In the United States approximately 38 million people have diabetes. That is roughly 1 in every 10 people. Of those, nearly 1 in 5 do not know they have it.¹

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 is when the body doesn’t make enough insulin (a hormone which helps blood sugar into cells for use as energy) and type 2 occurs when the body does not use insulin properly. Type 1 can develop at any age and there is no known way to prevent it. Type 2 can also develop at any age with a higher risk for those who are physically inactive, overweight, have a family history of type 2 diabetes, and those who are 45 years or older.¹

Symptoms of Diabetes:

• Urinate (pee) a lot, often at night
• Are very thirsty
• Lose weight without trying
• Are very hungry
• Have blurry vision
• Have numb or tingling hands or feet
• Feel very tired
• Have very dry skin
• Have sores that heal slowly
• Have more infections than usual³

Risks of Uncontrolled Diabetes

Diabetes which is not managed appropriately can lead to other health conditions including but not limited to: blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, loss of toes/feet/legs, and erectile dysfunction.^1,2

Diagnosis/Treatment/Management

If you have the above symptoms or risk factors for diabetes, please see your healthcare provider for an evaluation.

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, your healthcare provider can prescribe the appropriate medications to help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Keeping routine appointments with your healthcare provider to manage this condition is imperative to help you maintain optimal health.

Additionally, some things you can do to manage your blood sugar levels are to eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, and get regular physical activity.⁴

Other tips include:

• Keep track of your blood sugar to see what makes it go up or down.
• Eat at regular times, and don't skip meals.
• Choose foods lower in calories, saturated fat, sugar, and salt.
• Track your food, drink, and physical activity.
• Drink water instead of juice or soda.
• Limit alcoholic drinks (2 drinks or less a day for men, 1 drink or less a day for women).
• For a sweet treat, choose fruit.
• Control your food portions (for example, use the plate method).⁴

References

1. CDC. (2024). Diabetes in the U.S. report card. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/images/library/socialmedia/diabetesintheus_print.pdf
2. CDC. (2024). Diabetes and men. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/risk-factors/diabetes-and-men.html
3. CDC. (2024). Symptoms of diabetes. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/signs-symptoms/index.html
4. CDC. (2024). Manage blood sugar. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/treatment/index.html