By Brooke Fudge

What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to properly use and store glucose Glucose is a form of sugar. Glucose backs up in the bloodstream causing one’s blood glucose (blood sugar) to rise too high. Diabetes is a long-term condition that causes high blood sugar levels.

What are the Types of Diabetes? There are three types of diabetes and they are: Type One Diabetes Type Two Diabetes Gestational Diabetes.

Type One Diabetes Some people may refer to this type as insulin- dependent diabetes, juvenile diabetes, or early-onset diabetes. People usually develop type 1 diabetes before their 40 years old, often in early adulthood or teenage years. Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age. It is most often diagnosed in children, adolescents, or young adults. Type One diabetes is not as common as type two diabetes. Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases are type 1.

Type 1 Diabetes Patients with type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin injections for the rest of their life. They must also ensure proper blood-glucose levels by carrying out regular blood tests and following a special diet. Type one diabetes often develops quickly, people are diagnosed when they have signs and symptoms of high blood sugar and their blood glucose level is over 200 mg. A fasting blood test can be used to diagnose type 1 diabetes. In this test, you fast overnight before having your blood sugar tested.

High Blood Sugar The following symptoms may be the first signs of type 1 diabetes. Or they may occur when blood sugar is high. very thirsty hungry tired all the time Having blurry eyesight Feeling numbness or tingling in your feet Losing weight without trying Urinating more often Deep, rapid breathing Dry skin and mouth Flushed face Fruity breath odor Nausea or vomiting; can’t keep down fluids Stomach pain

Low Blood Sugar Low blood sugar can develop quickly in people with diabetes who are taking insulin. Symptoms usually appear when a person's blood sugar level falls below 70 mg/dL. Watch for: Headache Hunger Nervousness Rapid heartbeat Shaking Sweating Weakness Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia. Blood sugar levels below 70 mg are too low and can harm you.

Type One Causes Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas by special cells called beta cells. Insulin is needed to move blood sugar into cells. There, it is stored and later used for energy. With type 1 diabetes, beta cells produce little or no insulin. Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells. The body is unable to use this glucose for energy. This leads to the symptoms of type 1 diabetes. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. Most likely it is an autoimmune disorder. Type 1 diabetes can be passed down through families.

Type One Treatment If you have just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, you may need to have a checkup each week until you have good control over your blood sugar. Your doctor will review the results of your home blood sugar monitoring and urine testing. Your doctor will also look at your diary of meals, snacks, and insulin injections. It may take a few weeks to match the insulin doses to your meal and activity schedules. You are the most important person in managing your diabetes. You should know the basic steps of diabetes management, for example how to recognize and treat low and high blood sugar and how to give insulin.

Type One Treatment Insulin lowers blood sugar by allowing it to leave the bloodstream and enter cells. Everyone with type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day. It can be injected under the skin. Insulin types differ in how fast they start to work and how long they last. Your doctor will choose the best type of insulin for you and will tell you at what time of day to use it. Your doctor or diabetes nurse educator will teach you how to give insulin injections. People with diabetes need to know how to adjust the amount of insulin during.

Diet and Exercise By testing their blood sugar levels, people with type 1 diabetes learn which foods and activities raise or lower their sugar levels the most. This helps them adjust their insulin doses to specific meals or activities to prevent blood sugar from becoming too high or too low. There are associations that have information for planning healthy, and balanced meals. It can also help to talk to a registered dietitian or nutrition counselor. Regular exercise helps control the amount of sugar in the blood. It also helps burn extra calories and fat to reach and maintain a healthy weight. People with type 1 diabetes must take special steps before, during, and after physical activity or exercise.

