Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 26 Dec 2024
Three Red Flag Signs of Diabetes You May Spot During Christmas Celebration; Easy Ways to Slash the Risk
Around 537 million people across the world are living with diabetes and as the cases continue to increase, doctors have warned of the risk of the condition especially at Christmas time
Christmas marks the beginning of the holiday season and is a super hectic time for everyone. Many people travel to continents and countries to be with their loved ones—making merry, partying, and catching up with friends and family.
But like any time of year, it's important to take care and recognize issues with your health.
According to statistics, around 537 million people across the world are living with diabetes and as the cases continue to increase, doctors have warned of the risk of the condition, especially at Christmas time, along with signs to watch out for.
Diabetes can lead to serious health complications, like heart attack and stroke, if left untreated.
How do blood sugar levels rise in Christmas?
Doctors say there are a number of things at Christmas that cause your blood sugar levels to rise like being less active and overindulging in food. Dr. Adam Staten, an NHS doc said, “Over the Christmas period there are lots of events during which people will overindulge.”
"To reduce the risk of diabetes during this period, the key is to try to maintain a healthy lifestyle outside of these events. In particular, this means trying to avoid eating food with a high sugar content and continuing to exercise regularly,” he added.
To avoid complications if you have diabetes, it is important to look out for symptoms. In its early stages, diabetes does not really lead to any symptoms or cause vague signs. A few symptoms to look out for include:
But if and when symptoms do occur, he said there are three "typical" ones to look out for.
Feeling thirsty all the time
Polydipsia, or excessive thirst, is a hallmark of diabetes. Thirst is linked to another common diabetes symptom: polyuria or urinating more than usual. It is normal to feel thirsty when you are dehydrated. This can happen because:
- You are not drinking enough water
- You are sweating too much
- You have eaten something very salty or spicy
Need to pee more than usual
Yes, peeing too much is a common sign of diabetes, as high blood sugar levels cause the kidneys to filter excess glucose into the urine, leading to increased fluid loss and the need to urinate more often; this is considered one of the early warning signs of diabetes.
Key points about frequent urination and diabetes:
When blood sugar is high, the kidneys try to remove excess glucose by excreting it in urine, which also draws out more fluid from the body, causing increased urination. Along with frequent urination, other symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, blurry vision, and fatigue.
Blurred vision
High blood sugar levels can cause the lenses of the eyes to swell with fluid, which can lead to blurry vision. This type of blurry vision is usually temporary and goes away when blood sugar levels return to normal.
Diabetic retinopathy
High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in the retina, which can lead to blurry vision. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy (DR) and is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.
Rapid blood sugar changes
If blood sugar levels change quickly from low to normal, the shape of the eye's lens can be affected, which can lead to blurry vision.
Ways to reduce your risk of diabetes
A few ways to reduce your risk of high blood sugar include:
Low carbs
The quantity and quality of your carb intake are both important factors to consider when making dietary changes to help prevent diabetes. Your body breaks down carbs into small sugar molecules, which are absorbed into your bloodstream.
Exercise regularly
Doing regular physical activity helps prevent diabetes. Those with high blood sugar levels often have reduced insulin sensitivity. And so, regular exercise increases the insulin sensitivity of your cells, meaning that you need less insulin to manage your blood sugar levels.
Drink lots of water
Sticking with water as your drink of choice will help you limit beverages that are high in sugar. Sugary beverages like soda and sweetened fruit juice have been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
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