Managing Diabetes (Cont.)

Managing Diabetes: Learn as Much as You Can About Diabetes

The more you know about diabetes, the better you can work with your healthcare team to manage your disease and reduce your risk for problems.
 
You should know what type of diabetes you have. If you do not know, ask your doctor whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
 
  • Type 1 diabetes. People who have type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. This type of diabetes is less common and used to be called juvenile diabetes.
     
  • Type 2 diabetes. Diet and daily physical activity help to control type 2 diabetes. Most people also need to take diabetes pills or insulin. Type 2 diabetes is very common and used to be called adult-onset diabetes.
     
Diabetes is always a serious disease. Terms that suggest that diabetes is not serious, such as "a touch of diabetes," "mild diabetes," and "sugar's a little high," are misleading and should no longer be used.
 
Finding and treating diabetes early can prevent health problems later on. Many people with type 2 diabetes have no diabetes symptoms and do not know they have diabetes. Some people are at higher risk for diabetes than others. People at high risk include those who:
 
  • Are older than 45
  • Are inactive
  • Are overweight
  • Have a close family member, such as a parent, a brother, or a sister with diabetes
  • Had diabetes during pregnancy
  • Had a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds
  • Are African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American or Pacific Islander, or American Indian
  • Have high blood pressure
  • Have high cholesterol or other abnormal blood fats.
     
If you know someone who has any of the risk factors for diabetes, suggest that this person talk to his or her doctor about getting tested.
 
(Managing Diabetes Continued: Page 3)

Pages:

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next

Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD