Diabetes Alert Day: Understanding diabetes and recognizing your dangers | Native Information

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SPECIAL FOR RECORD & LANDMARK

Tuesday March 23rd is the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Alert Day. With 7.2 million adults in the US unaware that they have the disease, Diabetes Alert Day encourages individuals to find out if they are at risk and how to reduce that risk.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) launched Diabetes Alert Day as a one-day “wake up call” calling on the public to conduct a diabetes risk test to determine if there is a risk of developing diabetes. It is imperative to have an understanding of diabetes in order to identify your risks early on, before it is too late.

“Detecting diabetes early can have a very positive long-term impact on your quality of life,” said Amanda Downs, registered nutritionist at Iredell Health System’s Wellness and Diabetes Center.

What is diabetes Diabetes occurs when your body does not make or use insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that prevents sugar from building up in your blood and causing high blood sugar.

There are three main types of diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease that occurs when your body doesn’t make enough insulin, while type 2 diabetes occurs when your body doesn’t use insulin properly. Obesity, age, genetics, smoking, and an inactive, sedentary lifestyle can all lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

The third type, gestational diabetes, occurs when your body doesn’t use insulin properly during pregnancy. According to Heather White, diabetes program manager at Iredell Health System’s Wellness and Diabetes Center, only 2% of people with gestational diabetes actually develop diabetes after pregnancy. However, this condition carries a higher risk of developing diabetes.