Diabetes mellitus is a horrific illness. It can lead to heart disease, neuropathy, kidney failure, and even blindness. If you think you may have diabetes, you need to take control of it as soon as possible. If you are unsure, you need to visit a physician for a checkup right now. An estimated one out of three Americans has the symptoms diabetes mellitus and does not even realize it. You do not want to be part of the 1/3 statistic. Visit a doctor right now if you have any reason to believe you may be diabetic.

Symptoms and signs of diabetes mellitus

Here are some signs and symptoms that individuals with diabetes may have or experience.

• You do not exercise more than thirty minutes or so a day (cycling, walking, etc.)

• Some of your family members are or have been diabetic.

• You are constantly thirsty, and it seems as if you can never get enough water.

• If you are always feeling weak and fatigued, no matter how much sleep you get.

• You are visiting the bathroom frequently---much more than what is usual for you.

• You notice that your vision is becoming somewhat blurry at times.

These are just some of the signs. If you experience any of these, you may have diabetes mellitus. Of course, these signs can be caused by other reasons, and not just diabetes, therefore you should visit a doctor to find out for sure. It is better to be safe than sorry, after all.

Fasting blood glucose test

This is the preferred method of diagnosing diabetes mellitus. You will be required to fast for at least eight hours. A sample of your blood will be drawn and sent to the lab for analysis. This can also be done in a physician’s office using a glucose meter.

The results can be as follows:

• The fasting plasma glucose levels, when normal, are less than 100 mg per dl (deciliter).

• Fasting plasma glucose levels of 126 mg/dl or more on two or three tests on different days indicates diabetes mellitus.

• A blood glucose level of 200 mg/dl + indicates diabetes mellitus also. This is especially so if the test is random.

Do not worry or allow yourself to become stressed if you think you or someone you know may have diabetes. Just know that you are not alone, as millions of others have this illness also. While there is no cure, it can be treated through medication, dieting, and exercise. There are also some home remedies that are believed to help treat diabetes.

One of the smartest things you can do is change your diet. It may be hard to do at first, but if you do so, you can lessen the symptoms of diabetes mellitus a great deal. Just look online for a sample meal plan for diabetics. In addition to visiting a physician and getting appropriate medication, you should also visit a dietician or nutritionist to help you formulate a healthy diet program. There are plenty of good meals and desserts that diabetics can safely eat. In fact, some will even help make you healthier!