Managing Your Blood Sugar Checking your blood sugar levels yourself, and writing down the results, tells you how well you are managing your diabetes. You should talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about how often to check. To check your blood sugar level, you use a device called a glucose meter. Usually, you prick your finger with a small needle called a lancet to get a tiny drop of blood. You place the blood on a test strip and put the strip into the meter. The meter gives you a reading that tells you the level of your blood sugar. Keep a record of your blood sugar for yourself and your health care team. These numbers will help if you have problems managing your diabetes. You and your doctor should set a target goal for your blood sugar level at different times during the day. You should also plan what to do when your blood sugar is too low or high.

Checking your Blood Sugar

Preventing Complications Your doctor may prescribe medicines or other treatments to reduce your chances of developing some of the more common complications for all kinds of diabetes, including: Eye disease Kidney disease Heart disease and stroke

Type One Diagnosis Because type 1 diabetes often develops quickly, people are diagnosed when they have signs and symptoms of high blood sugar and their blood glucose level is over 200 mg. A fasting blood test can be used to diagnose type 1 diabetes. In this test, you fast overnight before having your blood sugar tested.

Type One Prognosis Diabetes is a lifelong disease and there is no cure. Tight control of blood glucose can prevent or delay diabetes complications. But these problems can occur, even in people with good diabetes control.

Type Two Diabetes The body does not produce enough insulin for proper function, or the cells in the body do not react to insulin. Some people may be able to control their type 2 diabetes symptoms by losing weight, following a healthy diet, doing plenty of exercise, and monitoring their blood glucose levels. However, type 2 diabetes is typically a progressive disease. To diagnose type 2 diabetes, you'll be given a blood test. This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months.

Symptoms People with type 2 diabetes may have the following signs and symptoms: blurred sight decreased sensation or numbness in the hands and feet dry itchy skin frequent bladder and infections frequent need to urinate increased thirst and hunger slow healing of cuts or sores

Type Two Diabetes Causes When you have type 2 diabetes, your fat, liver, and muscle cells do not respond correctly to insulin. This is called insulin resistance. As a result, blood sugar does not get into these cells to be stored for energy. When sugar cannot enter cells, a high level of sugar builds up in the blood. This is called hyperglycemia. Type 2 diabetes usually occurs slowly over time. Most people with the disease are overweight when they are diagnosed. Increased fat makes it harder for your body to use insulin the correct way. Type 2 diabetes can also develop in people who are thin. This is more common in the elderly. Family history and genes play a role in type 2 diabetes. Low activity level, poor diet, and excess body weight around the waist increase your chance of getting the disease.

Type Two diabetes treatment At first you lower your high blood glucose levels. Long- term goals are to prevent problems from diabetes. The most important way to treat and manage type 2 diabetes is activity and nutrition. Learning diabetes management skills will help you live well with diabetes. These skills help prevent health problems and the need for medical care such as how to test and record blood glucose.

Managing Your Blood Sugar Managing your blood sugar is very similar in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Most people with type 2 diabetes only need to check their blood sugar once or twice a day. If your blood sugar level is under control, you may only need to check it a few times a week. You may test yourself when you wake up, before meals, and at bedtime. You may need to test more often when you are sick or under stress. Keep a record of your blood sugar for yourself and your doctor. Based on your numbers, changes may need to be made to your meals, activity or medicines to keep your blood sugar level in the right range.

Diet and Weight Control Work closely with your doctor, nurse, and dietitian to learn how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you need in your diet. Your meal plans should fit your lifestyle and habits and should include foods that you like. Managing your weight and having a well-balanced diet are important. Some people with type 2 diabetes can stop taking medicines after losing weight. This does not mean that their diabetes is cured. They still have diabetes. Very obese patients whose diabetes is not well managed with diet and medicine may consider weight loss surgery.

Medications If diet and exercise do not help keep your blood sugar at normal or near-normal levels, your doctor may prescribe medication. Since these drugs help lower your blood sugar levels in different ways, your doctor may have you take more than one drug. Medication are either taken by mouth or injection. You may need to take insulin if your blood sugar cannot be controlled with any medicines. Insulin must be injected under the skin using a syringe, insulin pen, or pump. It cannot be taken by mouth because the acid in the stomach destroys insulin.

