It can be challenging to say exactly how many people in America currently have diabetes due to the fact that more than six million cases can be undiagnosed. It is possible that you are a diabetic though, if you are dealing with a few of these symptoms, including constantly feel extremely hungry and thirsty, urinate every hour, lose or gain a lot of weight very fast, constantly feel nauseated, get yeast infections, feel extremely tired when you shouldn't, have a dry mouth, blurry vision, or don't heal from bruises or cuts as quickly as most people would. You are much more likely to get diabetes if you are older, sedentary, and overweight.
There are different types of diabetes. They are called gestational and Types 1 and 2. In Type 1, the immune system of the body attacks the beta cells that produce insulin in the body. It's an autoimmune disease. Genetic and viral factors lead to this condition, and it typically gets diagnosed when a person is younger. The majority of diabetics have Type 2, and even though it comes on more gradually, it is usually found in those that are not physically active and are overweight. It's also most common in Native Americans, Hispanics, and African Americans.
For Type 1 diabetes, the symptoms that you should expect are constant hunger, thirst, and blurry vision. Those with Type 1 diabetes need to get insulin each day or they could fall into a coma. Signs that you might have it include always needing to urinate and having breath that smells similar to nail polish remover. In Type 2 diabetes, some of the symptoms you will see include frequent infections, fatigue and nausea, and slow healing wounds. The body still produces insulin for Type 2 diabetics however, but it can't use it for some reason that is still not known. Glucose also tends to build in the blood, making it hard for the body to convert it into fuel.
So if you have just learned that you are a diabetic, you need to make some lifestyle changes, including major changes to your diet and learning to regularly monitor your blood sugar. It may seem to be overwhelming at the beginning, but you will find that you will gain confidence when you learn how to control and manage your diabetes by getting a fair amount of exercise, regularly testing your blood sugar and making sure to eat the right diet.