News Taffy

There are approximately 7 million Americans walking around right now who don’t realize they already have diabetes and about 79 million who are pre-diabetic! Diabetes is a serious disease that is a major cause of heart disease. Diabetes can lead to blindness, leg amputations, stroke and kidney disease but most diabetics will die of heart disease. What is important to know is that you can prevent diabetes from developing by educating yourself about your risk factors and how to lead a healthier lifestyle. Since diabetic care is expensive, costing about $174 billion annually in the United States, you have even more reason to care.

There are several risk factors for developing diabetes which include:

1. Being overweight or having a waist size greater than 35 inches

2. Being over age 45, though diabetes can occur at any age

3. Close relatives with diabetes

4. Having gestational diabetes

5. High blood pressure

6. Having abnormal cholesterol

7. Higher than normal blood sugar

8. Being inactive

9. Having skin around your neck, armpits, hands or other areas that appears dirty no matter how much you wash

If you have any of these risk factors, please talk with your physician about being tested. Blood vessel blockage starts to occur all over your body even if you have “pre-diabetes” so doing everything you can to change your lifestyle is important to your health.

There are two keys to prevention of diabetes - exercise and diet. Our bodies were not meant to be sedentary so get up and get moving. Exercise will improve many health problems and will help keep your weight at a normal level. If you are seriously overweight or out of shape, talk with your doctor first and work with a trainer. It will be hard at first and you may find it painful, but to give up is a certain early death sentence. It’s your choice.

Consult a dietician or head to the book store where you can find plenty of books to help you understand how to eat a better diet. This means giving up fast foods, processed foods like frozen dinners, mac n cheese, crackers and cookies and choosing fresh fruits, vegetables and lean protein that you cook yourself. You also need to cut back on the amount of sugar in your diet so skip the sodas, candy or other sweet treats and watch for hidden sugar in other foods.

If you think prevention is too much trouble, or too difficult for you, then you should consider the treatments for diabetes. If you have diabetes, you must check your blood sugar several times a day by pricking your finger and putting a drop of blood on a test strip. You may also need to test your ketones, which are a warning sign your diabetes is getting out of control, by testing your urine. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin shots; those with Type 2 may be able to control their disease with diet and exercise or may need shots or other medications.

Please take your health seriously and don’t ignore the warning signs.