Diabetes – Are You at Risk?

Are You at Risk for Diabetes?

The number of cases of diabetes is on the rise and many health care experts consider it to be a national epidemic. Here, the facts and figures:

Diabetes affects about 25.8 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control.  It’s marked by high blood glucose levels due to defects in insulin production or insulin action. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes has been rising at an alarming annual rate and was about 19 million in 2010. That’s up from 1.5 million people in 1958. Statistics indicate that 8.3 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes and the disease remains undiagnosed in about 7 million of them.

There are several types of diabetes. Type 1, which had been known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, accounts for about five percent of diagnosed adult cases. Type 2 diabetes accounts for the vast majority of diagnoses (90-95 percent ) and, while it used to be known as adult-onset diabetes, it’s being diagnosed much more frequently in children. Gestational diabetes occurs in two to 10 percent of pregnant women and those who are diagnosed with it have a 30 to 65 percent chance of developing diabetes later in life.

Prediabetes, where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not at levels sufficient to quality as diabetes, occurs in an estimated 79 million adults.

The statistics are sobering – and they only get worse. Childhood diabetes, fueled by the obesity epidemic coupled with low levels of physical activity, is rising significantly. The American Heart Association estimates that by the year 2020, more than half of us will be diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes.

But there is good news …

Prediabetes is reversible, says Dr. Joseph Pinzone, endocrinologist, CEO and Medical Director of Amai Clinic and Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He regularly treats prediabetic and diabetic patients and employs fitness trainers and a registered dietician on staff to work with patients as a supplement to medical intervention.

Dr. Pinzone warns of 10 surprising signs of diabetes. They are:

Frequent urination

Feeling very thirsty

Persistent hunger, even after eating

A velvety darkening of skin which forms around your neck, under your arms or in your groin

Frequent fatigue

Weight loss, despite eating more food (Type 1 Diabetes)

Tingling, pain or numbness in your hands or feet (Type 2)

Erectile dysfunction issues

Blurred vision

Hearing impairment

If you suffer from any of the above, consult with your health care practitioner.

Here are Dr. Pinzone’s Ways to Prevent or Treat Diabetes:

Get your blood sugar checked regularly to see if you’re at prediabetic levels (101-125 mg/dL) or diabetic (>125 mg/dL).

Eat a balanced diet with mixtures of high-quality protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, avocados, for example) in correct proportions.

Maintain an ideal body weight.

Work out with aerobic and weight-training exercise (doctor approved).

Take medications prescribed correctly for prediabetes or diabetes.

Quit smoking.

Drink coffee regularly.

Check your blood pressure regularly.

Make an appointment with a dietician to learn healthy eating habits.

Visit http://www.diabetes.org to learn about your risk factors, blood sugar and the disease itself.

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