ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Approximately 38 million Americans are affected by diabetes. Of those 38 million, approximately 9 million don’t even know they have it. It often goes undiagnosed because there are no symptoms or people don’t know what to look out for.
Diabetes is known as a “silent killer” and can go unnoticed for years if warning signs are not noticed. Early detection is key to preventing serious complications such as heart disease, kidney failure and vision loss.
“If you’re not going in for regular checkups and getting your blood tested, you probably think you’re fine, which is why prediabetes and even type 2 diabetes can be a ‘silent disease,'” says Allison Massey, R.D., D., owner of Flourish Nutrition Therapy and Wellness.
Key warning signs to look out for include increased thirst and frequent urination, extreme hunger, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, slow wound healing and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. To prevent these symptoms, Prof Massey says, get exercise.
“Exercise, as I always say, is free medicine for your body. It lowers blood sugar and I definitely recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise every day,” Massey says.
She also recommends eating a healthy diet (including more whole foods, fruits and vegetables and less sugar and alcohol), getting at least seven hours of sleep each night, losing weight and quitting smoking.
If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, don’t wait, talk to a health care professional right away. For more information about diabetes and its management, visit diabetes.org.
Click here to report a typo.
Copyright 2024 WAFB. All rights reserved.
