Diabetes is a metabolic disorder which affects the way the body uses food we ingest for energy.  Researchers are not yet clear why diabetes is increasing in our population so rapidly, but public health authorities are calling diabetes an up and coming pandemic.  It is a disease characterized by abnormally high levels of glucose in the bloodstream and is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. 

The symptoms of diabetes begin gradually and may be difficult to identify in the beginning.  There are early signs to be aware of such as tremendous thirst, so much so that it cannot be quenched.  Constant urination which you become aware of especially at night as you awake repeatedly.  A feeling of being hungry all the time, even though you may have just ate.  A feeling of tiredness that coffee cannot bring you out of.  Being so fatigued that your bones ache and you must rest after a meal.  Tiredness is the most common symptom of diabetes. 
 
Other symptoms of diabetes that may occur include tingling in the hands and feet, due to the nerve damage which occurs from the high glucose levels in the bloodstream.  
 
The symptoms of diabetes type 1 tend to be most obvious, and appear over a short period of time.  They can be a change in vision, infections and sores that heal slowly, gum disease, sudden weight loss,  rapid hard breathing, overall weakness and muscle wasting,  sweet smell on breath, irritability, headaches, mood swings, depression, and emotions that seem to be amplified.
 
The symptoms of type 2 include feeling weak and tired, especially after eating, slow healing of sores or cuts, and weight gain. 
 
It is important that the early signs and symptoms of diabetes be recognized and consequently be brought under tight control.  Blindness, kidney disease, amputation, heart disease and stroke are all complications of diabetes.  It is important to be alert and aware in recognizing the early signs.
 
Diabetes need not be a death sentence.  Disease prevention is as basic as keeping your weight at a healthy level and eating more healthfully. And diabetes prevention is a much more effective way to stay healthy.