Skip to main content

How important is diabetes screening?

By
Video Credit - TheDiabetesDownload (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjplL56X8lk)

How do you know if you have type 2 diabetes? Certified Diabetes Educator, Joy Pape, joins Michael Stevens, host of Vsauce, to explain why it’s so important to get screened for diabetes, and what screening results may mean.

There is actually a simple way to know for sure if you have diabetes or if you are at risk.  Being overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and there are other risk factors as well. That's why it’s important for you to have the screening done for diabetes. All it takes is a simple blood test by your healthcare provider.

HbA1c: A1c or HbA1c is a short form for hemoglobin A1c. This number indicates how well your blood sugar has been controlled over time. If your A1c number is more than 6.5%, that means you are diabetic.

FPG: FPG or fasting plasma glucose or fasting blood glucose gives you the amount of sugar at that very moment after you haven’t eaten for 8-10 hours. This test is usually done first thing in the morning before you have your breakfast. A number that is 126 mg/dL or higher indicates that you have diabetes.

OGTT: OGTT or oral glucose tolerance test is another test for diabetes. In this test, your blood sugar is checked before and after drinking a special sweet drink given to you by a healthcare provider, and this test tells us how your body is processing sugar. If your number is 200 mg/dL or greater, it could mean you have diabetes.


Similarly, these tests could also tell you if  you are on the verge of diabetes or pre-diabetes. If your A1c is between 5.7% and 6.4% and if your FPG is between 100 and 125, that means you are pre-diabetic.

While there are no FDA-approved medications for treating pre-diabetes, eating right and being active to help lose weight can prevent a pre-diabetic becoming a diabetic.


Some people with type 2 diabetes could have symptoms that can go unnoticed for years. The best way to know that you have diabetes is by undergoing these simple blood tests. So, get screened for diabetes, recognize those symptoms, and take control of your health.

The sooner you know you have diabetes, the sooner you can begin managing your diabetes.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHAT DOES STOMACH ACID IMBALANCE DO TO YOUR BODY?

By
Stomach acidity plagues millions of people around the world, yet it’s one of the simplest things you can take control of using simple lifestyle changes. Human body requires acid for digestion, and there is nothing wrong with acid in your body, but the problem arises when the level of acid increase in your body all the time. Acid reflux, burping, bloating, flatulence, etc. these are all different forms acidity. If they are not handled properly at the right time, it can cause innumerable ailments such as cancer, diabetes, inability to lose weight, poor skin quality. 

Every cell in your body requires oxygen for health of your cell!

When you have acidity, the oxygen does not reach your cell completely and your cells are deprived of oxygen which is the vital force you have disease. And most of us choose to take antacid to kill this uncomfortable feeling and that may not be your best bet, because you may become immune to it and you end up taking higher dosage, at frequent intervals. 


Add to th…
8 comments
Read more

WHY IS IT BETTER TO SIP WATER?

By
As there is art of eating, there is an art of drinking water as well. Human body consists of about 37.2 trillion cells and 75-80% of these cells live in water. 

They require water for strong immunity, metabolic activity, weight loss, and cellular function. 

The way we drink water is extremely important to our health. We hear everywhere the benefits of drinking water and we see people trying to drink more water, but there is a way to drink water.


Sit and sip your water slowly!

When you sip your water slowly, it mixes with saliva. 

Your saliva is alkaline in nature while your stomach is acidic in nature for all the right reasons because your stomach requires a certain amount of acid to digest your food and that’s great, but too much acid with excess amount of food or bad food is a cause for worry. 

So, we want our saliva get into our stomach so that the alkaline effect of saliva can stabilise excess acid in the stomach. One way to get the saliva into your stomach is the way we drink water. 


Ex…
Post a Comment
Read more

WHY RAW FOOD IS THE KEY TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH?

By
The importance of adding raw food is extremely beneficial when it comes to healing and prevention of diseases. 

The inner lining of your cells got ultra-thin sensitive cells called endothelial cells or endothelium. 

The function of these endothelial cells is to regulate blood pressure and blood flow. 

When these endothelial cells are in good condition, they allow communication between cells and they allow the absorption of vital oxygen and nutrient rich blood to your cells, and that’s the foundation good health and good immunity. 


The enemy called free radicals!

Your body consists of billions of molecules with atoms that contain electrons; the electrons inside the atoms get upset when they are not in pairs and these molecules with upset electrons are called free radicals. 

The increase of free radicals in your body causes oxidative stress. 

With wrong food choices, inactivity, stress, pollution, and smoking a lot of free radicals get into your body and disturb the bonding of electrons within…
Post a Comment
Read more