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One in eight American adults (about 29 million) has type 2 diabetes, which causes blood glucose levels to climb. The older you get, the greater your risk.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) estimates that people with diabetes spend more time in the treatment of diabetes.
1. Sugary foods and drinks do not cause diabetes. But that does not mean you can consume endless amounts of Ben & Jerry's. When you overdo the sweet stuff, you're taking in extra calories, says Sacha Uelmen, RDN, Director of Nutrition at the ADA. And that packs on the pounds, upping your risk for Type 2.
2. You could have prediabetes and not know it. One in three Americans over age 20-a staggering 86 million-has glucose glucose (sugar) levels hovering just below the Type 2 diabetes threshold (fasting glucose level of 100-125 mg / dL). Prediabetes is not harmless: It can damage the blood vessels and cause nerve problems, says William Cefalu, M.D., Chief Scientific, Medical and Mission Officer for the ADA. To learn if you should be checked for prediabetes, read the ADA risk test at doihaveprediabetes.org.
3. You can prevent or delay its onset. If you have prediabetes, you can help the disease by losing 7 percent of your body weight. For starters, eat healthfully and get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. You do not have to do it alone. The ADA's lifestyle change program, the National Diabetes Prevention Program, is now a one-time benefit for Medicare recipients who meet certain criteria. Ask your health care provider for details.
4. Even older people can develop Type 1 diabetes. Though it 's dubbed juvenile diabetes because it typically affects children and young adults, Type 1 does not discriminate based on age. A recent study found that 4 percent of 31- to 60-year-olds diagnosed with type 2 diabetes actually had type 1. Because it's more rare in the over-30 set and because type 2 is so common, doctors sometimes overlook type 1. Some red flags indicate an older person with Type 2 may have Type 1: Her weight is normal and she does not respond to Type 2 medications.
5. It really hurts your heart. People with diabetes are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people without diabetes, says Cefalu. But a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine If you do not have enough blood glucose, you have to have a high blood sugar, you have to have a blood glucose linked to it.
6. It can raise your risk for gum disease. Type 1 and Type 2 up the risk for cavities, thrush, dry mouth and periodontitis, says diabetologist Jay Shubrook, D.O., director of diabetes services at Touro University in Vallejo, California.
7. The dreaded finger stick can become a thing of the past. According to the FDA, two new glucose monitoring devices (CGMs) -the Dexcom G6 and the FreeStyle Free-are "accurate enough to make insulin dosing decisions for a finger stick," says endocrinologist Aaron Neinstein, M.D., director of clinical informatics at the University of California San Francisco Center for Digital Health Innovation. The latest CGMs are also compatible with smart devices, allowing you to check glucose levels quickly. The Dexcom G6 even if an alarm if levels drop, so you can enjoy worry-free sleep.
8. It's bad for bones. In people with diabetes, hormones and cell products called cytokines can weaken bones, raising fracture risk, says Felicia Cosman, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University. Also, conditions associated with diabetes, such as neuropathy, vision problems and low blood sugar, increasing the risk of falling and breaking a bone. If you have diabetes, you need a bone density test, a good idea if you're over 50 or you've broken a bone, says Cosman, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Osteoporosis International.
ASK THE DOCTOR
Can Prediabetes Put Your Vision at Risk?
Just as diabetes can increase your risk of developing your blindness.
Prediabetes can cause retinopathy, changes to the structure of the eye that can result in vision loss. Having Retinopathy is the single biggest predictor for vision loss. It has the best chance for treatment success. that's why it's important to get dilated eye exam every year. If you're overweight and older than 45.
-Cleveland Clinic ophthalmologist Sumit Sharma, M.D.
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