Understanding diabetes

There are over 2 million people who have been diagnosed with diabetes in the UK, and over the last 30 years we have seen a threefold increase in the number of cases of childhood diabetes. But despite increasing figures, it is estimated that as many as half a million more people don’t yet know they have it.

The good news is that treatments are very effective and the more you know about your condition, the more you can do to help yourself stay healthy.

In order to give you a helping hand, your team at The Co-operative Pharmacy has all the advice and support that you will need to manage your diabetes and live life to the full.

What is diabetes?

There are two types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 develops if the body is unable to produce any insulin, whereas Type 2 diabetes develops if the body is not producing enough insulin, or not using what it produces effectively. In both cases, the symptoms are relieved as soon as it's treated effectively. And the earlier you're diagnosed and treated, the less likely you are to develop serious complications in later life.

The main symptoms to look out for are:

• Increased thirst
• Going to the toilet a lot, especially at night
• Extreme tiredness
• Weight loss
• Genital itching or regular episodes of thrush
• Slow healing of cuts and wounds
• Blurred vision

Tips and advice

As well as taking your medication you'll need to make healthy lifestyle choices, eat a healthy balanced diet and do plenty of regular exercise. Here are some of the things you should try to incorporate into your healthy lifestyle:

• Eat three regular meals a day
• Include some starchy carbohydrate in every meal
• Reduce salt to 6g or less a day
• Drink alcohol in moderation only
• Do not eat diabetic foods or drinks
• Reduce fat intake particularly saturated fats
• Eat more fruit and vegetables
• Boost your daily exercise by gardening, walking the dog or taking the stairs instead of the lift