Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body has trouble processing glucose, also known as sugar. This means that the body is unable to change sugar into energy and the result is too much sugar in the blood. Diabetes can affect circulation, weight, the immune system and all the systems of the body. As November is diabetes awareness month, find out how this condition starts and how to avoid it!

 

Diabetes: What Is It?

Studies show that diabetes is a chronic disease that is actually the 7th most common cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 100 million people have either diabetes or prediabetes in the U.S. About 30 million have doctor-diagnosed diabetes, but 1 in 4 people don’t know they currently have it yet. Diabetes is a term for the irreversible disease that means the body is insulin resistant. Prediabetes is a reversible stage with the right prevention and treatment.

 

Diabetes is a chronic condition that can develop over a period of many years, or it can develop quickly. When you eat, your body breaks down the components of your food to provide your body energy. Sugars and carbohydrates (which are complex sugars) are used by the body for energy. Those sugars are absorbed from your food into your bloodstream. From there, hormone-regulated insulin then helps bring the sugars from your blood to your cells.

 

However, if a person has diabetes, the body has become resistant to insulin. That means sugars aren’t taken out of the bloodstream to be used for energy. The blood becomes very saturated with sugars, resulting in fatigue, dizziness, nerve damage, and death among other symptoms. Once a person becomes insulin resistant, the condition can’t be reversed. It can only be controlled by correct medicine and health changes.

 

What Is Prediabetes?

If a person has “prediabetes”, then their body is showing signs of some insulin resistance. That resistance isn’t complete and this before stage can be reversed. Diabetes can happen due to genetics, but other factors are common and can determine a person’s risk for the disease. Those include:

• Being overweight or obese, as fat cells are more resistant to insulin.
• Having a close relative (parent/sibling) that has diabetes.
• If you’ve had gestational diabetes.
• Are over 45-years-old.
• Are African American, Latino, American Indian, or Alaska Native, as the CDC reports those groups are more susceptible to diabetes.

 

If you fall into one of the risk categories, you want to have your health checked. You can see how your blood sugar levels are and find out if they are in a range that suggests prediabetes and insulin resistance. You can also make sure you eat a balanced diet low in added sugars, so that your body gets the nutrition it needs without all the added sugars. Physical activity makes a difference in your diabetes risk. If you exercise less than 3 times a week, your body isn’t getting the circulation and physical work it needs to help prevent cells from becoming insulin resistant. Making sure your body is aligned properly and avoiding injuries is key to being able to exercise. Make sure you are getting chiropractic adjustments if your body is misaligned.

 

How Does Diabetes Affect Your Body?

Remember how we mentioned diabetes can be deadly? It can be deadly with just one time not controlling your blood sugar, as there is no way to move sugar from the blood without the right medicine. Even if you never get to a chronic level of diabetes complications, there are many that do.

 

Diabetes affects the blood vessels of the body, preventing proper circulation. The blood becomes saturated with sugar and it’s much harder to get nutrients to organs and tissues that need them to thrive. This is why diabetes can lead to neuropathy symptoms as nerve die from a lack of nutrients and circulation. Limbs can also start to get necrosis as circulation is cut off to areas of the body slowly over time. This is how patients lose toes, fingers and other limbs. Diabetes also increases pressure in the eyes, and blood vessels become damaged, leading to vision loss. Those with diabetes have at least double the risk for a heart attack or stroke. All of these reasons is why you want to work with a professional to stop prediabetes in its tracks or to prevent diabetes complications.

 

Help for Chronic Conditions

With many chronic conditions, your lifestyle and nutrition are both factors in the development of chronic conditions and if they worsen. For diseases such as diabetes, how you eat and the weight you carry both correlate directly for your risk of prediabetes, diabetes and worsening symptoms. If you want to prevent chronic conditions from happening to you, or you want to take a step in the right direction for controlling your symptoms, focus on your nutrition. A good diet full of veggies, fruits, whole grains and protein will help your body get the nutrients it needs and healthy carbs for energy.

 

Avoid high-fat, greasy or sugary foods that can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance and low-grade health symptoms. Those symptoms include ongoing fatigue, daily headaches or migraines, digestive issues, aches and pains, dizziness and more. We can successfully help our patients manage the effects of diabetes to keep the muscles, tissues and bones of the body healthier. Our professionals also treat patients with neuropathy (which is common with diabetes), scoliosis, back, neck, leg, arm or knee pain, surgeries and injuries. If you struggle with the effects of diabetes or want to get your body healthier to prevent chronic conditions, call Spine Correction Center of the Rockies today at (970) 658-5115!