If you close your eyes to the potential impacts of Type 2 Diabetes, you could be in big trouble.
How Many Times?
How many times have we seen this discussion and glossed over it? Many, because most of these impacts are “out of sight, out of mind.” We do not see the impacts like high cholesterol or blood pressure until it is too late.
As a start, about 38 million people in North America do not know they have diabetes. Then add to that the people who resist diabetes treatment or believe that the impacts will not happen to them.
What I Have Seen
I will give just two examples, hopefully sufficient to convince you to take all this seriously if you are one of the millions who think, “out of sight, out of mind.”
Example 1: A person who knew he had Type 2 Diabetes but refused to take any medication and continued his practice of drinking sugared drinks and fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The impact? Loss of eight toes, Kidney failure, and severe heart problems. All because he would not take his Type 2 Diabetes seriously.
Example 2: A person who ate what he wanted to eat and stuck himself at the end of the day with Insulin. There was no regular blood sugar checking, which finally caught up with him. He lost the vision in one eye. I do not know what else he faces, but going to the doctor with eye trouble is too late.
Hidden Medical Factors
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body processes blood sugar (glucose). If not properly managed, it can lead to various health complications. Here are some common complications that can affect you if you ignore appropriate management of your Type 2 Diabetes.
Cardiovascular Disease: People with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke.
High Blood Pressure: Diabetes can contribute to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Kidney Disease: Diabetes can damage the kidneys over time, leading to kidney disease or even kidney failure.
Eye Complications: Diabetes can cause damage to the blood vessels in the eyes, leading to vision problems and, potentially, blindness.
Nerve Damage: Elevated blood sugar levels can damage nerves, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain, particularly in the extremities.
Foot Complications: Nerve damage and poor circulation can result in foot problems, including infections and, in severe cases, amputation.
Skin Conditions: Diabetes may contribute to various skin conditions, such as bacterial and fungal infections.
Pregnancy: Women with diabetes are at an increased risk of complications during pregnancy, including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and a higher likelihood of giving birth to larger babies.
Is Managing Type 2 Diabetes Difficult?
I will speak to my personal experience. I have had Type 2 Diabetes for almost three years and decided the risks were severe enough I had to accept treatment. Following are the steps I went through:
I took my doctor’s advice to take Metformin, modify my diet and take my blood sugar reading before and two hours after eating. Taking the Metformin and blood sugar readings were the easy parts. Deciding what to eat to keep my blood sugar in “my range” was the tricky part. It was frustrating, and going to a dietician did help me understand what made my sugar rise, which was preparatory to beginning to walk my own road.
I went off Metformin and dropped all the carbohydrates from my diet that would cause my blood sugar to spike. I went to a chicken or fish and salad diet. I added up to ten tests per day of my blood sugar to track what would affect my blood sugar. It is incredible how many ways I learned chicken and fish could be cooked.
This takes me to where I am now. I have dropped the Metformin and am managing my Type 2 Diabetes with diet and some exercise. I still focus on chicken and fish but have added some red meat and carbohydrates. I have found the quantity of carbohydrates in things like pasta, potatoes, and rice that I can eat without having my blood sugar spike. My diet and exercise regime, which includes a stationary bike and more walking, are working very well to keep my A1C in check.
The End
At Damndiabetes, we may harp on the negative impacts of ignoring Type 2 Diabetes. Sometimes, we sound like a broken record, but we are passionate about helping you take that first step.
The first step, which only you can do, is take Type 2 Diabetes seriously and before it is too late. Through our journey, we have learned a lot and are always willing to help you lead a better quality of life with Type 2 Diabetes. We are only a contact away.
Best wishes ...
https//www.damndiabetes.ca
Vancouver, BC, Canada