When it comes to diabetes, you are not powerless.
That was the lesson that caught my attention as I read through a message from Dr. Griffin Rodgers that was posted on the National Institutes for Health (NIH) website on Nov. 1, the first day of National Diabetes Month 2016.
Dr. Rodgers is the Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
While the disease is a lifelong burden for millions of Americans, “it does not have to be a lifelong barrier to better health,” Dr. Rodgers stressed.
In his message, he talked about the two main types of diabetes, both of which can lead to diseases of the heart, kidneys, nerves and eyes.
- Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. With Type 1, the body does not make insulin.
- Type 2 is the most common form. With Type 2, the body is not making enough insulin or is not using it well.
According to the NIH, diabetes is more common among older adults than individuals of younger ages.
The NIH offers the following advice for individuals with diabetes and those who care for them:
- Learn about the disease, what a person can do to manage it and the resources and support services that are available.
- Talk to your team of health care professionals about the ABCs of diabetes – you’re A1C (your blood glucose or sugar), Blood Pressure and Cholesterol.
- Take good care of your health and work with your team of health care professionals on a game plan to achieve your ABC goals.
- See your team of health care professionals at least twice a year and treat problems early.
To read the full message from Dr. Rodgers, click here.
For more information from (NIH) on living with diabetes, click here.
For tips on how you can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, click here.
Our Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community in Freeport, Illinois is hosting an informational presentation by Nicolette Drane, FHN Diabetic Educator, at 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14. Comfort Keepers is co-sponsoring the program.
A Diabetes Awareness Clinic is being held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, at John Evans Supportive Living, an affordable assisted living community managed by Gardant in Pekin, Illinois.