Risk Factors for Diabetes Archives

Welcome November and Diabetes Awareness Month! We’ve gotten through October and Halloween and are looking forward to Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. But first, we need to stop and recognize a potential health crisis. Diabetes continues to play a huge role in the health of our nation and around the world. The good news is that this is a condition you can control! The key to control is Knowing Your Numbers. Have a simple blood glucose check performed and you can quickly assess your diabetes risk or diabetes control. Remember, being overweight, obese or having a family member with diabetes can increase your risk for developing diabetes. Get checked if you:

Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25
Lead a sedentary lifestyle
Have a history of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Have a history of Gestational Diabetes
Gave birth to a child weighing more than 9 pounds
Have a history of Heart Disease, High Cholesterol or High Blood Pressure
Have a family member with Diabetes
Are 45 years or older

A quick look at what the numbers mean can give you an idea of where you stand. Most often, a Fasting Blood Glucose value will be used. This is preformed after an overnight fast and before any food or beverage in the morning. A one-time test may not always tell you everything you need to know but at least it can help to move you in the right direction!

	Blood Glucose	Results
	Normal:	Pre-Diabetes:	Diabetes:
Fasting Glucose: (No food or drink previous 8 hours)	< 99 mg/dL	100-125 mg/dL	>126 mg/dL on two separate draws.
Random Glucose:			>200 mg/dL

As the table shows, the numbers tell the story. A blood glucose check is a quick and easy way to get more information. If you’re not sure what the numbers mean or what you can do to take control, talk with your doctor or health care provider to get more answers and referrals to an education program. Being diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes or Diabetes is not a bad thing, it might just save your life! Don’t wait. The time is now to take action to change your life.

“It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!”

~John

This past August, I celebrated my 20th year of living with Diabetes. That’s right, Celebrated! I’m excited to have accomplished all that I have because of Diabetes. Is being diagnosed with Diabetes hard? Yeah, sometimes. But life, in general, is hard sometimes. Barriers are barriers only if we let them be. We hold the keys to our own happiness and health. We can’t control others or control all events in our life BUT, we can control how we respond to those events. Every challenge and difficulty we face gives us the opportunity to find out more about ourselves and to discover new ways to succeed.

Since November is American Diabetes Month, we want to encourage everybody to get checked for Diabetes. In the United States today, there are over 26 million Americans with Diabetes and another 79 million have a condition known as “Prediabetes” and are at a high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. One out of every 5 health care dollars is spent on Diabetes! (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

You are considered high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes if you:

Over the age of 45
Are Overweight or Obese
Have a Sedentary Lifestyle
Have a family history of Diabetes
Are African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latina or Hispanic
Gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or were diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

Check out the American Diabetes Association site to help calculate your risk of Diabetes. If you have Diabetes, work with your health care team to make sure you are in control. If you have been diagnosed or told that you have Pre-Diabetes, work with your health care team to control your risk factors. It has been predicted that by the year 2050, 1 out of every 3 Americans will have Diabetes. Don’t wait to be told you have Diabetes, take control of your health now! Join the Stop Diabetes effort.

Remember, you control your health. It will take effort, sacrifice, commitment and hard work, but you’re worth it!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

Diabetes Awareness Month!

Celebrating Life AND Diabetes!

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