Help Yourself to Health
Diabetes Awareness
The charity Diabetes UK has recently reported that there are 2.9 million people in the UK
diagnosed with diabetes plus an estimated 850,000 who are unaware that they are affected by this
condition.
To some extent, our modern sedentary lifestyle coupled with poor eating habits has contributed to
these statistics. And to highlight the situation even more, the National Audit Office estimates that
by 2020 these figures will have increased by a further 23%.
Diabetes is a serious illness and as yet cannot be cured, but, notwithstanding one’s age and the
severity of the condition, it can be successfully managed. By maintaining a healthy balanced
diet, not smoking, physical exercise, plus working with one’s diabetes health care team and
taking prescribed medication, all these factors should help to make it possible to live a happy
and healthy life and reduce the risks of developing long-term complications associated with this
disease.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is either caused by the pancreas not producing enough insulin or due to the body
becoming resistant to the effect of insulin.
There are two main types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 1, which accounts for approximately 10% of people with the disease, can develop at any age
but usually appears before the age of 40 and especially in childhood. It develops when the
insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any
insulin.
It is treated by taking insulin daily by injection or pump, plus a healthy diet and regular physical
activity.
Type 2 develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin
that is produced does not work properly – known as insulin resistance.
This form of diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40 and accounts for approximately
90% of people with the disease.
It is treated with a healthy diet and regular physical activity, plus medication and/or insulin is
often required.
Symptoms
Symptoms of diabetes can include

an excessive thirst

extreme tiredness

passing urine frequently (especially at night)

slow healing of cuts and wounds

blurred vision

unexplained weight loss

itching in the genital areas and/or thrush
The reason diabetes needs to be controlled is that abnormally high quantities of sugar in the blood
can cause potentially serious long term problems to the eyes, kidneys and blood vessels leading to
the arms and legs. However, once the sugar level is corrected and well controlled, diabetics can
lead normal lives.
How is diabetes diagnosed?
Your doctor may carry out one or a range of blood tests:
Random blood glucose test - to check blood glucose level. If this test shows that the level is
high, then a
Fasting blood glucose test will be carried out.
The resultant blood glucose level will indicate either a positive or negative result.
Managing Diabetes
Each individual’s clinical needs will vary, so to achieve the best possible diabetes care, it is
essential for those diagnosed with the condition to work with a diabetes health care team for
practical advice and psychological reassurance.
For example, advice on learning how to deal with a
Hypoglycaemic attack (low blood glucose level) and a
Hyperglycaemic attack (high blood glucose level) is essential.
The aim of managing diabetes is to keep blood glucose, blood pressure and blood fat levels as
close to agreed targets as possible.
Food choices and eating habits are important to help manage diabetes, but it should be possible to
continue to enjoy a wide variety of foods as part of healthy eating.
Eating foods with less fat, sugar and salt and increasing amounts of fruit and vegetables, oily
fish, pulses and grains should all help with the management of the disease. Reducing
consumption of alcohol is also recommended.
Quitting smoking and keeping physically active will not only help diabetes, but also help reduce
the risk of long-term complications of cardiovascular disease, damaged vision and eye problems,
kidney disease and neuropathy (damaged nerves).
Information and Support
The range of free leaflets on display at the Wilson Practice Patients Participation desk, next to the
reception area provide useful information for reading round the subject in an easy to understand
way.
Contact the following charities for further information
Diabetes UK –www.diabetes.org.uk
Tel: 020 7424 1000
Local volunteer support groups are at Basingstoke and Petersfield
British Heart Foundation - bhf.org.uk
Tel: 020 7554 000