Diabetes is actually more than one disease--type 1 and type 2 diabetes are chronic diseases, and gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that affects some women during pregnancy. With healthy lifestyle choices, diabetes is increasingly manageable and may even be preventable. Your doctor can work with you to create a plan of care to lower your risk for the disease and its complications.
Understanding the Different Types of Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin, which the body uses to convert sugar to energy. Once known as juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes often develops during adolescence but can be diagnosed in both children and adults. Type 2 diabetes was previously thought to affect only adults but is now known to also affect children. In this type, the body produces insulin but is resistant to its effects. Gestational diabetes, which affects 1 to 14 percent of pregnant women, interferes with the mother's ability to metabolize sugar and is associated with higher infant birth weights. Although the condition usually resolves after delivery, more research is showing that these infants may become children and adults at risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Taking Steps to Prevent Diabetes
No specific guidelines exist for preventing type 1 diabetes, but some physicians recommend limiting a young child's intake of cow's milk if other family members have the disease. Research is also underway to determine whether insulin injections may benefit children at risk for type 1 diabetes.
By comparison, much more is known about strategies for keeping type 2 diabetes at bay. According to the National Diabetes Education Program, you can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of your weight if you are currently overweight. For someone who weighs 200 pounds, a loss of 10 to 14 pounds will lower your risk. Small changes in your daily routine, such as going for two 15-minute walks a day and substituting fresh fruit for dessert, can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Diet is also believed to play a role in gestational diabetes. If you are at risk for this condition, talk to your obstetrician about ways to reduce your intake of simple sugars and incorporate more whole grains into your meals--strategies that are recommended to regulate your blood glucose levels.
Preventing the Complications of Diabetes
By taking steps to prevent diabetes, you also lower your risk for complications from the disease. In addition to kidney failure, vision loss and nerve damage, people with diabetes are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. To guard against these serious conditions, the American Diabetes Association reminds patients to monitor their ABCs: A1c (a blood measurement that reflects your average blood glucose level during the past 3 months), blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Your target A1c level should be 7 percent or less, your blood pressure should be kept below 130/80 and your LDL (or "bad") cholesterol level should be less than 100.
