According to the National Diabetes Education Program, nearly 29.1 million Americans have diabetes a serious disease in which blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are above nor-mal. Most people with diabetes have type 2, which used to be called adult-onset diabe-tes. At one time, type 2 diabetes was more common in people over age 45. But now more young people, even children, have the disease because many are overweight or obese.
Diabetes can lead to problems such as heart disease, stroke, vision loss, kidney dis-ease, and nerve damage. One out of four people do not know they have diabetes. Many people do not find out they have diabetes until they are faced with problems such as blurry vision or heart trouble. That’s why you need to know if you are at risk for diabetes. An estimated 86 million Americans over age 20 have prediabetes Before people devel-op type 2 diabetes, they usually have “prediabetes”—that means their blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be called diabetes. People with prediabetes are more likely to develop diabetes within 10 years and they are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Diabetes prevention is proven, possible, and powerful. Studies show that people at high risk for diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their weight, if they are overweight—that’s 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. Two keys to success: * Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week. * Eat a variety of foods that are low in fat and reduce the number of calories you eat per day.+ In other words, it’s not all that difficult to prevent diabetes. Have you wondered or possibly been told that you are at risk for developing diabetes or that you have prediabetes? If you haven’t already done so, be sure to talk with your health care team about your risk and whether you should be tested. Emily Lambright is a registered nurse and owner of Embrace Your Health Home Services in the Coldwater/Hillsdale area specializing in diabetes management home care. The business also provides care to those that want to continue residing in their home but need some additional services and assistance, health coaching and lifestyles management for chronic conditions and heart disease. For more information, call 517-439-4119.
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July 2016
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Embrace Your Health, LLC
Phone 517-990-7469 Email us at [email protected] Serving Branch, Lenawee, Jackson and Hillsdale Counties |