Key Points
- Despite being a preventable disease, diabetes has become the “pandemic of the 21st century” due to its progression and number of cases.
- It is important to learn its warning signs.
- The first symptoms are usually excessive thirst, fatigue, vision and gum problems, weight loss, numbness in the hands and feet, and frequent wounds and infections.
- Diabetes can be prevented or delayed with lifestyle changes.
More and more experts are agreeing that, due to its progression and number of cases, diabetes is behaving like an epidemic disease.
Although it is one of this century’s leading causes of death, this condition is preventable. So that you are prepared, we will go over its early warning signs and what steps are useful for keeping it at bay.
Warning signs of diabetes
Excessive thirst
Excessive thirst can pass unnoticed as a sign of diabetes, as this symptom is relatively common. If your excessive thirst becomes frequent, you should talk to an expert.
When you have diabetes, glucose builds up in the blood, making the kidneys work harder to filter and absorb it.
Numbness of the hands and feet
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet can be an early sign of diabetes, specifically of diabetic neuropathy.
This is because of the constant presence of glucose in the blood, which over time affects and weakens nerve function.
Frequent wounds and infections
High blood glucose concentrations can affect blood flow and damage the body’s recovery processes.
As a result, wounds appear more often or take a longer time to heal, especially on the feet.
It is also common for some women with diabetes to experience more vaginal and bladder infections.
Gum damage
In addition to deficient circulation, high glucose levels in the blood can also cause difficulties in fighting off infections.
This is usually first seen in the gums, which appear red, inflamed, or sensitive.
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Fatigue
High levels of glucose in the blood affect the body’s ability to use sugar to meet its energy needs and ensure proper cell function. This can lead to extreme and unexplained tiredness or fatigue.
Involuntary weight loss
Excess glucose causes frequent urination, with which many calories are lost. What’s more, diabetes can make it difficult for your cells to absorb sugar properly, causing rapid weight loss and poor body function.
Vision problems
High levels of glucose in the blood can cause fluids to be extracted from tissues, including the lens of the eye. This affects your eye’s ability to focus.
How to prevent diabetes
You can prevent or delay diabetes by incorporating some simple lifestyle measures:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Avoid tobacco use
- Do regular physical activity
- Maintain a healthy weight
Remember:
Until there is significant scientific evidence from studies in humans, people should be very careful when using herbal therapies and supplements.
Don’t stop or change your medications or treatments before speaking to a doctor about the potential effects of complementary or alternative therapies.
Don’t forget that the medicinal properties of herbs and supplements can also interact with prescription medications and other herbs and supplements and may even affect your diet.
Sources: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database; National Library of Medicine; Mayo Clinic; National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
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