• Type 1 diabetes is an unpreventable, sudden-onset autoimmune disorder. This means your body mistakingly identifies your pancreas as being foreign and attacks it rendering your pancreas incapable of making insulin. From diagnosis, individuals will need to administer insulin and check blood sugar multiple times per day; however, technology has truly advanced and there are many devices available to make these tasks less burdensome.  Type 1 diabetes was formerly called juvenile diabetes because it was typically diagnosed between the ages of 1 and 20. However, in more recent years, type 1 diabetes has expanded its onset into adulthood. If you have been diagnosed as an adult, your doctor may refer to the disease as “LADA” which stands for latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. The cause is unknown- in many cases it is related to family genetics, the presence of other autoimmune disorders, or linked to a recent traumatic event such as severe illness, surgery, car accident, etc. In other cases, it appears to be completely random and unprovoked.

• Type 2 diabetes is far more common. In fact, over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type 2. Typically, it presents itself among individuals who are inactive and overweight/obese and is characterized by “insulin resistance.” This means your body’s cells are not responding to normal amounts of insulin- they need extra. The pancreas will produce more; but it cannot keep up with the increased demand forever. That’s why type 2 diabetes is much more gradual onset than type 1. With an early diagnosis, many individuals can manage it with healthy lifestyle changes whereas others may need oral medication, injectables, or insulin. Type 2 diabetes and its progression can be prevented or delayed by choosing nourishing foods, staying active, and maintaining a healthy weight.

• Prediabetes is sometimes referred to as impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose. It is the beginning signs of type 2 diabetes. Blood sugar levels are higher than normal; but not high enough to warrant a type 2 diagnosis. It does NOT mean that you will inevitably get diabetes one day. Rather, it is an early warning and the “push” you need to make healthy lifestyle changes (moving more and eating better). By doing so, you can delay type 2 diabetes or even prevent it entirely. 

• Gestational diabetes is a temporary form of Type 2 diabetes during pregnancy. During pregnancy your body makes additional hormones and goes through other changes such as weight gain. These changes increase insulin resistance. Some women’s body’s are able to overcome the resistance by producing more insulin whereas others cannot meet the insulin demand resulting in higher amounts of sugar in the blood (gestational diabetes).  It will require diligent finger poking, routine activity, healthy food choices, and in some cases, medication to ensure a healthy pregnancy; however there is light at the end of the tunnel!  After birth, the gestational diabetes will likely resolve itself. We do recommend continuing healthy lifestyle habits due to your increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

• Type 3c diabetes is also referred to as secondary diabetes or pancreatogenic diabetes. It is the secondary result of pancreatic diseases such as pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, or hemochromatosis. It can also be caused by pancreatic surgeries such as in pancreatic cancer resections. Patients with type 3c diabetes are advised to follow the same healthy lifestyle guidelines and do their best to maintain healthy blood sugar levels to minimize risk of complications. Medication treatment for type 3c diabetes varies greatly because it is depends on the damage caused to the pancreas, the amount of pancreas resected during surgery, and the health of any remaining organ.  In most cases, an individual with type 3c diabetes will need to take digestive enzyme medications because the portion of the pancreas that would normally produce the enzymes naturally has also been damaged or removed. 

Report symptoms or risk factors to your healthcare provider. He or she will order a blood test to confirm if you do, indeed, have diabetes, or not.. Below is a list of various blood tests as well as the ranges that indicate diabetes. The most common test is an A1C. 

• A1C (this test measures your average blood sugar for the past two to three months)
  • Healthy: 5.6% or below
  • Prediabetes: 5.7%- 6.4%
  • Diabetes: 6.5% or above

• Fasting Blood Sugar (fasting means you have had nothing to eat or drink (except water) for at least 8 hours).
  • Healthy: 99 mg/dL or below
  • Prediabetes: 100- 125 mg/dL
  • Diabetes: 126 mg/dL or above

• Glucose Tolerance Test (your sugar will be tested upon arrival and again 2 hours after drinking a very sweet beverage)
  • Healthy: 140 mg/dL or below
  • Prediabetes: 141- 199 mg/dL
  • Diabetes: 200 mg/dL or above

• Random Blood Sugar Test (this is a blood test performed at any time of day; a recent meal is irrelevant to the outcome)
  • Diabetes: 200 mg/dL or above

*Note, gestational diabetes is also diagnosed using blood tests. Tests are generally performed between 24-28 weeks gestation. If your blood sugar is higher than normal earlier in pregnancy, it may indicate you had a form of diabetes prior to pregnancy (not gestational diabetes). Diagnosing gestational diabetes typically involves a 2-step process: 1 hour glucose screening test and if high, a 3 hour glucose tolerance test. What is considered a healthy blood sugar may differ depending on your doctors’ office protocol. Please ask your doctor to interpret the results for you. 

Type 2 diabetes is preventable in most cases! Losing 10-15 pounds, exercising for at least 30 minutes five days per week, and choosing healthier foods can reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%! If you’d like more information, please download any of our free resources, browse through our services, and consider making an appointment with a dietitian and diabetes educator today!

• Frequent urination
• Extreme thirst
• Unintentional weight loss
• Blurry vision
• Numb or Tingling Extremities
• Exhaustion/Fatigue
• Slow-healing wounds
• Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramping

As mentioned above, Type 1 diabetes begins suddenly with extremely high blood sugars. Most people with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes experience obvious symptoms and seek medical care resulting in diagnosis confirmation. 

On the other hand, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes develop slowly over time. Most adults with type 2 diabetes have minor, unacknowledged symptoms and instead, are diagnosed during their yearly wellness check-up. Similarly, gestational diabetes is not marked by overt symptoms. If you are pregnant, your doctor will test you for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks gestation. 

In addition to the symptoms above, type 3c may present itself with diarrhea, gas, and floating oily stools.

There are several risk factors that indicate increased risk of developing diabetes.

Type 1

• A family history of type 1 diabetes
• Presence of other autoimmune disorders
• Caucasian

Type 2   *take the diabetes risk test here*

• Have prediabetes
• Overweight/Obesity
• Aged 35 and older
• Family history of type 2 diabetes
• Physically inactive
• Personal or maternal history of gestational diabetes
• Gave birth to a baby weight 9 pounds or more.
• African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islander, Alaska Native

Prediabetes

• Overweight/Obesity
• Aged 35 and older
• Family history of type 2 diabetes
• Physically inactive
• Personal or maternal history of gestational diabetes
• Gave birth to a baby weight 9 pounds or more.
• African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islander, Alaska Native

Gestational

• Overweight/Obesity
• Aged 25 and older
• Family history of type 2 diabetes
• PCOS diagnosis
• Personal history of gestational diabetes
• Gave birth to a baby weight 9 pounds or more.
• African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islander, Alaska Native

Type 3c

• History of severe, reoccurring pancreatitis
• History of pancreatic cancer
• History of pancreatic surgery
• Cystic fibrosis diagnosis
• Hemochromatosis diagnosis
• Presence of other pancreatic conditions