Blurred vision. If your blood sugar is too high, fluid may be pulled from the lenses of your eyes. This may affect your ability to focus clearly.
Slow-healing sores or frequent infections. Type 2 diabetes affects your ability to heal and resist infections.
Areas of darkened skin. Some people with Type 2 diabetes have patches of dark, velvety skin in the folds and creases of their bodies usually in the armpits and neck. This condition, called acanthosis nigricans, may be a sign of insulin resistance
The only ray of light in this distressing news: there are ways to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. How to do it:
1. Get daily physical activity. Exercise improves the action of insulin, moving glucose out of the bloodstream and into tissues where it can be used for energy.
2. Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, the more pounds you lose, the lower your chances of developing diabetes. Talk with your doctor about what your optimum weight should be, and how to achieve it.
3. Eat a diet low in refined carbohydrates, and incorporate fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil) into your diet.
4. Manage your health. Get regular checkups for blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and seek treatment if necessary.
Robin Westen is ThirdAges medical reporter. Check for her daily updates. She is the author of The Big Book of Personality Quizzes.
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