As diabetes is on the rise, prevention is key – Diabetes Awareness with Kayleigh Gordon

“Diabetes and its complications are all too common. Especially in Manitoba, you probably know someone living with this disease.” – Kayleigh Gordon, Health Sciences Center Staff Pharmacist.

Kaylie Gordon's father tested her blood sugar levels out of pure curiosity while socializing at a wedding. A simple test performed on a friend's monitor revealed that his blood sugar levels were too high, leading to a doctor's appointment and a formal diagnosis.

“My father didn't really know he had diabetes. Like high blood pressure, it's a medical condition that isn't immediately noticeable, and the symptoms aren't always specific,” says the Center for Health Sciences. said Gordon, a pharmacist on the hemodialysis unit.

Diabetes, Gordon explained, is an imbalance between the amount of blood sugar (glucose) in the body and the amount of insulin available to convert that glucose into energy. That imbalance can cause high blood sugar, which can damage your body over time. Symptoms of high blood sugar include feeling thirstier than usual, feeling hungry, unusually tired, and frequent urination.

“The earlier you diagnose and begin management, the more likely you are to see long-term results,” she shared.

Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented and is often diagnosed early in life among young people identified as unable to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is preventable and is often diagnosed after discovering that the body is not producing enough insulin to keep up with glucose demand, and the insulin produced is less effective.

“Diabetes and its complications are all around us, and they're particularly common in Manitoba,” Gordon said. 29% of Manitobans live with diabetes or prediabetes. “There may be people around you who are suffering from this disease.”

High blood sugar levels over a long period of time can damage blood vessels and lead to two types of complications. macrovessels and microvessels.

These complications can damage large blood vessels (in the case of large vessels) and increase the chance of stroke, heart attack, and peripheral vascular disease, which primarily affects blood vessels in the legs, Gordon explained.

Microvascular complications are caused by damage to smaller blood vessels, causing vision loss, nerve pain, and kidney disease. If the kidneys become too damaged, patients may require hemodialysis, which results in patients visiting a clinician like Gordon two to three times a week during hemodialysis treatment.

“By the time we see patients with kidney disease who are on hemodialysis, we see a lot of the complications of end-stage diabetes, which is what we want to prevent,” Gordon said, noting that people should be on the lookout for symptoms. , encourages others to check their health. Care provider.

“It's important to take care of yourself and make small healthy choices, not hard choices, but choices you can maintain every day,” Gordon said, sharing a list of prevention tips.

• Be careful with your food choices. Nourish your body with fibrous foods and focus on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Avoid foods containing excess sugar and saturated fat.
• Exercise regularly: Try to do about 30 minutes of activity at least five days a week.
• Maintain a healthy weight: This helps improve blood sugar levels and improves the body's response to insulin. You must be at a healthy weight to undergo transplant surgery.

*Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider for individual medical advice.

In addition to lifestyle changes, a number of new drugs are emerging that offer additional heart and kidney protection and can be used in combination with traditional first-line drugs such as metformin. We are also expanding coverage for continuous blood sugar monitors and new drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic), which can provide additional weight loss benefits.

“There are more medicines and tools available now than ever before,” Gordon says. “My hope is that these new options will become more accessible to everyone, leading to fewer complications in the long run, and allowing people to make changes and take better care of their health. It’s about reducing stress on the healthcare system.”

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Shared Health recognizes the important and ongoing work that health-care staff provide to support the many Manitobans living with diabetes. If you would like to know more about diabetes, please click here canada diabetes and consult your Manitoba health care provider.

Also available in French.