American Diabetes Month

➤Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems if it’s not controlled.

➤One in 11 Americans have diabetes — that’s more than 29 million people. And another 86 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

➤The good news? People who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes can lower their risk by more than half if they make healthy changes. These changes include: eating healthy, increasing physical activity, and losing weight.

Take action to increase awareness about diabetes and healthy lifestyles.

1.Partner with your local gym or YMCA to host a Diabetes Prevention Party focused on healthy eating and physical activity. Give away gym passes, fitness class certificates, or workout gear. Ask gym staff to do demonstrations or teach a free class.

2.Find out which local churches have a health ministry. Offer to give a presentation on how to prevent type 2 diabetes at their next event.

3. Host a cooking demonstration featuring diabetes-friendly recipes. Get local nutritionists involved

4.Include healthy Thanksgiving recipes in your next newsletter or company email along with quick tips on how to prevent type 2 diabetes.

5. Post tips on type 2 diabetes prevention on your employee bulletin board

6. Encourage your members or employees to get active. Organize lunchtime walks or invite local gyms to showcase their fitness classes and programs.

How can American Diabetes Month make a difference?

➤We can use this month to raise awareness about diabetes risk factors and encourage people to make healthy changes.
Here are just a few ideas:

Encourage people to make small changes, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
Talk to people in your community about getting regular checkups. They can get their blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and ask the doctor about their diabetes risk.
Ask doctors and nurses to be leaders in their communities by speaking about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity.

➤ It's Your Life. Treat Your Diabetes Well There isn't a cure yet for diabetes, but a healthy lifestyle can really reduce its impact on your life. What you do every day makes the difference: eating a healthy diet, being physically active, taking medicines if prescribed, and keeping health care appointments to stay on track.

The Basics

➤➤More than 29 million people in the United States have diabetes, but 1 out of 4 of them don't know they have it. There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant, which can put the pregnancy and baby at risk and lead to type 2 diabetes later). With type 1 diabetes, your body can't make insulin (a hormone that regulates blood sugar), so you need to take it every day. Type 1 diabetes is less common than type 2 diabetes; about 5% of the people who have diabetes have type 1. Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes.
Most people with diabetes—9 out of 10—have type 2 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't use insulin well and is unable to keep blood sugar at normal levels. If you have any of the risk factors below, ask your doctor if you should be tested for diabetes. The sooner you find out, the sooner you can start making healthy changes that will benefit you now and in the future.
Type 2 diabetes risk factors include

Being overweight.
Being 45 years or older.
Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes.
Being physically active less than 3 times a week.
Ever having gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds.

➤Race and ethnicity also matter: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes.

You've Been Diagnosed with Diabetes. Now What?

Following a healthy eating plan, including eating more fruits and vegetables and less sugar and salt.
Getting physically active —10 to 20 minutes a day is better than only an hour once a week.
Taking diabetes medicine as prescribed by your doctor.
Testing your blood sugar regularly to understand and track how food, activity, and medicine affect your blood sugar levels.

➤➤Learning how to take care of your diabetes starts when you're diagnosed, but it doesn't stop there. As you get older or if your health status changes, your treatment plan may need to change too.

Prevent Complications

➤People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at higher risk for serious health complications, including

Heart disease and stroke: People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke as people without diabetes, and at an earlier age.
Blindness and eye problems: Diabetic retinopathy (damage to blood vessels in the retina), cataract (clouding of the lens), and glaucoma (increase in fluid pressure in the eye) can all result in vision loss.
Kidney disease: High blood sugar levels can damage the kidneys over time, long before you start to feel bad.
Amputations: This means you could lose a foot or leg. Diabetes causes damage to blood vessels and nerves, particularly in the feet, and can lead to serious, hard-to-treat infections. Amputation may be necessary to keep the infection from spreading.

➤But controlling your blood sugar levels can help you avoid or delay these serious health complications, and treating complications as soon as possible can help prevent them from getting worse.
Living with diabetes has its ups and downs, but healthy lifestyle choices can give you more control over them. And more control means fewer health problems down the road and a better quality of life now. For more information on healthy diets and taking control of your diabetes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ https://www.cdc.gov/features/livingwithdiabetes/

Tuesday, November 22, 2016