News: November 2022 - National Diabetes Month

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose also called blood sugar, is too high. Diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.

Working with health care professionals who can offer you the personal care you need may help improve your health.  While it takes a team to manage your diabetes, remember that you are the most important participant in your diabetes care.

Statistics:

*  37.3 million Americans or 11.3% of the U.S. population has diabetes.

* 1 in 5 Americans are living with diabetes. 8.5 million people are unaware that they have the disease.

*  96 million people 18 or older have prediabetes a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

How to Lower your Chances of Getting Diabetes – Preventing Type 2 Diabetes:

* Lose weight & keep it off – lose 5 to 7% of your starting weight.

*  Move more – get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week.

*  Eat healthy foods most of the times.  Eat smaller portions.  Choose food with less fat & drink water instead of sweet drinks.

Tips to Help Manage Diabetes:

* Know that you are the center of your care.

* Manage diabetes as early as possible by acting soon after being diagnosed.  Doing so can help prevent diabetes related health problems such as kidney disease, vision loss, heart disease and stroke.

* Build your diabetes health care team, Primary Care Provider, Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, Endocrinologist.

* Start with small changes to create healthy habits.

* Make physical activity & healthy eating part of your daily routine.