The incidence of Diabetes is becoming more common with 15 million suffering from Type 2 Diabetes and another 40 million being prediabetic, according to 2017 statistics of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Diabetes strikes every woman differently. Because Diabetes, especially Type 2 Diabetes, is a disease of chronic, low-grade inflammation, its warning signs will vary among different women, especially when the disease advances.
Since it is a disease that has doubled in incidence over the past 25 years said the World Health Organization, it has become pretty common globally. It should be our responsibility to notice the tell-tale signs and symptoms of Diabetes.
Here are a few common signs and symptoms of diabetes among women:
Vaginal and Oral Infections
Thrush consists of an overgrowth of a yeast called Candida albicans which cause oral yeast and vaginal infections. Normally, Candida albicans show up when there are high levels of glucose in the blood. The vaginal infections are accompanied usually by soreness, vaginal discharge, itching and pain during sex. When it’s an oral infection, a cottage cheese-like coating is seen on the inside of the mouth and the tongue.
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
One very obvious symptom of diabetes among women is the incidence of UTIs. UTIs occur more often in women with diabetes. Usually, bacteria gets into the urinary tract where they establish a colony and cause infection. Symptoms of UTIs include a burning sensation while urinating, painful urination, high blood glucose levels, fever, cloudy and sometimes bloody urine, poor circulation, and the inability of your immune cells to efficiently fight bacteria.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS, a metabolic syndrome caused by hormonal imbalance in the female body, hits more females and thus, exposes them to a greater risk of diabetes. PCOS creates fertility problems in women including irregular periods, skin darkening (around the elbows, armpits, and neck), acne, loss of hair, weight gain, and depression.
Females with PCOS have a greater risk of developing Diabetes.
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Poor Sexual Health
With high levels of blood sugar, diabetics develop what they call diabetic neuropathy. This disease makes you lose your ability to effectively send signals from your brain to your organs. When this occurs, there might be a loss of sensation in some parts of the body such as hands, feet, and legs. The Vagina is also one organ with a rich network of nerves. With diabetic neuropathy, one can lead to a lower sex drive in women because it may affect sensation in the woman’s vagina.
Other Risk Factors for Diabetes in Women
* Being obese or overweight
* Having high cholesterol
* Having a history of heart disease or stroke
* Having high blood pressure
* Having a sedentary lifestyle
* Being 45 years or older
Preventing Diabetes in Women
Managing and making changes to your diet and lifestyle is most important in preventing diabetes. Also reduce your carbohydrate intake, including pasta, rice, and bread. Make sure also you get a lot of green, leafy veggies in your daily meals as well as fruits.
Also get a lot of avocados and perhaps coconut oil once in a while.
Exercise is most important to get your weight to manageable levels. Check my blog post on burning “brown fat” here __________________ .
Take only dietary supplements if they’re all natural like Vitamin D3, berberine or chromium. These are all known to manage blood sugar levels in check.
And above all else, avoid smoking.
So, how about you? Do you have any tips for early detection of Diabetes?
