The Fidelis Care Blog

Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body uses insulin. Insulin helps control sugar in your blood. When you have diabetes, your body is unable to safely control your insulin and blood sugar levels. This can lead to serious health problems. Until recently, diabetes care mainly focused on controlling blood sugar to reduce risks. People with diabetes were told to change their diet, get more exercise, and lose weight. They also could be given medications or insulin injections.

If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar under control is a key to good health. But did you know you need more than just a blood sugar test twice a year?

​Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. An expectant mother’s blood sugar levels become too high, which can cause health risks for the mother and baby.

Prediabetes affects about 88 million adults in the United States. About 84% of people living with prediabetes do not know they have it. And prediabetes can turn into type 2 diabetes, a more serious condition.

Chances are that you know someone with diabetes who has developed a long term complication of the disease, like heart disease, stroke, impaired vision or blindness, kidney failure, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, foot problems, skin infections, and/or sexual problems.