March 24 is the 21st annual American Diabetes Alert Day. So this month the topic is to provide a one-day "wake-up call" to educate you about the symptoms and the seriousness of diabetes.

Presently, there are 24 million Americans who have diabetes but what's even more alarming is that an additional 57 million Americans have pre-diabetes, which can progress to diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, a diagnosis of diabetes is made when you have two fasting blood glucose tests of higher than 126mg/dl while the criteria for pre-diabetes is two fasting blood glucose tests of between 110-125mg/dl.

So what are the risk factors that increase your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes?

They include being over 45 years of age, being of Afro-American, Hispanic or Native American heritage, having a parent or sibling with diabetes, being overweight, practicing a low physical activity level and having a personal history of gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

You cannot change your age, heritage or your parents, but being overweight and having low physical activity are changeable and within your control.

The symptoms of diabetes are such that it is very easy to rationalize that nothing is wrong so diagnosis may be delayed for several years unless you are proactive and have pertinent blood tests.

The most common symptoms are increased urination, thirst, hunger, feeling tired, unusual weight loss and blurry vision.

Let's look at the example of Lotta Sweetness. Lotta is 61 years old and finds she is constantly thirsty so it makes sense to her that she always is looking for the closest bathroom. Additionally, she is hungry and tired but attributes it to the stress of working full time and caring for her chronically ill mother, who has diabetes. She has noticed that she can't read the print of the newspaper easily but she remembers that her mom needed glasses about the same age that she is now.

Each symptom alone may not be meaningful but all of them link together to point toward an increased chance of diabetes.

Let's look at the physiological reasons for some of those symptoms. When your blood glucose is elevated, your kidneys remove the excess glucose so you produce more urine and you drink more water to replace that essential water. When you have insufficient insulin to escort energy-producing glucose into each cell, you feel tired. Vision changes occur from the altered shape of the lens as a result of elevated blood glucose levels.

Now that you know the risk factors and the symptoms, what is the next step to ensure your health?

If you have two or more of the risk factors, educate yourself. Be aware of your most recent fasting blood glucose level and write it down. Strive to get at least 30 minutes of activity on days that you eat and if you are overweight, lose 10 percent of your body weight.

By making small changes in your lifestyle, you can have a big impact on your overall health and quality of life. Start today!



Susan Sorensen is a registered nurse who does diabetes education in the community and can be reached at starlady@olypen.com.