Diabetes is a serious disease. By adopting healthy lifestyle habits, you can take control of your health and prevent complications. It's important to check your blood sugar levels regularly and make sure you lower it if necessary. Too high of a blood sugar level, especially over a prolonged period, can damage many areas of the body.
Eyes
Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. This damage can lead to glaucoma, cataracts, structural changes to your retina, even blindness. When blood vessels are damaged, nerve signals can't reach your eyes. In addition, having diabetes can lead to a buildup of pressure from fluid, which can compress nerves and other structures in your eyes.
Nervous System
Too much glucose circulating in the blood can damage any of the nerves in your body. This can lead to numbness, tingling and pain, especially in the legs and feet. If you develop cuts or sores you may not feel them, and they may heal very slowly. You may lose sensation in these areas, and if the damage is severe enough, amputations may be necessary.
Heart
According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, "If you have diabetes, you are at least twice as likely as someone who does not have diabetes to have heart disease or a stroke." As with the above conditions, this occurs as blood vessels are damaged and become more narrow.
Kidneys
Having a high level of blood sugar makes your kidneys work harder to filter your blood, and they can become overworked. This can lead to chronic kidney disease and complete failure. Your doctor can do a simple urine test to determine how well your kidneys are working. She can detect and treat a problem long before symptoms occur.
Liver
Having diabetes can also cause damage to your liver and cause a condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This means your liver is having difficulty processing fats. You may develop scar tissue on your liver and a condition called cirrhosis.
