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Page 22| Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com When you have diabetes, you're no stranger to tests that keep track of your disease. Most look at your blood, but there are others. Two simple ones that check your urine can help you and your doctor watch for kidney disease and severe high blood sugar. TESTS FOR KIDNEY DISEASE About one-third of people with diabetes have problems with their kidneys. But early and tight control of your blood sugar and blood pressure, plus help from certain supplements, can keep these organs working like they should. To check for problems, your doctor can do a test that measures the amount of protein in your urine, called microalbuminuria. It shows up when small amounts of albumin (the main protein in your blood) seep into your urine. Without treatment to slow the leak, your kidneys could be damaged and eventually fail. You should get this test every year starting as soon as you're diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. That's because high blood sugar is usually present many years before you find out you have the disease. If you have type 1 diabetes, you probably won't get the test until you've been diagnosed for 5 years. WHAT DOES A POSITIVE RESULT MEAN? If the test is positive, it means your kidneys can no longer filter the blood as well as they should. It also shows you have blood vessel disease that could lead to heart problems. Your doctor will probably suggest medications or lifestyle changes to help prevent these conditions: • Kidney damage. You may start specific medicines to prevent further harm. If your microalbumin level is high, your doctor What Do URINE TESTS Say About DIABETES?