Page 22 - South Asia BioBank Sample Health Report

DIABETES [CONTINUED] INSIDE THE BLOODSTREAM

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF DIABETES?
As well as harming your heart and blood vessels, diabetes can affect other parts of your body including:

BRAIN: people with diabetes are 2-3 times more likely to develop vascular dementia due to the damage to blood vessels
EYES: Diabetes can affect blood vessels in the eyes, leading to problems with your eyesight. THE BODY DOESN’T MAKE ENOUGH
KIDNEYS: Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys so they are less effective in clearing the toxins from your body. INSULIN OR CAN’T USE THE INSULIN THAT
IT MAKES
NERVES: Damage to the nerves can lead to loss of sensation, pain, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
FEET: There may be problems with the circulation to your feet which can result in ulcers on your toes or lower limbs. If these are
not treated, can result in amputation.

HOW CAN I MANAGE DIABETES?
People with type 2 diabetes can improve their health and reduce their risk of heart disease by making simple changes;
WITHOUT INSULIN CELLS CAN’T ABSORB
GLUCOSE FROM THE BLOODSTREAM
Eating too much sugary food can lead you to put on weight. Being overweight or obese makes you more likely to
develop diabetes and heart disease.

Foods like fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy contain natural sugars. These foods play a role in a healthy diet because
they give us vitamins, minerals and fibre our bodies need. We need to cut down on 'free sugars'. These are sugars added
to junk food, some cereals and yoghurts, or naturally found in honey, syrups and fruit juices.
TOO MUCH GLUCOSE IN THE
BLOODSTREAM CAN DAMAGE THE WALLS
WAYS TO CUT BACK ON SUGAR OF YOUR ARTERIES

Add less sugar to your tea or coffee. Start by reducing it by one teaspoon at a time.
If you struggle to finish a meal without something sweet, swap sugary desserts for fruit salad.
Breakfast cereals often have lots of sugar added to them. Look for a low-sugar version and add fresh fruit.

LOSING WEIGHT
FATTY DEPOSITS CAN BUILD UP
Losing weight, especially if you carry weight around the middle.

BEING MORE ACTIVE
Being active helps you use the insulin you have in your bloodstream better and helps your cells use glucose. Overall, this
will help to decrease your blood sugar levels.