4.3 Million People in the UK are Living With a Diagnosis of Diabetes
In line with Diabetes awareness week, we have put together a quick guide about the condition, the focus of this year’s diabetes awareness week, and of course, what we at Broomfield care can do to help those living with diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes refers to a condition where your body’s blood glucose level is too high. Your body is supposed to convert glucose into energy with the help of the hormone insulin, however for some people, they either don’t produce enough insulin, or what they do produce is no longer effective.
There are multiple different types of diabetes, but the most commonly known are type 1 and type 2.
- Type 1– with type 1, you don’t produce any insulin at all. It is typically diagnosed in childhood, but can develop at any age.
- Type 2– with type 2, the insulin you produce is either ineffective, or you don’t produce enough of it. This can also develop at any age.
Other types of diabetes include, gestational diabetes, type 3c, and Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in adults (LADA).
What are the Common Symptoms of Diabetes?
If you are worried that you may have diabetes, common symptoms to look out for include:
- Going to the toilet a lot, especially at night
- Being really thirsty
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Losing weight without trying to
- Cuts and wounds take longer to heal
- Blurred vision
Even so, diabetes is diagnosed through a blood test, so you may have these symptoms, but not necessarily diagnosed. If you’re worried about any symptoms, you are best to discuss these with your GP.
What Treatment is Available for Those Living with Diabetes?
Your treatment is about trying to keep your blood sugar levels within a target range. Therefore, it is advised that you eat a healthy low-sugar diet, keep active and fit, and also go for regular health checks.
Some people, such as those with type 1 diabetes, also have to take insulin to treat their diabetes.
There are also other medications that you may be advised to take to help with your physical health.
How Can You Lower Your Risk of Developing Diabetes?
There are some factors that can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, such as:
- Your medical history- e.g. if you smoke or are already obese
- Your Ethnicity- Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian background are at a higher risk
- Age
However, there are some behaviours you should follow to prevent developing type 2 diabetes, such as:
- Eating well
- Keeping active
- losing weight so you have a healthy weight and healthy waist size
If you’d like to check your diabetes risk, you can try Diabetes UK’s Type 2 diabetes risk calculator.
Diabetes Week 2025: What Health Check-ups are Available to Those Living with Diabetes?
As part of your annual review/check-up, you should be offered a:
- blood test
- urine sample
- blood pressure check
- foot check
- BMI check
- Blood Test– this should be sent to a lab to check your average blood sugar levels for the past three months, your cholesterol levels, and how well your kidneys are functioning.
- Urine Sample – this should be checked for signs of kidney disease
- Foot Check – your doctors should check your blood flow and circulation, and if you have a loss of feeling in your feet. Your toes, feet and legs, can be impacted by diabetes as the increase in glucose in your blood stream can affect your circulation.
These test are essential to catch any issues and treat them as early as possible before they get worse. Diabetes leads to 26 amputations of the leg or foot everyday, which reflects how vital a simple foot check can be.
In addition to these checks with your GP, it is important to get a diabetes eye check at your opticians, which can be done alongside a regular eye check. High glucose levels in the blood can cause poor circulation across your whole body, as well as your eyes. Your optician can take a look at your blood vessels in your eyes to see how diabetes is affecting them.
Source: Diabetes health checks (annual review) | Diabetes UK
How Broomfield Care Can Help You
If you are struggling to manage your diabetes, we may be able to help. Our carers can help you with a variety of tasks, such as personal care, prompting to take medication, transport to medical appointments, and even meal prep and shopping.
At Broomfield care, we pride ourselves on taking a holistic approach to providing care for our clients, and so, regardless of your existing conditions, we always work to maintain and improve both your mental and physical wellbeing, so you can continue to live at home independently and confidently.
