According to the most recent statistics from the American Diabetes Association, 9.4% of the U.S. population has diabetes. 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed every year. This disease clearly impacts a large segment of the population.
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Take time this month to learn about the signs and symptoms of diabetes and how to best manage this disease if you are living with it.
Celebrate World Diabetes Day
Even though the entire month is dedicated to diabetes awareness, November 14 is World Diabetes Day, where awareness goes on a global scale.
For World Diabetes Day last year, the message was about how healthy eating can prevent the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. Healthy eating is a powerful and simple management tool for people already living with diabetes. This year, the focus is on action and change. The key message is to take charge of your own habits, and on a larger scale for communities and governments to help enact change to make healthy eating options more accessible for people in need.
How to Prevent Complications
As we’ve mentioned, one great way to keep diabetes at bay is to engage in healthy eating.
If you already have diabetes, you are at greater risk for a number of complications, including eye, kidney, skin, and neuropathy (feet) problems. You are also at higher risk for stroke and heart attack.
Commit to regular eye checkups to avoid glaucoma and cataracts; inspect your skin regularly to make sure there are no abnormalities. Try to keep your blood pressure down (with good diet and regular exercise) which will reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack.
Surround Yourself With Support
Managing diabetes requires committed lifestyle changes and your chances of success increase if you can surround yourself with a support network.
Research as much as you can, and share this information with friends and family. Join a support group (check out your local hospitals and community centers) where you can learn and share strategies for living with diabetes. Find someone who will be your “exercise buddy.” You are less likely to skip exercise if you’ve got someone doing it with you.
Daily Management
The cornerstone of diabetes management is healthy eating. That’s why you’ve got to get informed about food; from nutrients to sugar content to portion size to carbohydrate content.
Understanding carbohydrates is very important in managing diabetes, because much of their content gets broken down to sugar, which can impact blood sugar levels negatively.
As your community leak detection company, we also are invested in the health and well-being of the members of our community. That’s why we draw attention to this important month and encourage you to manage your health. For assistance from Indiana Leak Detection call us at (317) 497-0024.