Living with Diabetes
By David Brown
Physician's Assistant
MCG Diabetes Center

October 31, 2002

Augusta, Ga. - An estimated 17 million people across the United States have some form of diabetes. And the rising epidemic of this disease is no doubt linked to our society's growing problem with obesity and inactivity.

November is American Diabetes Month, a time to raise awareness of this disease. Are you at risk for diabetes? Do you know the signs and symptoms? Or do you still suffer from some common misconceptions?

Whether you are at risk, pre-diabetic or have struggled with diabetes for years, the two most important words to remember are diet and exercise. These will become a mantra for those at risk for diabetes. Watching what you eat and exercising at least five days a week is extremely important in helping to control diabetes.

Risk Factors

• Being overweight or obese. Of those who have Type 2 diabetes, it's estimated that 90 percent are overweight or obese.
• Sedentary lifestyle. Walk, run, bike or golf-it doesn't matter what type of activity you choose.
• Ethnicity. African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders are at greater risk than Caucasians of contracting diabetes.
• High levels of lipids and triglycerides. Again, watching what you eat is as important as how much you eat.
• Family history. Ask your relatives and determine if there is a history of diabetes in your family.
• Diabetes during pregnancy. Women who had gestational diabetes are also at higher risk.

Signs and Symptoms

If you find yourself stopping at every water fountain and bathroom that you pass, contact your physician. Excessive thirst and frequent urination are the two most common symptoms of diabetes. Others include:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Frequent infections
• Slow healing of wounds and sores

Misconceptions

Eating too much sugar will give you diabetes. Wrong; diabetes is caused by the inability to produce or effectively use insulin to break down sugars from food (called glucose). As a result, glucose builds up in the bloodstream and cannot be transferred to cells to be used as energy. However, eating a proper diet is particularly important if you are at risk for diabetes, so limiting the amount of sugar and fat might be a smart move.

If you have diabetes, you will have to be on insulin for the rest of your life. Not necessarily; diabetes may be classified into two types: Type 1 or Type 2. Type 1 diabetics have a disorder in which their bodies do not produce insulin. This group, which makes up about five percent of those who have diabetes, must supplement insulin to maintain good health. For those with Type 2 diabetes, proper diet and exercise can go a long way toward helping to manage this disease. However, this is no guarantee; as the disease progresses, insulin may become necessary to regulate the body's glucose levels.

There's nothing you can do to help prevent this disease. While there is nothing you can do to prevent the onset of Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is another story. Eating healthy and staying active play major roles. Also, those at risk are strongly urged to get tested, either by a fasting plasma glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test. By taking care of yourself and paying attention to warning signs, it may be possible to delay, even prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

MCG HealthCare is the health system of the Medical College of Georgia and is comprised of MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty of the School of Medicine and the members of the Physicians Practice Group. MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Hospitals and Clinics, Children's Medical Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by offering the highest level of primary and specialty health care.