WATCH: Mediclinic Highveld in Trichardt offers free blood pressure test
Early diagnoses and treatment of diabetes is better.
TRICHARDT – Mediclinic Highveld will be offering free blood pressure and blood glucose tests on Thursday, November 24 to highlight Diabetes Awareness Month which is in November.
Sphiwe Mahlalela, patient experience manager at the hospital, said the earlier a person is diagnosed with diabetes and treated, the better.
Diabetes is a condition that inhibits the body’s ability to properly regulate blood glucose levels.
Diabetes is not just about sugar. Many people make the mistake of assuming that diabetes is a condition that affects only those with a sugar or carb-laden diet or those that are overweight.
Mahlalela said choices of foods such as French fries that are rich in glucose, could have a greater impact on a person’s health than they realise.
She said according to statistics, 3.5 million people in South Africa, live with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Many of these people are not diagnosed until complications begin.
“Diabetes complications are serious and include heart disease, strokes, blindness, amputations and kidney failure,” said Mahlalela.
“In most cases, these complications could have been avoided entirely by early diagnoses and proper treatment.”
If you are older than 35, overweight, exercise less than two and a half hours weekly, are slender, but have excess belly fat, have a family history of obesity or type 2 diabetes, follow a diet high in fats and sugar, or have high blood pressure, are of Indian descent, you are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.
The signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes include excessive thirst, blurred vision, itching and skin infections, recurrent bladder infections, excessive urination, constant hunger and tiredness.
For more information on Mediclinic Highveld’s free testing day on November 24, visit their website at www.mediclinic.co.za.
