Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that affects the endocrine system. There are two primary types of Diabetes – Type I and Type II. Type I Diabetes is when the body stops producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and helps decrease our blood sugar levels. Type II Diabetes occurs when the body either does not produce enough insulin or use it efficiently.

There are a few other types of diabetes including gestational diabetes, latent autoimmune diabetes (LADA), and maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). LADA is similar to Type I diabetes but often occurs in those over the age of 30 and develops much more slowly.  MODY is an inherited genetic mutation that affects how the body can use insulin.

Pre-Diabetes is often mistaken as a diagnosis in the medical field. However, the term pre-diabetes was developed by the PR company of the American Diabetes Association because they felt that individuals were not taking Type II diabetes as seriously as they felt individuals should. The term pre-diabetes simply means that one’s A1C (lab testing indicating what your average blood sugar levels are) are in a range that is close to the diabetic range. It does not mean that an individual has diabetes. Please note that A1Cs as with all lab work can shift and change and are affected by many variables.

As with most diagnoses, anyone can be at risk. However, some factors place individuals at a higher risk. Those include:

1.     Family history: if you have a family member with an endocrine dysfunction or disorder

2.     Race and/or ethnicity: certain races and ethnicities are more at risk likely due to genetics - African American, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander

3.     Health history: if you have struggled with gestational diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and/or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) you may be at higher risk

4.     Age: those 35 and older have increased risk

No, there is not a specific diet for pre-diabetes and diabetes. Many medical providers may tell you to consume a low carbohydrate diet which is not necessarily wrong but can easily be misinterpreted. The main goal for management of symptoms in prediabetes and diabetes is managing blood sugars and maintaining them in normal levels. In order to do so, carbohydrates are monitored (as carbohydrates breakdown into glucose thus raising our blood sugar). But carbohydrates should never be eliminated or restricted as this can be dangerous for our bodies.

You can find more information regarding diabetes on our blog

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