|
American Diabetes Month® 2016: This is Diabetes™
By Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County
The Truth Contributor
To recognize November as National Diabetes Month, the
American Diabetes Association has shared the following
theme: This is Diabetes™. They are highlighting the
personal stories of people who live with diabetes as well as
the stories of their families and caregivers.
In the United States of American, 29 million people live
with diabetes. It can be challenging to live with a
diagnosis of diabetes but messages from This is Diabetes
share a vision of health and hope for all of us. They are
encouraging people to share their personal story. This
month’s suggestion of people sharing their own stories is to
help all of us better understand this disease. If people
share their stories online, they are encouraged to use the
hashtag #ThisIsDiabetes.
For example, a photograph of Norah practicing yoga says,
“I feel better when I take care of myself. Even if it means
a downward dog at 7:15 a.m. every morning right after
checking my blood glucose level. I’m in harmony with my
universe.” For a well-balanced treatment of diabetes, it is
important to work with your doctor, nurse and dietician.
Diabetes is best managed by a balance of food, medicine and
exercise.
What is diabetes? The National Institutes of Health
explains: it is a disease that occurs when your blood
glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. The three
main types of diabetes are type 1, type 2 and gestational
diabetes. People can develop diabetes at any age. Both women
and men can develop diabetes.
Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause
health problems, such as heart disease, nerve damage, eye
problems, and kidney disease. The good news is that we can
take steps to prevent diabetes or manage it.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center offers the
following suggestions to help control diabetes:
• Follow your meal plan.
• Take your insulin or other diabetes medicines as ordered.
• Exercise most days of the week, such as walking briskly
for 30 minutes, 5 days a week.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Learn how to check and record your blood glucose levels.
• Learn how to recognize when your blood glucose level is
too high or too low.
• Keep all of your appointments with your doctors, nurses
and dietitians.
• Attend diabetes education classes. Learn as much as you
can about diabetes. The more you know about your diabetes,
the better you will be able to control it.
Some people have prediabetes. It is estimated that in the
United States, more than one in three adults have
prediabetes. These individuals have blood glucose levels
that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be
diabetes. Fifteen to 30 percent of people with prediabetes
will develop type 2 diabetes within five years – unless they
make some healthy changes now.
The Wexner Medical Center shares the following tips to
prevent or delay type 2 diabetes:
• Lose weight. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body
weight can reduce your diabetes risk.
• Eat a healthy diet that is low in fat and calories.
• Increase your physical activity. Exercise most days of the
week, such as walking briskly for 30 minutes, five days a
week.
Although their list of suggestions for those with
prediabetes is shorter than the list for those with
diabetes, I would also suggest that all adults learn as much
as they can about diabetes – the more we know about it, the
better to prevent or control it. For those with diabetes,
ask your doctor, nurse or dietician about classes to learn
more about diabetes.
For anyone who would like to learn more about diabetes in an
online class, the Ohio State University Extension is
offering an updated online course titled,
Dining with Diabetes, Beyond the Kitchen.
This online diabetes education program has three modules and
it teaches participants diabetes management skills; as well
as how to make smart choices when planning meals, eating
out, or grocery shopping. For more information and a link to
sign-up, please visit
http://lucas.osu.edu/dwd.
Not only is it a great resource, but after
completion of the online course, participants receive a
printable certificate and are automatically entered in a
quarterly drawling for a $100 Amazon.com gift card.
Sources used for this article: American Diabetes
Association, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical
Center, and the National Institutes of Health.
|
