Discovering Diabetes. Your Guide to Diabetes Prevention

Quick! Check your watch.

At this time tomorrow, 4,000 new people will have been diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus. The day after that, another 4,000 people will be diagnosed. The numbers are staggering. 25% of all people over 60 years have Diabetes.

These statistics, courtesy of the Center For Disease Control (CDC) are not meant to be disheartening, but instead to direct your awareness to a more empowering topic – PREVENTION!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Today in the United States, 23 million people have Diabetes. That may seem like a lot, and it is, however, there is a much more important statistic. More thantwice as many people (57 million Americans) have a health condition that is leading them straight to Diabetes. This health condition is called Pre-Diabetes.

Insulin (a hormone made by the pancreas) is like a mobile alarm clock that floats around in your blood stream. When you eat carbohydrates, the “Insulin Alarm Clock” goes off and signals to the body that it’s time to eat! The cells of your body respond by absorbing sugar from the blood.

The primary problem in Pre-Diabetes is that the body becomes desensitized to Insulin.

As a result of this desensitization, the body cannot absorb glucose properly and the amount of sugar in your bloodstream stays high. Sugar, or glucose, is a nutritious and essential fuel for your body. Unfortunately, prolonged high levels of glucose in your blood will damage your arteries and nerves. If it goes untreated, Pre-Diabetes will lead to Type 2 Diabetes.

There is good news!

Because of it’s significance, Pre-Diabetes is getting LOTS of attention from researchers. A huge study was performed called the Diabetes Prevention Program that involved over 3,000 people with Pre-Diabetes. The researchers wanted to see if changing one’s diet and exercising regularly would prevent a Pre-Diabetic from developing Type 2 Diabetes. It does! Participants who exercised and modified their diet reduced their risk of Diabetes by 58%.

Your health is the most important thing in the world. I strongly urge you to receive regular blood tests to scan for Pre-Diabetes. Please contact Independent Nursing Care for more information or to get tested. Fifty-six million people in this country have Pre-Diabetes and many of them do not know it. Be an advocate for those people. Spread the word.

Do you or someone you know have diabetes? Or do you just want to live a healthier lifestyle? Then check out the links below:

Diabetes Risk Test: This simple tool can help you determine your risk for having diabetes. (source: American Diabetes Association)

Exercise for Everyone: Staying fit is an important part of staying healthy and reducing your risks. (source: Center for Disease Control)