Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert
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Type 2 diabetes can either be life-changing or negligible depending on how the condition is managed. This is because the main mechanism that drives it – unstable blood sugar levels – wreaks havoc upon the body if left untreated. Key to keeping blood sugar levels at bay is to think carefully about your food choices. What are the five lesser-known warning signs of high blood sugars? Dr Vikki Petersen, certified clinical nutritionist, spoke exclusively with Express.co.uk to discuss the importance of knowing what hyperglycaemia looks like and how it relates to overall health.
“Hyperglycaemia means an elevation of blood sugar often caused by a wrong Diet and a sedentary lifestyle,” Dr Petersen began.
She continued: “The cause is either insufficient production of insulin by your pancreas or inefficient ability of insulin to perform its normal functions, which is called insulin resistance and is found in type 2 diabetes.
“A highly elevated level of blood sugar can become life threatening, resulting in coma.”
When asked what are some common symptoms that are associated with high blood sugar, Dr Petersen listed the top five symptoms to look out for when it comes to hyperglycaemia, which include the following.
Fruity smelling breath
This is not something you can detect on yourself, but if a friend or family member displays very sweet breath, have them check into it, especially if they display other symptoms.
This could very well be due to elevated blood sugar levels that need to be brought under control.
Fatigue and weakness
The state of excess sugar is a toxic situation for your body and one that puts it on high alert.
The body’s energy goes towards trying to handle the toxic levels of sugar, leaving you tired and feeling weak.
Headache or Brain Fog
Your brain and nervous system uses glucose as fuel but it needs to be in the correct amount.
Both too much blood sugar and too little (hypoglycaemia) can cause headache and brain fog.
With the amount of sugars present in processed foods and sweet treats, it’s good to check if your blood sugar levels are too high if you experience frequent headaches.
Blurred vision and later blindness
Excess blood sugar damages the vessels of your retina, creating clouding of your vision and eventually permanent damage as blindness.
This of course is advanced stages of untreated high blood sugar, meaning if you check on a regular basis and control blood sugar levels, you can prevent damage before it happens.
Increased thirst and urination
One’s body is very clever and it increases your thirst as a means of trying to dilute the excess sugar and excrete it from your body with more frequent urination.
If you have the ability to check your urine you will see elevated glucose in it.
Other signs warning of high blood sugars include:
- Peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- Losing weight without trying to
- Itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- Cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
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