First Nations People have an increased chance of getting Type 2 diabetes especially if their family has had a history of Type 2 diabetes, they have excess weight in their stomach, eat lots of processed/refined food (fast food, quick meals), have had babies over 9 pounds, have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, was an unusually large or small baby, have excessive stress, physically inactive (exercise less than 3 times a week), sleep deprived, or smoke.
People with diabetes have increased their chances of complications of diabetes such as heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage (neuropathy: numbness in hands & feet; carpal tunnel syndrome; autonomic neuropathy: irregular heartbeat, delayed digestion of food, erectile dysfunction; dental problems: gum disease, dental abscesses, oral thrush; autonomic neuropathy: feeling full quicker, alternating diarrhea with constipation, delays in the stomach emptying leading to nausea, vomiting, and bloating; and possible blindness due to retinopathy (high blood sugars disrupts the proper function of the eyes)—which may take months or years to develop but once retinopathy is present will progress very quickly.
If you can’t make time for exercise (and taking care of yourself in general) then you should make time for illness.
By Andrea Walkus-Andrews, (250) 902-2275