How to minimise your risk: World Diabetes Day 14th November
Essential awareness of diabetes is vital to help you manage your health. By being fully informed on the information on diabetes, you can best navigate diagnosis, treatment and improve your health outcome.
Why diabetes awareness matters:
Four million people in the UK have diabetes, but one million of these cases are undiagnosed. As a serious condition that can cause dangerous health complications, being fully informed of diabetes is crucial in supporting your overall health and wellbeing.
Type 2 is one of the most common forms of diabetes in the UK and can have serious implications. Despite this, it’s possible to live with diabetes for up to 10 years without knowing, causing unseen damage and increasing the risk of overall health complications, including:
- Kidney disease
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
- Eyesight damage
- Stroke
- Foot damage
Whilst diabetes is a lifelong condition, good management can make leading a healthy life possible. This can include both lifestyle adjustments and medicine, but treatment is only possible with a diagnosis. Diabetes that isn’t managed is more likely to lead to serious ill-health.
Minimising your risk of diabetes:
The same advice is given to everyone regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with diabetes or not.
- Have regular blood sugar level checks to ensure stability, if necessary
- Eat a healthy and well-rounded diet
- Gain a thorough understanding of diabetic management to ensure your best chances of stabilising and diminishing the condition
- Retain a healthy body weight and do not carry excess body fat
- Exercise regularly – studies have also shown that weight loss and exercise could lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by approximately 58%
