Diabetes, often known as diabetes mellitus, is a disease that occurs when the body experiences high blood glucose. This can be due to insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance. It could also be a combination of both.

There are several symptoms of diabetes to look out for. We cannot list all of the symptoms here, but we can list a few of the common symptoms.

Common Signs That Might Indicate Diabetes:

These warning signs are often ignored. The quicker you realize you have diabetes, the easier it may be to keep your disease under control. With diabetes, knowledge is power. Without further ado, here are a few common symptoms:

• Excessive thirst
• Weight loss
• Headaches
• Blurred Vision
• Frequent Urination

Types of Diabetes

There are multiple types of diabetes, but two of those types have different mechanisms. Type 1 diabetes, known as juvenile diabetes, is most common in kids and teens. Having Type 1 diabetes means your body has a problem with insulin production. With Type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin but isn’t able to produce enough of it or the insulin being produced isn’t able to work effectively.

What is common between both of the types of diabetes is that glucose isn’t able to get into the body’s cells and hence stays in the blood. This builds up the glucose levels in the blood.

Complications with Diabetes

The unfortunate fact that diabetes isn’t yet a curable disease can be very frustrating. The only way to keep this disease under control is through regular checkups, medication (if your doctor prescribes it) and, when applicable and approved by your clinician, lifestyle changes.

When not controlled, diabetes has been known to cause:

• Kidney failure
• Increased chance of heart attack
• Limb amputations and diabetic neuropathy
• Blindness and other eye problems

There are many other issues that diabetes can cause. Always consult your clinician.

Smarter Food Choices

As they say, you are what you eat. Having diabetes should urge you to make healthy choices about what to eat. More than knowing what kind of foods you can eat, the trick lies in knowing the foods to avoid. When you cut the following foods from your diet, it may be easier to keep the disease under control.

Some foods best left in the grocery store rather than on your plate are:

• Sugary Foods – It is most obvious that sugar and carbs need to be monitored so that they don’t contribute to already rising blood sugar. Many artificial sweeteners may be equally harmful. Always have a diet plan, so you can plan how many carbs you will eat in a day. Keeping track of carbs can help you control blood sugar spikes. Make sure your doctor approves your diet plan before you begin.
• Fried foods – Deep-oil frying increases the calories, carbohydrates, fats and sodium levels in otherwise healthy foods. It may be a good idea to get rid of these fried foods altogether.
• Rice – White rice or pasta can be bad for diabetes, eating it in moderation is the key. As rice is said to be full of calories, it is best to have small portions. Try to eat whole grain carbs when possible, and diabetic healthy substitutes for products like this can be found in the supermarket.

One should monitor blood sugar levels, maintain a healthy diet, and exercise regularly, but make sure to discuss it all with your clinician first. Always consult your clinician before any changes to your diet, medication, and before you start an exercise regimen. Other health factors may limit the changes you can do personally, so make sure you keep in contact with your clinician and consult them before making these changes.

*The author of this blog is not a medical professional and this article does not contain professional medical advice. This blog is not intended to substitute for medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the contents of this article. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.