What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease caused by high blood sugar, and sugar is in many
of the foods we must eat to survive. After food is consumed, our body
takes its nutrients and breaks it down into carbohydrates, proteins and
fats. Carbohydrates turn into sugar that is then used as energy for our
body. Carbohydrates come in the form of starches, starchy vegetables,
milk/yogurt, fruits, and sweets. If your body doesn’t need all the
sugar you take in at once, it will store it in muscles, fat, and liver
cells for use later. That is the job of insulin, a hormone that moves
sugar into those cells. Those who have diabetes have high blood sugar
levels because they cannot store sugar in those cells. Diabetes can be
caused by either too little insulin production by an individual's
body (Type 1 Diabetes) or an individual's body is resistant to the
effects of insulin (Type 2 Diabetes) and can also occur during pregnancy
(Gestational Diabetes).
Signs of Type 1 Diabetes
Signs oftype 1 diabetes include: intense thirst, being very tired, urinating
often, losing weight, extreme hunger, extreme fatigue and blurred vision.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and/or think you might have
type 1 diabetes, your doctor can do a blood test to measure the amount
of sugar in your blood.
Signs of Type 2 Diabetes
Prior to atype 2 diabetes diagnosis, most people have no symptoms. Some
type 2 diabetes signs can include needing to urinate frequently, feeling
thirsty, frequent infections, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling/numbness
in the hands and feet, recurring skin, gum or bladder infections, tiredness,
fatigue and having blurred vision. To diagnosis type 2 diabetes, several
blood tests are required to measure blood glucose levels.
Signs of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a specific type of diabetes that can develop during
a woman’s pregnancy. Most women do not experience noticeable signs
of gestational diabetes. In rare situations, women may feel symptoms of
excessive thirst or even urinating often. Often, women with gestational
diabetes are overweight before the pregnancy. Others may have diabetes
in the family. Although symptoms of gestational diabetes are rare and
may be unnoticeable, it is important to seek help before and during your
pregnancy.
The Allen Diabetes Center can assist you on your way to healthy living
by giving you the tools successfully manage your diabetes. The Allen Center
has one of the largest diabetes education programs in Orange County and
offers dietitians, educators certified for all major continuous glucose
monitoring sensors (CGMS) and major insulin pumps. Withfree diabetes education
and support classes on nutrition, cooking, exercise and psychosocial support
and a diabetes self-management program that focuses on managing diet,
physical activity and medications, the Allen Center can play a virtual
role in helping you avoid complications and teach how to manage and treat
your diabetes. Patients with type 1 diabetes will be interested in participating
in the Allen Center'sHerbert Family Programthat focuses on meeting
the unique needs of young adults with type 1 diabetes (age 18-30s). The
program addresses the financial, psychological, social and physical changes
that challenge not only the young adult but also their family and support system.