1 in 3 Canadians have diabetes and prediabetes, do you?
Growing up I don’t remember ever understanding what it meant to have diabetes other than Wilford Brimley had “diabeetus” and he liked oatmeal. As a result I was cautious about oatmeal, unless it had (a lot of) maple syrup. I don’t think I understood diabetes. So, let’s break down diabetes.
Understanding diabetes including its risk factors, symptoms, types, and complications is an important component to preventing new cases and complications. Why is this important, do you ask? Because 1 in 3 Canadians are living with diabetes and prediabetes, and yet knowledge of risks and complications remain low. I am going to repeat this one more time because it is such a striking statistic. 1 in 3 Canadians are living with diabetes and prediabetes. We will start our discussion with a conversation about types of diabetes and risk.
Diabetes is a disease where your body does not make insulin or does not respond to insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that helps to regulate the amount of sugar in your blood. When blood sugar becomes too high it can cause damage to organs, blood vessels, and nerves.
Elevated blood sugar can develop in several ways, but type 2 is the most common cause of diabetes, accounting for around 90% of people living with diabetes. Initially the body does not properly respond insulin. This is kind of like when you have music playing in a room, and at some point you just stop noticing the music. Eventually, if nothing changes your pancreas does not produce enough insulin to account for the high levels of blood sugar and blood sugar will continue to rise. Type 2 diabetes has often been thought of a disease that effects only adults, however there is a rapidly growing trend of adolescents and children developing type 2 diabetes.
The next most common is type 1 diabetes, accounting for about 10% of people living with diabetes, and it is often referred to as “autoimmune” diabetes. Due to damage to the pancreas, insulin production declines and eventually becomes insufficient to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Type 1 was often considered a disease of childhood or adolescents, but this is incorrect as it can occur in adults too.
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. Between 3 – 20% of pregnant people develop gestational diabetes, depending on their risk factors.
So who is at risk for diabetes? Diabetes Canada produces guidelines to help identify people at risk. Diabetes Canada recommends screening for type 2 diabetes at least every 3 years for people over the age of 40 years old, and more frequently for those with risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
You may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes if you are over the age of 40 AND have one or more of the following:
I have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
I am a member of a high-risk group (African, Arab, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous or South Asian descent, low socioeconomic status)
I have health complications that are associated with diabetes
I gave birth to a baby that weighed over 4 kg (9 lb) at birth
I had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
I have been told I have prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose)
I have high blood pressure
I have high cholesterol or other fats in my blood
I am overweight (especially if I carry most of my weight around my middle)
I have been diagnosed with any of the following conditions: • Polycystic ovary syndrome • Acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin) • Psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder • I have obstructive sleep apnea • I use glucocorticoid medication
If you have one or more of these risk factors talk, make an appointment to talk about your risk of diabetes. The sooner you take action to address elevated blood sugar, the sooner you can reduce your risk of complications.
I have over 7 years of experience diagnosing and treating diabetes with naturopathic and functional medicine. If you have questions about diabetes or high blood sugar I can help, schedule a free 15 minute consultation to find out more about my approach to helping you with diabetes.