By Lynn Allison From Newsmax

A staggering number of people have dangerously high blood sugar levels that put them at risk of diabetes. There are more than 30 million people in the United States living with diabetes, a condition that occurs when your blood sugar is too high. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 84.1 million adults have prediabetes.

“This is a potentially fatal disease that is becoming epidemic but whose risks can be managed through lifestyle measures,” Dr. Daniel Lorber, M.D. director of Endocrinology at New York Presbyterian, Queens, tells Newsmax. “I tell my patients that they can eat their way through any shot or pill I give them so it’s important to manage your eating habits and exercise not only to control the disease but to prevent it in the first place.

“As many as one quarter of people with diabetes in America aren’t aware they have anything wrong,” Lorber says. “The symptoms may come on gradually and you may not notice the changes until you land up in the hospital. Be alert to these subtle signs listed here. If you have any concerns, see your doctor and get tested.”

1. Extreme fatigue. When blood sugar levels are high, it can make your blood “sludgy,” slowing circulation so cells can’t get the oxygen and nutrients they need. In addition, high blood glucose can cause fatigue through inflammation as the blood vessels themselves become inflamed from excess sugar. According to Self magazine, this may be the most common early sign of high blood sugar.
2. Frequent urination and feeling very thirsty. When there is excess glucose in the blood, the kidneys react by flushing it out of the blood and into the urine. This causes frequent urination. You may also experience frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to the American Diabetes Association.
3. Dry mouth. The frequent urination that removes excess sugar from the blood can result in the body becoming dehydrated, leading to excess thirst.
4. Blurred vision. Again, changing fluid levels in your body can make the lenses in your eyes swell up. Excess sugar in the blood can also damage the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, which can cause blurry vision, according to Medical News Today.
5. Yeast infections. Lorber says that people with diabetes frequently develop infections in the warm, moist folds of the body, especially the folds of the abdomen, the pubic area, between fingers and toes, and under the breasts.
6. Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands and feet. This is called diabetic neuropathy and happens because the blood can’t get to the extremities easily since high blood sugar levels affect blood circulation.
7. Always feeling hungry. People with diabetes often do not get enough energy from the food they eat. That’s because when the digestive system breaks down food into a simple sugar called glucose, which our cells need as fuel, it doesn’t reach its destination. People with diabetes are not able to move that glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body.
8. Headaches. Dehydration from any cause can trigger headaches, according to Self. If you find that you are experiencing more headaches along with fatigue than is normal for you, get checked out.
9. Nausea, vomiting, or confusion. These symptoms may be a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. You may also experience stomach pain, trouble breathing, and dry or flushed skin. This condition is most common in those with type 1 diabetes and is often the first sign they are sick, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

The most important precaution you can make to prevent and detect prediabetes and type 2 diabetes is to get your blood glucose levels screened by your healthcare professional so you know your numbers, says Lorber.

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