Nine classic symptoms of diabetes

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and according to the Canadian Diabetes Association, nine million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes.

“This chronic disease is no stranger to some neighbourhoods in the Scarborough community,” explains Margaret Devor, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at The Scarborough Hospital. “In fact, eight out of 100 people in Scarborough have diabetes. This is one of the highest rates in Toronto and is the highest rate in the Central East LHIN.”

Certain ethnic populations are shown to be at higher risk, including South Asian, East Asian, African, Caribbean, Latin American and Aboriginal.

Diabetes is fast-growing in our community. It is important that you ask your doctor to test you. It is really simple: just one blood test, Margaret adds.

On November 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., come out to the South Asian Diabetes Expo at CICS (Centre for Information and Community Services), 2330 Midland Avenue and test your blood sugar.

Here are the classic symptoms of diabetes:

1. blurred vision
2. cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
3. feeling tired or having no energy
4. infections
5. having to urinate often
6. tingling or numbness in hands or feet
7. trouble getting and maintaining an erection
8. being thirsty often
9. gain or loss of weight