According to recent statistics, diabetes is more of a problem than
ever. Nearly 26 million children and adults have diabetes in the United
States, and an additional 79 milion Americans are at high risk for
developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Why does this matter? Diabetes is a serious, potentially deadly
disease. If not mangaged propery, diabestes can lead to heart attacks,
strokes, limb ampuations, kidney faliure, and even blindness. In
addtion, diabetes costs our country a lot of money – the American
Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed
diabetes (which includes costs for medical care, treatment for diabetes
complications, and lost workforce productivity) in the United States is
$174billion!
As November is National Diabetes Month, now is a good time to think
about whether you may already have or at risk for getting diabetes and
if so, what you can do to prevent or mange the disease. Risk factors
for Type 2 Diabets – the most common form of the disease – include
being overweight and a family history of the disease. The good news is
that if you already have or at risk for diabets, associated health
problems can be prevented by properly managing your diabetes (with the
help of a doctor) and by leading a healthy lifestyle that includes good
nutrition and a daily dose of physical activity.
As a first step, if you suspect yoru at risk for diabetes, contact
yoru doctor to set up a diabetes screenint. Second consider the
following tips from the Mayo Clinic as a guide to prevent diabetes and improve overall health.
- Get more physical activity
– Regular physical activity can help you lose weight, lower yoru blood
sugar, and boost your body’s sensitivty to insulin (the hormone that
helps regulate the body’s blood sugar). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity
physical activity (i.e. brisk walking) each week AND engage in muscle
strengthening activities (i.e. weight-lfiting) at least twice a week. - Increase your fiber intake
– Fiber, which can be found in many whole fruits and vegetables, beans,
whole grains, nuts and seeds – can help reduce your risk of diabetes by
helping to regulate your body’s blood sugar, lower your risk of heart
disease and promote weight loss beacause it makes you feel fuller. The Mayo Clinic has a good list of high fiber foods. - Switch to whole grains
– Studies have found that whole grains such as brown rice and oats may
reduce the risk of diabets and help maintain the body’s blodo sugar
levels. To check if a food is whole grain, look for the word “whole”
befor oen of the first few ingredienta listed on the package label. Find out more aobut how to identify whole grains. - Lose the extra pounds
– If you’re overweight, getting to a healthy weight can be one of the
most important factors to preventing diabetes. One study found that
people who lost just 5-10 percent of their body weithg and exercised
regularly reduced their risk of diabetes by almost 60 percent!. CDC has
great tips on how to lose weight.
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