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November is National Diabetes Month. It's probably not what you want to think about during the holiday season, but frankly, what better time to raise awareness? Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose (or blood sugar) is too high. Since insulin is the hormone that allows glucose to come out of your blood and send it into your cells to give it energy, if your pancreas does not produce enough insulin, glucose stays in your blood. Here's what we should all know and share about diabetes.
Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases after 45 years.
The difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is as follows: In type 1 diabetes, your immune system attacks and destroys the cells of your pancreas producing insulin. This is usually diagnosed in children, but it can happen at any age. Type 2, however, occurs when your body does not make insulin well. Again, you can develop this at any age, but the risk increases for middle-aged and older adults.
Women may be at higher risk if they have ever had pregnancy diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
In general, gestational diabetes disappears after childbirth, but the mother and the child are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, the risk may be to maintain a healthy weight, to wise food choices and stay active.
You may be able to prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5-7% of your weight.
If you are overweight, losing even a small amount can make all the difference. Doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity five times a week can help you achieve this goal, while further reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Some people with prediabetes or diabetes may have no symptoms.
Some of the symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, increased urination, fatigue and blurred vision. However, some people may have no symptoms. That's why it's important to get tested, especially if you have a risk factor such as overweight or middle age, or if you have a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease. If you are an African-American, Alaska native, American Indian, Afro-American, Hispanic or Latin American, of Hawaiian or Pacific Island origin, you are also at higher risk.
A fasting glucose test (fasting glucose) is not the only way to diagnose diabetes.
The FPG test measures the amount of glucose in your blood after at least 8 hours of fasting. A score of 99 or less is normal; 100 to 125 is an indication of prediabetes and 126 or more is diabetes. However, your doctor may want to do the same test the next day before the diagnosis. Another option is hemoglobin A1C, a blood test that measures your average blood glucose level in the last 2 to 3 months. A result below 5.7% is normal, 5.7% to 6.4% is considered prediabetes and 6.5% or more to diabetes.
Managing diabetes is much easier if you know the ABC.
A is for A1C, B is blood pressure, C is for cholesterol and S is for quitting. Staying above your blood sugar and making some adjustments to your lifestyle can greatly reduce your risk of diabetes-related complications. Discuss with your dietitian or doctor the appropriate meal plan for you and any medications you are taking.
This information does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a health professional for individual advice. Tracy Bjerke, RDN, LD, represents Hy-Vee as a nutrition expert promoting healthy eating throughout the community. You can reach him at [email protected] or 507-451-0138. Tracy Bjerke is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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