In the United States about 29 million Americans have been diagnosed with Diabetes, while nearly 8.1 million people have diabetes, but have not been diagnosed. The total cost of Diabetes in the United States is estimated at $245 Billion as of March 6, 2013 estimates. Diabetes is associated with many complications and Co-Morbid Conditions such as Dyslipidema, Heart Attack, Stroke, Kidney Disease, Amputations and is the leading cause of Blindness. Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
Some early warning signs of Diabetes are frequent trips to the bathroom, urination becomes more frequent. Unquenchable Thirst, loosing weight without trying, weakness and Fatigue, Tingling or Numbness in your hands, legs, or feet. Other signs that can occur are blurred vision, skin that is dry or itchy, frequent infections or cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal. These may all be signs of Type 2 Diabetes and it is recommended that you seek medical help from you Doctor immediately.
It is imperative that you understand the signs of Diabetes and know your A1C. The A1C test is a common blood test used to diagnose type 1 and type 2 diabetes and then to gauge how well you're managing your diabetes. The A1C test goes by many other names, including glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1C and HbA1c. The A1C test result reflects your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. Specifically, the A1C test measures what percentage of your hemoglobin — a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen — is coated with sugar (glycated). The higher your A1C level, the poorer your blood sugar control and the higher your risk of diabetes complications.
There are many courses of treatment available today for Type 2 Diabetes. When diagnosed early, life style modifications such as Diet and Exercise in combination with oral medications such as Metformin is recommended to lower your A1C to acceptable levels of below 7. In many cases these simple steps may not always work and more aggressive therapy is needed, as Diabetes is a progressive disease. Over the past 10 years many new medications have been added to the treatment algorithm and have shown great results.
It is important to be aware of what you eat. Avoiding processed foods and high levels of carbohydrates is the first step to a better you. Eat sensibly, rather than live to eat, eat to live. Exercise whenever possible, even a simple walk can help. Don’t take out, stay in, eat home more often. Stay away from Fat Free or Low Fat food. Schedule time with a Nutritionist, you’ll be surprised on what you learn, and what you may be missing out on.
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