Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to several other health complications that you may not think about until your doctor tells you that you have one of them. Anyone suffering with diabetes knows the typical problems associated with the disease-thirst, fear of wounds, waking up at dawn, lethargy, shakiness, etc.

While these problems should be enough to make you want to take a proactive stance on your life, all too often these very problems make people lead a life of ever increasing weight gain and stagnation. It is of utmost importance to gain control of your diabetes through the implementation of proper diet, exercise, and stress reduction.

These simple yet lifesaving lifestyle modification will allow you to stem the progress of the problems listed below and hopefully lessen your need for pharmaceutical control factors.

Some of the other health risks you may encounter are:

Heart Disease and Stroke- Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. 50% of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke).

Your doctors order to maintain a diabetic diet may stem some of your body fat gain; exercise is the answer to a complete plan of attack on Heart disease and Stroke prevention. Lowering your carbohydrate intake is just not enough.

Kidney Disease- Diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure. 10-20% of people with diabetes die of kidney failure.

Renal disease will bring about the need for even more medication and possibly spending the rest of life on dialysis.

Diabetic retinopathy- is an important cause of blindness, and occurs as a result of long-term accumulated damage to the small blood vessels in the retina.

After 15 years of diabetes, approximately 2% of people become blind, and about 10% develop severe visual impairment.

Diabetic neuropathy- is damage to the nerves as a result of diabetes, and affects up to 50% of people with diabetes. Although many different problems can occur as a result of diabetic neuropathy, common symptoms are tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in the feet and hands.

Foot ulcers- Combined with reduced blood flow, neuropathy in the feet increases the chance of foot ulcers and eventual limb amputation. Loss of mobility is the fastest route to excess weight and body fat gain which brings you right back to the top of this list.

The overall risk of dying among people with diabetes is at least double the risk of their peers without diabetes. Research the right foods to eat, how many meals a day you should be eating, and what time of day you should be eating them.

Start your exercise regimen today. Make sure it includes all components of fitness, stretching, weight lifting, and cardiovascular training.

Find techniques for reducing stress in your life. Everyone has something they can do to put a smile your face-a walk in the park, yoga, martial arts, playing with your kids, the list is endless.

Do not wait until tomorrow to take control of your diabetes. Save your life today!