Diabetes Information
Diabetes Awareness and Prevention Information
Globally, diabetes is the 4th leading cause of death with prevalence rates increasing. In Canada, 2.2 million or 7% of the population have been diagnosed with diabetes. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, for every person diagnosed with diabetes there is one person who is not diagnosed. Of those diagnosed with diabetes, 90% are diagnosed with Type 2 and 10% have Type 1.
The prevalence of diabetes in the Aboriginal population is 3 to 8 times higher compared to the general Canadian population – many experts state that diabetes among the Aboriginal population is at epidemic proportions. It is widely recognized that type 2 diabetes mellitus has become a serious health problem among many Aboriginal populations in North America. In Canada, one in four Aboriginal people living on reserve has type 2 diabetes compared to one in ten in the general public. Compounding the problem, the rate of diabetes in Aboriginal women is twice that found among Aboriginal women, in addition Aboriginal children as young as 4 – 5 years of age are increasingly being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Always consult your health care professional for medical care and advice. Materials provided here are for informational purposes only.
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is a disease where your body makes little or no insulin, requiring daily insulin injections (by way of syringes and needles, injection pens, or insulin pumps) and regular monitoring of blood sugar levels. Individuals with this disease must learn how to adjust their insulin intake according to the amount of food consumed and exercise undertaken. There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes, but it can be effectively managed. This disease is usually diagnosed in children, adolescents and young adults before the age of 30.
Type 2 Diabetes is a disease where your body is able to make insulin but cannot use it properly resulting in glucose build up. This disease can be controlled by diet and exercise, if required, medication (pills and/or insulin). Type 2 diabetes is preventable through good dietary management and regular exercise.
Gestational Diabetes occurs in women only, and only during pregnancy. It is a condition where the body is not able to properly use insulin during pregnancy resulting in high blood glucose levels. Treatment includes meal planning and exercise. This type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born, however both mother and child are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.
Diabetes Signs & Symptoms
Diabetes can often go undiagnosed because many of the symptoms can seem harmless and often times, normal. Signs and symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar. In both, there is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. High glucose levels in Type I are due to a lack of insulin because the insulin producing cells have been destroyed, in Type 2 diabetes this occurs when the body's cells become resistant to insulin that is being produced.
Type 1 Symptoms Include:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unusual weight loss
- Increased fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurry vision
Type 2 Symptoms Include:
- Blurry vision
- Cuts or sores that are slow to heal
- Itchy skin, yeast infections
- Increased thirst
- Dry mouth
- Need to urinate often
- Leg pain