November – National Diabetes Awareness Month

Did you know that diabetes can lead to heart attack and stroke, blindness, or kidney failure? Since November is National Diabetes Awareness Month we thought this would be a good time to review this condition that’s rapidly becoming a national level risk to the health of Americans.

Consider that:

• 24 million children and adults in the United States live with diabetes
• 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes
• 1 out of every 3 children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue

Too much glucose, a type of sugar, in your blood can cause diabetes problems over time. High blood glucose can cause heart and blood vessel disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Damage to the eyes can lead to loss of sight or blindness. Nerve damage and poor blood flow can cause foot problems, sometimes leading to amputation.
Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas, to help them convert blood glucose into energy.
People develop diabetes because the pancreas does not make enough insulin or because the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly, or both. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy.
Although researchers do not fully understand why some people get diabetes and others do not, it is clear that certain factors increase your risk. You may be at an elevated risk for having diabetes if:

• Your mother, father, sister, or brother has diabetes
• You are African American, Hispanic American/Latino, American Indian, Native Alaskan, Asian American, or Pacific Islander
• You have high blood pressure (at or above 130/80)
• You have a history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or gave birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth
• You are overweight or obese
• You are inactive or have a sedentary lifestyle
• You are more than 45 years old

If you have one or more of these risk factors, even if you are experiencing no symptoms, your doctor may want to test you for diabetes.
What can I do to stay healthy with diabetes?
Controlling your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol can make a big difference in staying healthy. Talk with your doctor about what your ABC goals should be and how to reach them. A stands for the A1C test-a measure of what your blood glucose has been for the last three months. B is for blood pressure, and C is for cholesterol.
You can take these steps each day to reach your ABC goals:

• Follow the healthy eating plan that you and your doctor or dietitian have discussed.
• Be physically active for 30 to 60 minutes most days.
• Take your medicines as directed and keep taking them, even after you’ve reached your goals.
• If you smoke, quit now.
• Ask your doctor if you should take aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
• Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, sores, swelling, redness, or sore toenails.

For more information, please visit: American Diabetes Association and The National Institute of Health