What is Diabetes?

From Sioux Lookout Diabetes (http://www.slktdiab.ca/)

Diabetes is a lifelong condition in which your body cannot properly use and store the fuel (sugar) you take in from the food you eat. Insulin is needed to help the body use sugar for energy. When a person has diabetes, the pancreas either does not produce or produces very little insulin (resulting in type 1 diabetes), or cannot use the insulin that is produced (causing type 2 diabetes). When insulin is not available, the sugar from food stays in the bloodstream causing blood sugars to rise.

TYPES OF DIABETES

TYPE 1: This is a condition where the body produces very little or no insulin. Type 1 requires daily insulin injections, along with a healthy lifestyle which includes healthy eating, activity, and stress management.

TYPE 2: This is a condition where the body still makes insulin but is not able to use it properly. Healthy lifestyle changes are encouraged to control blood sugar levels.

Pregnancy and Diabetes
Women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes may wish to have children. These women should receive preconception education and close follow-up during their pregnancy. Healthy blood sugars before and during pregnancy will ensure a healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby.

Gestational Diabetes
This is a condition where the mother's body is not properly handling the glucose (sugar) from the food she eats. This type of diabetes normally disappears shortly after the baby is born. if you are at risk for Gestational Diabetes your doctor or nurse will order a test between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Impaired Glucose Tolerance & Impaired Fasting Glucose
Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Impaired Fasting are two conditions, although not considered diabetes, they indicate a problem with the way the body uses insulin and glucose (sugar). These conditions are a risk factor for developing diabetes later on in life. If you are told you have either one of these conditions, now is the time to contact your diabetes team for healthy lifestyle counselling to prevent diabetes.

Are you at Risk?

From Sioux Lookout Diabetes (http://www.slktdiab.ca/)

Risk Factors

• Hip/waist ratio of over 1.0 in men and over 0.8 in women (this can be checked by your health professional).
• Have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
• Over 40 years of age
• You had diabetes during pregnancy
• You delivered a baby over 9 lbs.
• Overweight
• Member of an ethnic group, i.e. First Nations, Hispanic, Asian, Finnish...
• You have high blood cholesterol, heart disease or high blood pressure
• Have trouble getting and maintaining an erection
• Have increased stress

Signs and Symptoms

• Excessive thirst
• Weight change
• Frequent urination
• Blurred vision
• Change in appetite
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Itchy skin
• Tingling in hand, legs or feet
• Frequent or slow healing of cuts or infections in the body
• Sweet smelling breath
• Severe abdominal pain
• Nausea or vomiting

Diabetes is diagnosed using a blood test to determine the amount of sugar/glucose in your blood. These tests are:

· Fasting Blood Glucose Test by the laboratory before breakfast

· Casual Blood Glucose Test by the laboratory, done anytime of the  day

· Oral Glucose Tolerance Test which is done by the laboratory. You will drink a special sweetened drink. A blood sample is taken before drinking and 2 hours after taking the drink

Diabetes Management

 From Sioux Lookout Diabetes (http://www.slktdiab.ca/)

Exercise and being more active is important in controlling and/or preventing diabetes!

Recipe for Diabetes Management

• Education - All people with diabetes need to learn about their condition in order to make healthy lifestyle choices and manage their diabetes.
• Exercise - Regular exercise helps your body lower blood sugars, promote weight loss, reduce stress and enhance overall fitness.
• Healthy Weight - Maintaining a healthy weight is especially important in the control of Type 2 Diabetes.
• Take Medication if Needed - Type 1 Diabetes always requires daily injections of insulin, Type 2 Diabetes is controlled through exercise and meal planning and may require medications and/or insulin to assist the body in making or using insulin more effectively.
• Eat a Healthy Diet - What, when and how much you eat play an important role in regulating how well your body manages blood sugar levels.

Lifestyle Management - Learning to reduce stress levels in day-to-day life can help people with diabetes better manage their disease

Diabetes Complications

From Sioux Lookout Diabetes (http://www.slktdiab.ca/) Chronic, long term complications of diabetes and uncontrolled blood sugars can be extremely serious. Recent research shows that improved blood sugar control, a healthy blood pressure (less than 130/80), and lowering cholesterol and other fats in the blood can help to prevent or delay complications of diabetes. It is important that you discuss diabetes complications with your doctor and health care team. An individual plan of care to manage your diabetes and to monitor complications needs to be developed. The following is a brief list of strategies for early detection of diabetes complications.
	Diabetic Retinopathy: Have a dilated eye exam at diagnosis, and then every 1 - 2 years. Report any vision problems to your physician or health care team.
	Diabetic Neuropathy: Tell your doctor or diabetes educator if you experience numbness or "pins and needles" in your hands or feet. Learn proper foot care and inspect your feet daily. Schedule a visit to your foot doctor annually. If you have trouble getting and maintaining an erection talk to your doctor or health care team. They may be able to suggest ways to help with this problem.
	Heart Disease: Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Discuss starting any exercise program with your doctor, as a stress test may be required.
	Kidney Disease: Have urine and blood tests regularly for early signs of kidney disease.