At the beginning of this week the world came together to raise awareness for diabetes. The global campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), with many activities taking place all around the world. Millions of people shared their experiences with diabetes and explained what it’s really like to live with the condition. World Diabetes Day focussed on talking about the complications diabetes can lead to and how to avoid them.
Every two minutes someone learns they have diabetes and in the UK, it leads to 65 early deaths every single day. It is a serious disease the can cause blindness, kidney disease and circulation issues. Every week there are more than 1400 cases of heart failure, 540 strokes and 140 lower limb amputations caused by the diabetes.
Diabetes is a common life-long health condition. Currently 415 million adults worldwide are diagnosed with diabetes and by 2040 this is estimated to increase to 640 million adults. One of the most challenging aspects of this forecasted statistic is that 1 in 2 adults with diabetes is undiagnosed as most of these cases are Type 2 Diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Excessive thirst
- Weight loss
- Frequent urination
- Lack of energy
- Blurred vision
Therefore, if you believe you are currently experiencing any of these symptoms please make an appointment to see your doctor for tests. Screening for Type 2 diabetes is important to ensure early diagnosis and treatment. Act today to change tomorrow!
When diagnosed with diabetes it is crucial to understand how to manage the disease to help avoid developing complications now and in the future. This year the campaign is not only wanting to raise awareness of the facts, but raise awareness of how to manage your diabetes to prevent complications and how the IDF can support you in doing this.
Managing your diabetes, making changes and fitting the demands of diabetes into your lifestyle can become challenging at times. You will receive regular healthcare team support to help you in self-managing your diabetes however the most important person in the team is you. Every decision you make will impact the disease meaning you must take responsibly in managing your diabetes effectively.
The theme of World Diabetes Day 2016 is Eyes. Diabetes can affect your eyes in a number of ways. The most serious eye condition related to Diabetes is diabetic retinopathy.Early diagnosis is vital. Most sight-threatening diabetic problems can be managed if treatment is carried out early enough. Looking after your Diabetes and regular retinal screening can help to reduce your risk of developing the eye conditions related to Diabetes.
There are several ways in which you can support your health with diabetes. At Repton Medical we supply a specialist sock which has been proven to help people with diabetes keep their feet warm. Our Diabetic Sock enhances blood flow, increases the speed of circulation and raises body temperature. The Nano-Scale and infrared technology keeps your vulnerable feet protected. To find out more information on these socks please visit http://www.reptonmedical.co.uk/diabetic-socks.
Did you know? … World Diabetes Day is celebrated on the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting who first discovered insulin in 1921