Type Two diabetes diagnosis To diagnose type 2 diabetes, you'll be given a blood test. This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

Type Two diabetes prognosis Some people with type 2 diabetes no longer need medicine if they lose weight and become more active. When they reach their ideal weight, their body's own insulin and a healthy diet can control their blood sugar level.

Prevention You can help prevent type 2 diabetes by keeping a healthy body weight and an active lifestyle.

Gestational Diabetes This type affects females during pregnancy. Some women have very high levels of glucose in their blood, and their bodies are unable to produce enough insulin to transport all of the glucose into their cells, resulting in progressively rising levels of glucose. Diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made during pregnancy. The majority of gestational diabetes patients can control their diabetes with exercise and diet.

You are at greater risk for gestational diabetes if you: Are older than 25 when you are pregnant Have a family history of diabetes Gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds or had a birth defect Have high blood pressure Have too much amniotic fluid Have had an unexplained miscarriage or stillbirth Were overweight before your pregnancy Pregnancy hormones can block insulin from doing its job. When this happens, glucose levels may increase in a pregnant woman's blood.

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms Usually there are no symptoms, or the symptoms are mild and not life threatening to the pregnant woman. The blood sugar level usually returns to normal after delivery. Symptoms may include: Blurred vision Frequent infections, including those of the bladder, vagina, and skin Increased thirst Increased urination Nausea and vomiting Weight loss and increased appetite

Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis Routine screening for gestational diabetes First you drink a syrup glucose solution. One hour later, you'll have a blood test to measure your blood sugar level. Follow-up glucose tolerance testing. You'll fast overnight, then have your blood sugar level measured.

Gestational Diabetes treatment The goals are to keep blood sugar levels within normal limits during the pregnancy, and to make sure that the growing baby is healthy. Your health care provider should closely check both you and your baby throughout the pregnancy. Fetal monitoring will check the size and health of the fetus. A non stress test is a very simple, painless test for you and your baby. A machine that hears and displays your baby's heartbeat is placed on your abdomen. Your health care provider can compare the pattern of your baby's heartbeat to movements and find out whether the baby is doing well.

Diet and Exercise To improve your diet is by eating a variety of healthy foods. You should learn how to read food labels, and check them when making food decisions. when you have gestational diabetes your diet should: Be moderate in fat and protein Provide your carbohydrates through foods that include fruits, vegetables, and bread, cereal, pasta, and rice. Be low in foods that contain a lot of sugar, such as soft drinks, fruit juices, and pastries If managing your diet does not control blood sugar levels, you may be prescribed diabetes medicine by mouth or insulin therapy. Most women who develop gestational diabetes will not need diabetes medicines or insulin, but some will.

Gestational Diabetes Prognosis women with gestational diabetes are able to control their blood sugar and avoid harm to themselves or their baby. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes tend to have larger babies at birth. This can increase the chance of problems at the time of delivery, such as birth injury because of the baby’s large size. Your baby is more likely to have periods of low blood sugar during the first few days of life. Mothers with gestational diabetes have an increased risk for high blood pressure during pregnancy. There is a slightly increased risk of the baby dying when the mother has untreated gestational diabetes. Controlling blood sugar levels reduces this risk. High blood sugar levels often go back to normal after delivery. However, women with gestational diabetes should be watched closely after giving birth and at regular doctor's appointments to screen for signs of diabetes. Many women with gestational diabetes develop diabetes within years after delivery.

Gestational Diabetes Prevention Beginning prenatal care early and having regular prenatal visits helps improve your health and the health of your baby. Having prenatal screening at weeks into the pregnancy will help detect gestational diabetes early. If you are overweight, decreasing your body mass index to a normal range before you get pregnant will decrease your risk of developing gestational diabetes.

How Many Canadian have Diabetes? There are currently around 2.5 million people are affected, expected to grow to 3.7 million by