You’ll be well aware if you have type 1 diabetes, but may not know if you have/are developing type 2, especially as pre-diabetes can creep up un-noticed.
Too much glucose in the blood is toxic to your body. Diabetes is your body’s inability to control sugar in your body: in type 1 this is because your pancreas cannot produce the insulin needed to take glucose out of the blood stream; in type 2, insulin is produced, but cells don’t respond to it as they should, so glucose stays in the blood stream.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes (‘diabetes mellitus’) include:
— Constant hunger
— Unexplained weight loss
— Constantly thirsty
— Weight gain (or being overweight in the first place)
— Flu-like symptoms, including weakness and fatigue
— Energy levels up and down
— Blurred vision
— Slow healing of cuts or bruises
— Tingling or loss of feeling in hands or feet
–Recurring gum or skin infections
–Recurring vaginal or bladder infections
–Sweet-smelling urine; this is because the body has to get rid of the glucose by any means possible
— Frequent urination
Diabetes symptoms can often seem confusing and vague, meaning that many people have diabetes for a long time before they are diagnosed. If you are concerned that you may have diabetes, it is important to see your doctor; a simple blood test can determine if you have diabetes or may be at risk for it.
You will often see advice for diabetics along the lines of ‘eat a carbohydrate-based diet’. Click here to see why eating carbs is a bad idea for diabetics.