Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Sir Steve Redgrave … you’d be forgiven for thinking all that linked these famous names was a groaning trophy cabinet. But you’d be wrong – they also all have type 2 diabetes.
It’s a condition caused when the pancreas stops producing enough of the hormone insulin, which helps us absorb blood sugar and turn it into energy, or when the body doesn’t use it properly.
And it’s one of the fastest growing health problems in the UK – nowadays more than three million of us have it, twice as many as 20 years ago*.
Diabetes is one of the fastest growing health problems in the UK, affecting more than 3m of us
And a further 850,000* are thought to be undiagnosed. But, as the stars above found out, it’s vital to discover if you have the disease.
Because not only does it make you feel tired and weak in the short term, long term it can dramatically increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke.
It can also cause nerve damage, kidney disease, vision loss and blindness.
But there is good news – it can in some cases be prevented. And even if you do develop the condition, it may be able to be controlled by a combination of good diet, losing weight (if you’re overweight) and exercise. Some people do require medication to help control their blood glucose levels.
There is good news: Type 2 diabetes can be prevented, controlled, and even reversed
ARE YOU AT RISK?
Some are more likely than others to develop type 2 diabetes, they include the over-40s, the overweight and those who have it in the family*.
Black and Asian people are also genetically susceptible to it at a younger age* – Bond girl Halle Berry was only in her early 20s when she was diagnosed.
Signs you might have high blood sugar levels – the precursor to diabetes – or the disease itself include extreme thirst, peeing a lot, feeling very tired, slow-healing wounds and blurred vision.
Halle Berry was diagnosed in her early 20s, while Tom Hanks was warned by his doctor
If you have any of these symptoms or are worried you’re a risk, you must see your GP or pop in for a free and confidential consultation with a LloydsPharmacy expert.
Then, if you’re in any danger of developing the disease, they can help put you on the right path.
Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, now 60, admits he regrets taking little notice of his doctor’s warnings that he had high blood sugar levels for years before he was diagnosed with type 2 in 2013.
‘I thought I could avoid it by removing the buns from my cheeseburgers,’ he says. ‘I’m part of the lazy generation that blindly kept dancing through the party and now finds ourselves with a malady. I was a total idiot.’
DIABETES
Type 1 is much rarer than its counterpart, making up around ten per cent of cases*.
Usually diagnosed in childhood – and with no known cause – it means the pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin at all.
Sufferers have to monitor their blood sugar levels closely and inject insulin if and when needed. Left uncontrolled, its consequences are the same as type 2.
Those with it include singer Nick Jonas, footballer Gary Mabbutt, record producer Damon Dash and actress Vanessa Williams.
He was put on a weight-loss regime by his doctor and now has the disease under control.
Halle Berry didn’t need to diet when she was diagnosed in 1989 after collapsing on the set of a TV show and being rushed to hospital.
Instead, after spending a week in a coma, she switched to a diet lower in carbohydrate, sugars and fats.
‘I went into hospital on my last breath, and came out feeling a hundred times better,’ she says.
‘I knew it was time to take better care of myself and I can honestly say that I am a healthier person than I was before I was taken ill.’
But well-controlled diabetes needn’t take its toll on your life – as Sir Steve Redgrave found out.
The rower, whose grandfather had type 2 diabetes, was diagnosed in 1997 – a year after winning this fourth Olympic gold medal.
‘At first I thought my career was over,’ he admits. ‘Then I went to see the specialist who said, ‘I can see no reason why you can’t continue’.’
Three years later, thanks to a regime of insulin injections, he won his record-breaking fifth gold at the Sydney Olympics.
Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave, right, manages his diabetes and his sports career
DIABETES: SPOT THE SIGNS
As symptoms develop gradually, many people have Type 2 Diabetes for years before they’re diagnosed. The only way to know whether you have it is to get tested. So if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, you could be at risk:
1. Always feeling thirsty
2. Going to the toilet more often
3. Always feeling tired
4. Being overweight
5. Experiencing blurred history
6. Losing weight for no apparent reason
7. Suffering from frequent infections
8. Experiencing numbness in the hands and feet
9. Having high blood pressure
10. Slow healing wounds
Source: LloydsPharmacy
1.1m people in the UK have undiagnosed diabetes, so why don’t you get yourself checked?
HOW LLOYDSPHARMACY CAN HELP
If you’re worried you might be at risk, your local LloydsPharmacy can help. Most branches offer a diabetes testing service – simply book online or pop in for a free, confidential consultation.
You’ll be asked to complete a lifestyle questionnaire to show how likely you are to develop the disease. If you’re a high risk, you may be given a quick blood test to see how high your sugar levels are.
You’ll then either be referred to your GP or given expert advice about how to reduce the risk of developing the disease.
They can also help both type 1 and 2 diabetics understand what all their medication is doing for them and when to take it, to help make it more effective.
And, as those with the condition are much more likely to have foot problems, staff can also check diabetic customers’ feet for any early warning signs.
*Find out where your nearest branch offering diabetes help is by using the store locator at lloydspharmacy.com
Sources:
*: Diabetes UK