Diabetes Symptoms Quiz

A diabetes symptoms quiz will help you figure out if you might have diabetes. There are risk factors for diabetes. In this quiz adapted from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), you will answer seven questions. The results tell you if:

• You are at low risk.
• You are pre-diabetic, or
• You have a high risk of type 2 diabetes.

For this diabetes symptoms quiz, answer YES or NO to the following questions.

1. Are you over age 56?
2. Did you have diabetes when you were pregnant?
3. Are you black, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American?
4. Do you have high blood pressure?
5. Are you overweight?
6. Are you inactive most of the time?
7. Did your mother or father have diabetes?

If you answered YES to three or more questions, you are at high risk for type 2 diabetes. You should see your doctor as soon as possible and tell him about this quiz.
If you answered YES to two questions, you are at risk for pre-diabetes.
If you answered YES to only one question, you are at a low risk for type 2 diabetes.

Prevention

The single most important thing you can do for yourself is MOVE!! Move your body as in exercise. Just go for a walk. Each day add ten more steps to your walk.

Walking will change your attitude. Walking will increase your self-esteem. Walking will improve your blood sugar levels. Walking will help you to lose weight.

If you don’t want to walk, then join the local YMCA, or a gym. You can lift weights or you could swim. Swimming is especially helpful if you are overweight. You can do in the water what is difficult to do on land. There are classes for aqua aerobics that get you moving.

The question was, “How to prevent diabetes?” The second most important thing you can do for yourself is lose some weight. The easiest way to lose weight is to get rid of most of the fat in your diet. If you cook with butter, change to olive oil. If you use cream in your coffee or tea, learn to drink it black. The pounds will fall off you.

Fill your stomach with water. That way you will eat less at mealtime. Eat a handful of walnuts or almonds as a snack. They are good for you. They keep the hungry horrors away from you.

Read labels on the food you buy. Stay away from saturated fats and partially hydrogenated fats. They are in all kinds of crackers, cookies, and cakes and frozen entrees.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

The first signs and symptoms of diabetes are:

• Wounds that heal very slowly
• Nausea
• Frequent yeast infections
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Fatigue/feeling tired
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision

Too much glucose (sugar) in your blood can lead to severe complications. Some of them are:

• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Blindness
• Kidney failure
• Nerve damage
• Amputation of fingers and toes

What Causes Diabetes?

We can explain it clearly and simply here for everyone to understand. The easiest answer is there is too much sugar in your bloodstream. How does this happen? Why does this happen?

Your Pancreas

Your pancreas is located behind your stomach on the left side of your body. It is near your waist.
Your pancreas has beta cells that produce a chemical, insulin. Insulin is a hormone.

Normally when you eat, the pancreas produces insulin that mixes with digested food. The food has turned to glucose, known as blood sugar. The insulin allows the cells of your body to use glucose. The glucose is fuel for the body - fuel to maintain a body temperature of 98.6°F; and, fuel to repair cells and grow new ones.

What causes diabetes? Type 2 diabetes happens when one of the following occurs:

• Your pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin.
• Your pancreas produces very little insulin.
• Your body doesn’t recognize the insulin and cannot use it.

When this happens, the sugar (glucose) stays in your bloodstream. It does not get into your cells. It spills out into your urine and leaves the body. Your cells are starving for fuel. You feel hungry.

Conclusion

A diabetes symptoms quiz is the first step. Find out your risk factors. Then start moving and watching what you eat. It is possible to reverse type 2 diabetes. Lose some weight and exercise.

Follow your doctor’s advice. Check your blood sugar levels faithfully. Try to remember the awful effects of too much sugar in your blood stream. Let us know if you have any questions.

Margaret Stenerson
February 22, 2010