How to SPOT Type 2 Diabetes

I often tell you about ways to help prevent or treat type 2 diabetes.

Today, I want to tell you how to spot it.

Staying on top of your blood sugar levels (HbA1c) is the best way to know where you stand when it comes to your blood sugar.

But not everyone gets routine bloodwork done, especially if you’re not experiencing any specific health problems.

If that’s the case, your blood sugar could be running rampant—and wreaking havoc—without you knowing it.

Here are five warning signs to look out for.

 

Warning Sign #1: Obesity

Just because you’re overweight does not mean you’re diabetic. However, most people who have type 2 diabetes are overweight.

The two conditions together have come to be called diabetsity.

If you’re overweight, please pay close attention to your blood sugar levels.

Warning Sign #2: Increased Thirst

Earlier this week, I told you that most seniors have a decrease in thirst sensation as they get older. So if you’re feeling like you’re thirsty all the time—and that no amount of drinking can help—that’s a signal you need to pay attention to.

When you have too much sugar in your blood, your body takes fluids from your tissues to try to help dilute the blood. This causes your tissues to become dehydrated and increases your thirst for more.

Warning Sign #3: Increased Urination

Drinking more will lead to increased urination, but that’s not the only reason you’ll be headed to the bathroom more often.

When you have too much sugar in your blood, those molecules can spill over into your urine, which causes water molecules to follow.

The end result is more trips to the bathroom.

Warning Sign #4: Vision Changes

Very early on in diabetes, there can be bleeding in your retina. The macula can also become swollen, which will cause blurry vision.

In later stages of diabetes, vision loss can become permanent. This is a big reason why it’s so important to pay attention to any eye changes you’re noticing, and to take steps to get your blood sugar under control ASAP.

Warning Sign #5: COVID-19

This isn’t a warning sign as much as it is a warning. If you have type 2 diabetes, your chances of having a severe case of COVID-19 are much greater.

In fact, one study found that type 2 diabetics with COVID-19 were SEVEN TIMES more likely to die, compared to people who didn’t have underlying health conditions.

All the more reason to take steps now to get (and stay) healthy, and to get your blood sugar under control.

P.S. A recent study found that doing this ONE THING could lower your risk by up to 39 percent. Click here for all the details.

 

SOURCE:

Mast, F. (2022, April 8.) This is Often the “First Sign” of Diabetes. Eat This, Not That!. https://www.eatthis.com/first-signs-of-diabetes/