What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolic disease. There are many different kinds of diabetes, but the two most common are type 1 and type 2. 

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Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that’s often diagnosed in childhood. Type 2 generally develops later in life and is caused by a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors.

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If you have diabetes, your body can’t effectively process sugar from the food you eat and you develop high blood sugar. Sugar, or glucose, is your body’s main source of energy. 

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Having diabetes means that your body doesn’t make enough insulin — a hormone that converts sugar to energy — or it can’t use the insulin it does produce.

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Diabetes is a chronic condition that can’t be cured. Symptoms can be managed, and treatment generally focuses on monitoring and controlling blood sugar to prevent serious health complications.

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Prediabetes is a medical condition that’s often identified before type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, it means you’ll likely develop type 2 diabetes within the next five years. Prediabetes can be reversed with lifestyle adjustments like losing weight, increasing physical activity, and eating a healthy diet.

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What are the risk factors for diabetes?

The exact cause of diabetes isn’t known, but there are some risk factors that are linked to developing diabetes. Common risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:

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• Being overweight or obese

• Living a sedentary lifestyle

• Being older

• Family history of diabetes

• Being African American, Hispanic, or Asian American

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Having a family history of diabetes or other risk factors doesn’t mean you’ll develop diabetes, but it does mean it’s more likely. Prediabetes is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

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What are some potential health complications of diabetes?

Diabetes puts you at risk for developing other health conditions because high blood sugar can damage your body in different ways over time. Common complications are:

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• Heart disease

• Nerve damage

• Kidney damage

• Eye damage

• Skin conditions

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Depression

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Managing your diabetes helps you stay as healthy as possible and avoid potentially serious health complications. 

If you’re one of the millions of Americans living with diabetes, trust your care to Dr. Aradhana Kar. Request your first appointment by phone today.