World Diabetes Day takes place on Monday, November 14th. The theme of this year’s awareness day is Eye on Diabetes. This year, organisations such as the International Diabetes Federation, World Health Organisation and Diabetes Ireland are promoting the importance of screening in order to increase the numbers of early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and treatment to prevent the onset of serious complications.

It is estimated that a staggering 415 million adults worldwide were living with diabetes in 2015. This figure is expected to rise dramatically over the next 30 years. In order to prevent this, it is vital that individuals are educated about diabetes, the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and the prevention measures that can be taken.

Type 2 diabetes is a non-insulin dependent version of the diabetes condition. This means that the pancreas is not producing enough insulin or that the insulin being produced is not functioning correctly. Generally, this type of diabetes is associated with poor diet and a lack of physical exercise. There are a number of symptoms you may experience if you have type 2 diabetes. However, its important to note that some individuals also show no symptoms:

• Thirst and frequent urination
• Urinary tract infections
• High blood pressure
• Fatigue
• Neuropathy

Without treatment diabetes can cause blindness, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and in some cases, lower limb amputation. For this reason, early detection and timely treatment is vital.

The good news is that type 2 diabetes is manageable. With the correct lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy balanced diet and keeping physically active you can keep your diabetes under control. In some cases, your doctor may give you medication and insulin injections to ensure that your blood sugar levels are kept balanced.

If you are concerned that yourself or a loved one may be suffering from diabetes, or if you have any questions please feel free to call in store where we will be more than happy to help you.