Learn About Diabetes
Take the Prediabetes Risk Assessment
Find out whether you may have prediabetes by taking the prediabetes risk assessment.
Do You Have Diabetes?
Millions of people have diabetes mellitus, commonly called diabetes. Many people don’t even know they have it.
Diabetes is a serious disease and should not be ignored. Propert treatment can help you live a long and healthy life.
What Is Diabetes?
If you have diabetes, your body can’t make or use insulin. Insulin helps change sugar into energy to keep you alive.
There are different kinds of diabetes. The main ones are type 1 and type 2.
Learn more about the types of diabetes.
Controlling Diabetes
Daily monitoring and careful control of blood sugar levels are the most important steps to take for people with diabetes. If not treated, diabetes can cause:
- High blood sugar, which may make you thirsty, tired, lose weight, urinate often, or give you infections that won’t go away.
- Many serious health problems that could hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves, or heart.
Taking Care of Your Diabetes
The best way to manage your diabetes is to make sure the levels or amount of sugar in your blood are near normal. This will make you feel better and help you stay healthy.
Your doctor will tell you how often to check your blood sugar level. To do this, place a drop of your blood on a special test strip. Then a device, called a blood glucose meter, reads the strip. This device measures the amount of sugar in your blood.
Writing down this level, along with the time and date, will help you see how well your treatment plan is working.
Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. You may need a snack before or during the activity to avoid having low blood sugar while you exercise.
Good management of your diabetes can lead to a long and healthy life. Your health care provider can help.
Your Rights
Did you know if you have diabetes you can request more time when taking a test?
As someone living with diabetes, you are entitled to certain accommodations through the American Disabilities Act. The American Diabetes Association has great information about your rights.
Learn More
To learn more about diabetes, visit the Munson Community Health Library or visit these trusted websites: