More than 29 million Americans—or about 9 percent of
the U.S. population—have diabetes, and it is estimated that one in every four
people with diabetes does not even know they have the disease. Diabetes is
becoming more common in the United States. From 1980 through 2011, the number
of Americans with diagnosed diabetes has more than tripled (from 5.6 million to
20.9 million). In Missouri alone, diabetes affects approximately 400,000 people. If left undiagnosed or untreated, diabetes can lead
to serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.
This November, the National Diabetes Education Program
(NDEP) and the Livingston County Health Center are encouraging people with
diabetes to “Be Smart About Your Heart: Control the ABCs of Diabetes.” This is a critical message because people
with diabetes are nearly two times more likely to die from heart disease or
stroke than a person without diabetes.
The good news is that people with diabetes can lower
their chance of having diabetes-related heart problems by managing their
Diabetes ABCs:
·
A is for the
A1C test (A-one-C). This is a blood test
that measures your average blood sugar (glucose) level over the past three
months.
·
B is for
Blood pressure.
·
C is for
Cholesterol.
·
S is for
stopping smoking.
Managing the Diabetes ABCs can help
prevent diabetes-related heart problems such as heart attack and stroke. Many people with diabetes do not understand
that having diabetes puts them at increased risk for having a heart attack or
stroke. People with diabetes need to understand
how important it is to manage their disease, which includes controlling their blood
sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, and stopping smoking.
The
importance of family support is critical for people living with diabetes or at
risk for type 2 diabetes in managing the disease and to staying healthy. Diabetes is a challenging disease that
affects the entire family in many ways.
For people with diabetes and their families, it’s important to work
together to manage diabetes and prevent serious health problems such as heart
disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and nerve damage that can lead to
amputation. People with diabetes who
have a strong family support system are better able to cope with the day-to-day
challenges associated with the disease. Whether family means loved ones at
home, school, work, place of worship, or in the community, having a support
system is an important part of staying healthy.
It’s
also important to know that having a family history of diabetes, such as a
mother, father, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes, puts you at greater
risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The
good news is that you-and your family-can take small, but important steps to
delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious chronic
disease that affects a growing number of people. But diabetes can be
controlled. It can even be prevented! Through lifestyle modifications,
individuals can decrease some of the risk factors for diabetes. Diabetes
doesn’t have to conquer you. With a
sensible diet and exercise, you can take charge of your diabetes and help
prevent its deadly complications. For those at risk for type 2 diabetes, you
can even prevent or delay the disease. Change your diet, increase your level of
physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, and quit smoking!
If you have diabetes, ask your health care team what
your A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers are, and what they should be.
Your ABC goals will depend on how long you have had diabetes and other health
problems.
The Health Center offers free individual diabetes
counseling by appointment. So, if you
are newly diagnosed, or could use help getting better control of your disease,
give us a call at 646-5506 to find out more.
Please visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org/DiabetesMonth2014 for more information about the link between diabetes
and heart disease, and visit www.livcohealthcenter.com to learn more about how Livingston County Health
Center can help you control your diabetes.
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