In general, the classic and typical symptoms of diabetes are weakness, fatigue, blurred vision, weight loss, thirst, frequent urination, and a larger-than-normal desire to eat. Not all diabetes patients exhibit all of these signs. In fact, rarely do any of them exhibit ALL of these signs, but when you see any of these signs, you may want to consider seeing your doctor and have it checked. Like almost any other ailment, early diagnosis of diabetes provides your best chance of beating it.

It is both interesting and alarming to note that many diabetics have virtually no symptoms of the ailment or the symptoms are so mild that they thought nothing of it. This presents a problem, because you don't want to go running off to the doctor every time you are thirsty or lose a few pounds (two of the symptoms listed above), but then again, you need to be aware of what is normal for you, and for diabetes symptoms that persist, you should see your doctor.

With type 1 diabetes, the patient can become very suddenly ill with little warning signs, and this may even require hospitalization. The sad truth is that since some diabetics do not exhibit symptoms or have very mild symptoms, many of them have diabetes that is undiagnosed for years. Studies seem to indicate that almost HALF of the millions of people who have diabetes are unaware of it, and because of this, doctors frequently see the situation where people already have diabetes-related organ damage by the time they are first diagnosed with diabetes.

The treatment of diabetes involves multiple things, primarily to eliminate the signs of high blood sugars. This helps to alleviate any long term complications that can result and allows the patient to live as normal a life as possible, depending of course of the severity of the affliction. But since no two diabetics are alike, the treatment really needs to be tailored to the specific person and their specific level of severity in order for the treatment to be as effective as possible.

The biggest and most effective treatment of diabetes consists of exercise and proper nutrition. Those are also the biggest defense against diabetes if you do not have it. For type 1 diabetes, they need to regulate their insulin shot or intake with their calorie intake to ensure they are balanced properly. For the type 2 diabetes patient, their diet should consist of low saturated fat and also portion control. Typically, type 2 diabetes patients should lose a few pounds, and this treatment will help to decrease blood sugars and allow then to shed a few extra pounds.

Studies have shown that approximately 75% of diabetics die of heart disease, stroke, or other types of circulatory problems. Therefore, part of the diabetes treatment should also include quitting smoking, maintaining good blood pressure readings, and having your cholesterol checked regularly to keep it under control. Aggressively lowering of your cholesterol level, especially the "bad" LDL cholesterol will aid greatly by decreasing the chance of stroke, heart disease, and other circulatory problems that can be triggered by high cholesterol. Under the direction of your doctor, heart tests should also be done on a regular basis.

Do not make decisions in the dark, however. Diabetes is a serious disease, and make sure whatever treatments you do, they are done with your doctor's knowledge and recommendations.