and following a prescribed diet and exercise plan that can make diabetes easier to manage.