10 Tips for Surviving the Holiday Season
November 9, 2023
H3ALTH Talk • Episode 10
December 13, 2023By: Elizabeth Huggins, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
November is devoted to raising awareness of ALL types of diabetes including Type 1, Type 2, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Millions of people around the world live with diabetes or know someone living with diabetes. According to the 2023 National Statistics Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) it is estimated that over 37 million people in the United States have diabetes (11.3% of the population). Roughly 28.7 million people are diagnosed and another 8.5 million people with diabetes are undiagnosed.
What is diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not properly regulate the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood stream and blood sugar becomes higher than normal. Depending on the type of diabetes blood sugar may be slightly elevated and slowly cause damage to the body over time or it can become extremely high and become life threatening.
What are the different types of diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body destroys the cells of the pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes used to be referred to as “juvenile diabetes”. In 1997, the World Health Organization, the American Diabetes Association and other groups universally adopted new nomenclature, since age at the time of diagnosis is not the exclusive defining feature of the disease. A person with type 1 diabetes must take insulin to survive. Because Type 1 is a 24/7 disease it can be overwhelming for people with diabetes and their family, so it is important to be armed with proper knowledge and have a good support system. Scientists are still working hard to find a cure. FDA recently approved a medication shown to delay the development of type 1 diabetes in some people by a few years, but unfortunately it does not completely prevent type 1. Thankfully medicine and technology continue to advance to help people with type 1 live healthy and very productive lives.
Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes estimated to make up 90-95% of the cases of diabetes in the US, is characterized by insulin resistance, a condition in which the body does not properly use insulin. The body can produce some insulin, but the amount is inadequate to overcome the insulin resistance. Treatment can range from lifestyle management to needing oral or injectable diabetes medication to control blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes may progress slowly, and some people may not recognize signs or symptoms that their sugar is elevated. Because symptoms are not always extreme this can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment which can then cause progression of non-reversable complications affecting eyes, heart, kidneys, and nerves.
While type 2 has a genetic component to it, the good news is that lifestyle factors such as good nutrition and physical activity can help to prevent, reverse, or delay its development. For people who have already been diagnosed with diabetes these same lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in their diabetes control and help to prevent health complications.
Prediabetes is a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Often people say they have no specific symptoms, however, some people may experience darkened skin around the neck, armpits, and groin. Ultimately the best way to identify diabetes is to have blood sugar and A1c tested. Mildly elevated blood sugar may seem harmless, but those with prediabetes are at increased risk of developing heart, blood vessel and kidney disease.
Gestational diabetes occurs in women who prior to pregnancy had normal blood sugar that becomes elevated during pregnancy. Women are typically screened around the 24th to 28th weeks of pregnancy. Elevated blood sugar can cause complications in both mom and baby, so it is very important to control gestational diabetes. Typically, a woman’s blood sugars return to normal after the baby is born. Women with a history of gestational diabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and should focus on lifestyle factors to avoid developing type 2 diabetes and stay on top of getting screened.
Symptoms of diabetes
Both the blood sugar level and the duration of experiencing high blood sugar can influence the degree of symptoms. Classic symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes include feeling unusually thirsty, frequent urination, blurry vision, feeling tired, unplanned weight loss, gum and skin infections. Some people may not experience these symptoms or perhaps they assume it is normal because they are getting older. As discussed earlier, the best way to identify diabetes is to have your blood tested. An initial screening can be as fast as a 5 second test requiring a very small drop of blood. Blood glucose and A1c are 2 tests that are used to diagnose diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has an online questionnaire Diabetes Risk Test | ADA to help identify people at risk of diabetes. According to the 2023 ADA Standards of Care the criteria for screening adults who are not experiencing symptoms include: excess weight and family history of diabetes, history of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and polycystic ovary syndrome, history of gestational diabetes, prediabetes, physical inactivity, and age 35 and greater. It is recommended that people with prediabetes be screened annually for the development of type 2 diabetes. If results are normal, testing should be repeated at a minimum of 3-year intervals, with consideration of more frequent testing depending on initial results and risk status.
Although November is designated “Diabetes Month”, diabetes affects people year-round so it is something to be aware all 12 months of the year. All of us at Hilton Head Health encourage you to be aware and learn more about diabetes, know your risk and take action to prevent, reverse or control diabetes, and to learn ways to provide positive support to someone you know who has diabetes.
Additional Resources:
A Snapshot of Diabetes in the U.S.