The Symptoms of Diabetes

Sounds like this will be a boring post, but for those of you who want to be aware…it may be quite helpful.

A conversation I often have with others is what to look for if diabetes really is an issue. For many of us, our family tree is covered with heart disease and diabetes. We don’t think about it all that much while we are younger, but one day we start paying attention. We’ve seen family members struggle with health issues. We hate it and we want to be sure we are doing everything for our spouses, kids and ourselves to prevent joining the statistics.

If you have diabetes in your family, and you do struggle with your weight, be aware of the following symptoms and don’t ignore them!

• Super, duper thirsty. More than ever before.
• Going to the bathroom allll the time.
• Fatigue- hard to get yourself off the couch (more than just a “it’s been a long day” feeling and one you have all day long)
• Infections that take forever to heal (a bat cut, a bladder infection, etc)
• Blurry vision
• Pain or tingling sensation in your feet or hands

Sometimes this list brings comfort. “Phew! Don’t have any of those. I’m good.” Which is great news. Prevention of a disease is the very best scenario. Treatment and management can be done and is super important, but I know you would agree with me it’s best when you don’t have to walk down the road at all.

I know it isn’t any surprise to you, but exercise and a healthy diet are crucial to disease prevention. Walking is great for weight management, blood sugar control and heart health. Even 20 minutes a day on a YouTube walking video will count! Avoid high starch foods like breads, pasta, rice, and potatoes. Focus in on a lean protein and a non-starchy vegetable at meals and protein based snacks.

Unfortunately for some, genetics is just a bigger part of the equation. Healthy weight individuals can get diabetes or heart disease as well. I don’t see it nearly as often, but it’s something we must stay aware of.

A note about your spouse’s health: it’s important to know the family history of your spouse, no question. For one, it’s good to make sure they are aware. However, be mindful of how you can encourage, support and provide a healthy environment for your spouse rather than getting “on them” about it. At the end of the day, we can’t make decisions for someone else. What we make for dinner and buy at the grocery store is our decision, but what someone else puts in their mouth is not something we can control.

If you’d like to share your story about your diagnosis with diabetes, please comment below!