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
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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
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 reqire 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 sugare levels.
- Lifesylote Management - Learning to reduce stress lefels in day-to-day life can help people with diabeters better manage their disease.
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