Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the U.S. as nearly one in 10 Americans deal with it every year. But why? What causes diabetes, and how are you supposed to know if you are at risk?

Read on as our team at AFC Urgent Care Powdersville provides some helpful answers.

How Does Diabetes Affect the Body?

Before understanding your diabetes risk, it’s important to know what the disease actually does to the body. Although its causes are still widely unknown, diabetes occurs when the body does not properly turn the food we eat into energy.

When we eat, food is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use as energy. When the pancreas has trouble or doesn’t make a hormone called insulin, glucose isn’t able to enter our body’s cells. This causes a buildup of blood sugar, which can lead to lots of serious health issues. We’ve listed some common ones below.

Serious Health Issues Caused By Diabetes

• Heart disease
• Kidney damage
• Blindness and other eye damage
• Increased stroke risk
• Nerve damage
• Skin problems

How Can I Get Diabetes?

There’s no one exact answer to this question. As we said earlier, the causes of diabetes are generally unknown and vary, so many reasons can come into play.

However, two of the most common diabetes risk factors are family genetics and weight. If your family has a history of diabetes, you will definitely experience an increased risk of getting the disease. There are things you can do to lower your risk, though, so it’s important to implement healthy lifestyle choices! We’ve listed some good places to start below.

Healthy Ways to Lower Diabetes Risk

• Eat a high-fiber diet.
• Watch food portion sizes.
• Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese.
• Exercise regularly.
• Drink lots of water.
• Quit or refrain from smoking.

Although diabetes is a common disease, we strongly encourage you to implement the necessary healthy habits to decrease your risk! If you have any other questions or health concerns, call or walk in to AFC Urgent Care Powdersville today.