November is American Diabetes Month!

Every November, the American Diabetes Association encourages the public to learn more about diabetes and the risks associated with the disease.
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects the body's ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. Nearly 21 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes. It is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S. and it has no cure.
There are several types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, which had been called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes, could account for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, which had been called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes, may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that only pregnant women get. If not treated, it can cause problems for mothers and babies. Gestational diabetes develops in 2% to 5% of all pregnancies but usually disappears when a pregnancy is over. Other types of diabetes resulting from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs, malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses may make up 1% to 2% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
Risk factors for most the two most common types of diabetes are:
Type 2: older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes.
Type I: risk factors aren’t as clear as in Type 2 diabetes but autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are involved in developing this type of diabetes.
Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.
Some diabetes symptoms include:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurry vision